The sound of this ride

As per Aids Ride regulation we are not allowed to listen to our ipods while riding. Which, is safer for everyone I'm sure, but a super drag for those of us that use music to push us along. As I sat in my car yesterday and thought about this fact I realized that if I were to put a playlist together it would be very eccletic. Sort of like another road map but this time a map of sound. The roads, the wind, the gears, they all make their own music and you listen to them all day. SO in honor of that I give to you my roadtrip playlist aptly titled : Who Rocks The House? (I do)

1. Beatles : Here Comes The Sun

Alarm goes off and I don't want to get up. It's 5am. It's dark. But I have to do it. If I put on this song I know everything will be ok. You just can't be in a bad mood after listening to it. The Nina Simone version is great too but slower and at this point I'm trying really hard to wake up.

2. Electric Light Orchestra : Mr. Blue Sky

This song is great for pumping me up right before the ride. I can't see the day ahead but I know there's going to (generally) be a blue sky hanging over my head.

3. Jurassic 5: Swing Set

Definitely a departure from the rest of their music. But, anything I've heard from them is good. This song is something that makes me want to dance. I sometimes fantasize that I'm on stage dancing to this song. It's very theatrical.

4. Hi Fi : Hard to Beat

Going to the meeting spot I'm amped and a nervous energy pours through me.

5. Franz Ferdiand : Take Me Out

I've just hopped on my bike and I'm hitting my first hill. The transitions in this song sound exactly like gear shifts. "I say you don't show, time is slow..." Perfect.

6. Chrystal Method : High Roller

My quads are burning but I keep moving. Don't stop.....keep pushing.

7. Deadmau5 : Ghosts and Stuff or Hi Friend (MC Flipside remix)

This whole cd is good but I think these two songs make me very happy :)

8. The Clash : Straight to Hell

You're on the back side of the hill now. You let the road take you around the next bend and your breath is slowing down. Only problem with the song is that you're gonna want to sing or dance along with it. "ma ma ma mama san... it ain't coca cola it's rice."


9. Spank Rock : Touch Me

If you like spank rock then you know his beats are dirty and playful. More hip-hop less straight up dancey.

10. Alexi Murdoch : Song For You

Inevitably there will come a moment where my mind will wonder off to the cubby holes in my brain. (that's where I hide all the good stuff anyway) And there she will be. Someone I loved once, crouching into the recessed space, away from the light.
It's the last image I've stored of her, like a photograph long ago buried. This song is for you and I and what we once were. What I can't help thinking about at this moment. I have no answers only questions.

11. Flying Lizards : I Want Money

Oh fundraising....the money that comes in from all the participants does such good things. Too bad I hate asking for it.

Lucas Valley and Point Reyes

Sunday I set a personal best of 88 miles. That's with 7,556 ft of climbing.


Here's the route we did.


It was hard, to say the least. I never climbed so much. BUT, I made it!! Not without some sacrifice though. I had to get up at 5am, meet the group at 6:15 and we rolled out of the Presidio around 7am. From there we went across the bridge through Sausilito, which I couldn't help thinking is so amazingly lovely in the morning. Only the early birds were up as we pedalled past the bay. It was almost completely still. There was no wind. Then we went through Tiburon, up Camino Alto which seems to be getting shorter each time I climb it, Larkspur, more climbing....lots and lots. At one point we go up the hardest climb I've done yet. Black Mountain I think it is. Or maybe it was Nicasio. Either way, I was breathing hard. But I was fast. I passed a few folks on my way up. There's nothing worse than losing your speed from the wasted slowing down when you're behind someone. At the top the sag team was there. With their cow bells, cheers and whistles. They're fantastic. Now that the rides are getting longer they're out in full force. I am more than grateful to these volunteers. Because, I knew if at any point I couldn't go on they were there. It felt good. Like someone
cared. When we got to the top I heard one the guys talking about how his gums were throbbing as he climbed that hill. He was pushing that hard!! Wow!



When we coasted down the backside of that crazy mountain I started to feel something. Hungry? Tired? I wasn't sure. I wanted to stop, we all did. But, this woman pedalled up to us and told us it was a measily 10 miles to the lunch spot. So we pressed on. But, we should have stopped. 10 miles = about 1hr. Too long. At that point we were pushing 52 miles with no real food. Bad. The temp dropped and the wind picked up as we approached the coast.Those miles took forever.


I'm not joking. I started to feel shaky. When we rolled into Point Reyes Station my legs were quivering. Everything looked like something I should eat. I stumbled into the first cafe I saw and bought a coffee and drooled as I looked at the giant carrot cake behind the counter. I was coming back for that bad boy.
Erin-Kate, my most prized new friend and favorite training buddy pulled me over to the grocery store where we just stared at all the food till someone made a descision.
Oh god was it good. A chicken pesto apple sandwhich that was heated. I sat down and drank my coffee and hoped beyond hope that my knee, my body in general could finish these last 38 miles.
We waited and were eventually swept by the ride sweep. "Hello, Ladies, time to go"
So we did. Guess what? More hills! Ha!
Then we went into the woods for the strangest ride I've done yet. Overhanging trees and a small paved path. Of course I almost went over the cliff at one point because my tired got stuck in a gravel rut but somehow, miraculous as it was, I bailed. No injury this time! Yay! Erin-Kate was relieved. She would have had to watch.



Before I knew it we were climbing Camino Alto once again. But this time it was 4pm and we had been on the bike for almost 8 hours. Then came Tiburon and the winds had picked up. Bad timing. I could see Sausalito in my sights and just wanted to get there. But the head wind slowed everyone down. Once we got to Sausilito I stopped to use the restroom and eat that pb&j that I had been saving. It tasted so good. I was ready. The last bit of climbing...here it was. If I could make this, I could do anything and I did. I made it. Rolling into Sports Basement in the Presidio around 5:45pm. That was a long freakin day!!

The Perfect Carb

Did you know that a one-cup serving of sweet potatoes offers more than 700 percent of your Daily Value of vitamin A, 65 percent of vitamin C, and seven grams of fiber. All potatoes are rich sources of antioxidants, and russets rank among the top 20 vegetables containing these free radical fighting compounds.

And contrary to common belief, you don't have to eat the whole thing if you don't wantto. "People think that all the nutrients are in the skin, but that's not true," says Katherine Beals, Ph.D., an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Utah. While skipping the skin reduces your fiber intake by about half, the majority of the vitamins and minerals hide in the flesh inside.Potatoes rank high on the glycemic index--higher than pasta--which means their carbs get into the bloodstream fast. So quickly, in fact, that some ultramarathoners and Ironman athletes reach for boiled, skinless white potatoes during long endurance events. If snacking on a plain spud midrun is a little too odd for your tastes, tap into longer-lasting energy by topping a potato with low-fat cottage cheese or serving it alongside four ounces of chicken or fish. "You lower potatoes' GI profile by eating them with fat or protein," says Leslie Bonci, R.D., director of sports medicine nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Eating foods low on the glycemic index--which means the sugars are processed more slowly, delivering a steadier stream of energy--improves endurance, according to a 2006 study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.

Postrun, potatoes replenish carbs quickly, and topped with protein, such as Greek yogurt or low-fat chili, help repair muscle fibers. Plus, the vitamin A in sweet potatoes aids new cell growth and repairs postworkout microtears in muscle, helping you recover and refuel for your next workout.
(http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-303--12052-2-1X2-3,00.html)

Here's the recipe I've been using. It comes for Cooks Illustrated and
it's amazing. I don't even like sweet potatoes!

Note: This recipe calls for starting in a cold oven. So don't preheat!
The starch in sweet potatoes is converted into sugar between 135 and 175 degree. Once the internal temp of the potato exceeds 175 degree, no further conversion. The longer the spuds stay withing the range the sweeter they are. Fascinating no?



ROASTED SWEET POTATOS
serves 4-6
3lbs sweet potatoes (6 medium)
ends trimmed, peeled, rinsed and cut into 3/4 inch rounds
2 tablespoons Vegatable oil
1 tsp table salt

Toss potatoes in a large bowl with oil and salt until evenly coated. Line 18-13 inch heavy duty rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non stick spray.
Arrange potatoes in single layer on baking sheet and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
Place potatoes in middle over rack in cold oven. Turn the oven to 425 and cook for 30 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and carefully remove aluminum foil from the top. Check the bottom of the potatoes. Are they burning? Are they still not cooked enough? Then turn them over and place them back in oven for about 10 mins or more depending on how they look. They burn easily so watch them.

Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Kinesio tape!

If you're anything like me you probably never thought about taping a muscle. I've always thought of tape as that white athletic stuff that you use to stabilize a joint. But no longer. On a recent visit to a new chiropractor I was introduced to Kinesio-tape, otherwise known as K-Tape. She taped the sides of my knee






and the large swollen bruises on my right leg.



She shreaded the piece on the right to make it look like a octopus almost. Supposedly this increases lymph drainage. I'm not sure what it did but it felt really nice and warm.


On a subsequent visit she taped my other knee in a stabilizing fashion on top and the sides.


For more info read this http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/ankletaping/a/kinesio_tape.htm
and http://www.kinesiotape.ca/whatitdoes.htm

You have to buy the stuff online but once you do there are lots of videos to show yu how to use it. It seems to be really important that you find out exactly how to use it otherwise you're wasting tape.

Here are a few videos that I thought the bikers might like. One for shoulder pain and one for the knee. Enjoy!

Feeling Unstable? Try taping your wrists!

There isn't an athlete out there that hasn't at some point taped a joint. I myself started using tape on my wrists about 6 yrs ago -the climbing world is well versed in taping methods, probably because there are so many tendon and ligament injuries that occur in the hands.
When I started getting pain in my wrists from riding all day it occurred to me that I could tape my wrists before I go out for a ride. As soon as did, poof! No more pain!

Of course I get a not so sexy tan line but who cares. If you choose to go this route just remember to do a nice forearm and wrist stretch before you start taping.


I like to tape it pretty tight and high on my wrist. If in doubt there are a ton of videos out there to guide you.

Protein Shake Recipe

Since I keep getting requests for this recipe I'm posting it here.

I usually have a protein shake in the morning and one more solid food item, like museli with milk. That's for long rides. For 1-30 miles the shake should be enough. Also I started with whey protein but now I use egg white protein powder. You can get it at whole foods.

Vary the recipe for the shake whenever you feel like a change. For instance, sometimes I get fresh mint and add it in for a flavor boost.
Or if it's too thick I use less coconut milk and add more soy milk. For men, I'm changing the soy to almond milk instead. Almonds are very good for men because they contain Boron, which is good for the prostate.
http://www.webmd.com/news/20010405/red-wine-coffee-almonds-may-lower-prostate-cancer-risk
AND last but not least I sometimes add super green food powder from Trader Joe's or Maca Powder from Whole Foods if I'm feeling run down.

Protein Shake Recipe

1/2 cup coconut milk (unflavored kind only sold at whole foods)

1/2 cup almond milk

1 banana sliced

handful of blueberries

handful of strawberries

1 tsp plain greek yogurt (can use any yogurt just not the fat free)

1 scoop protein powder

chopped mint (optional)

1 tsp maca powder (optional for energy) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maca

1 scoop super green powder (optional)

1/4 cup orange juice (optional, makes it more tangy and less thick)

Enjoy!!

Here comes the Sun

Finally turned a corner on all the pain and tiredness. I don't feel it as much now, due to monitoring my nutrition before during and after riding. I rode 75 miles one weekend and throughout the week and again this past weekend for a total of 210 miles in one week. Not bad. That's what, nearly half to LA? Granted it won't be that easy but it felt good. I did the day of ride. The first ever fully supported day of the ride. It's supposed to show you what life is like on the ride. We rode from San Francisco to Woodside. I think. I never really know. We get directions but not a map. If that makes sense. So you never really know what town you're in unless you ask. Basically I put my head down and pedal. It was a lot easier that day in one respect, there was always someone to follow. I found throughout the course of training that I was always too fast for the main group and not fast enough for the few in front. Usually those people wanted to ride alone anyway so it makes sense. But there were a lot of times where I circled an intersection waiting for someone from the group to come along. There was even a time in the south bay where I got hopelessly off course and missed a rest stop and then again a turn off that would have saved me 4 miles. Those times weren't my fault, the directions were incorrect. Usually the directions were exact. This was the only time that happened. But still, getting lost after almost 70 miles is like having a weight tied to you. You start to feel all that tiredness creep in. I also noticed that I felt like crying that time. Hmm. It was like being a kid again and getting frustrated about something. I sometimes have those moments. It's rare but they exist.

I had one yesterday as I was trying desperately to find parking near a new chiropractors office. The whole day had been one struggle after another. I finally called the office of the chiropractor and explained that I was already late, couldn't find parking and realizing that this may not happen today. The woman on the other end said this, "Today is your lucky day, " really? "we had a cancellation, why don't you find a spot, go for a little walk, maybe get some coffee and come back here by 5:30?" So I did. Walking around the Marina I felt the sun on my face and accepted the fact that it could be worse. Yes, based on everything I know about myself, my job, my preferences, I'll probably never have a house like the ones in the Marina. I'll probably never be able to buy my mother a little place near me. I will probably always be single. BUT, I can feel the sun on my face. Right then I saw a cupcake place and went in. It could have been worse :)

Gels Goos and Bars Oh My

I can attest that I've tried them all...or at least all the ones that I could get my hands on. Here's what I discovered based on my own body type. Anything made by Hammer Gel makes my stomach sick. I get bloated and gassy. Gross. Steer clear. Cytomax is good. Especially the Tropical Fruit. Stay away from the Grape unless you really like grape flavor. Those cheap ones, I'm blanking the name. They come in a tube and you pop them into a drink. They do nothing for me. Which is perfect cause they taste like nothing.

Bars. I've always eaten bars. Especially cliff bars. Coming from the climbing world who doesn't. But I found something better. PB&J. Yep. I'm going kiddie on ya. These are perfect. I got the idea from a client of my who competed in the IronMan. She told me to pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich cut into little pieces and eat a piece every 20 mins. I changed that to every 30. It works like a charm and so much cheaper!! Plus when you're in the middle of nowhere and you bite into one you feel like you're eating a gourmet meal. No joke. I've never felt that with a bar.

Nutrition

I decided I would try every single brands of energy drink, electrolyte replacements, gels, goos and bars. I've also been actively asking people what they like. How they train. Most of the answers are too vague for me. Some people buy what's around. Just around. They don't think about how their bodies or stomaches for that matter, will react. They don't care what drink they drink, how much sugar it has or if it actually helps them. I found links online like this one http://www.ultracycling.com/nutrition/eatingselfsupportrides.html

Which can sort of point you in the right direction. Then I started talking to my clients who are serious athletes. I found an article about Nutrition for Ultra Endurance Athletes. The basic guideline for hydration before, during and after an event are below:

Before
16 oz. 2 hours prior, then 4-8 oz. 5-15 mins prior to start

During
5-10 oz. every 15-20 mins

After
16-20 oz per lb of body weight lost


This may seem challenging but it's necessary to maintaining your hydration level.

It's happening

Since I last talked to my rep I've been pestering everyone I know about fundraising. What does it take to make people donate? That's been one of the questions. Well I found an answer. Not much. The people I've expected to donate take their time. Meanwhile in a surprising fashion many others have jumped on board. I was nervous about it. But it's been a good experience. There was just one person who reacted adversely. I'm going to tell you what happened just so you realize that this can and does happen and shouldn't effect how you continue fundraising.

I went into my bank of clients to find email addresses and came up with a short list of those people who I've talked to about ALC. I sent the fundraising emails and waited. Within 20 mins I had a my first donation! 50 bucks! Woo hoo! Then I got a nasty email. One of my clients lashed out at me. Asking things like, did I think he was made of money? and just because he teaches at Stanford and his kid goes to a fancy college doesn't mean he has extra income.

It would have been better if I just ignored my email. If you can't donate you can't donate. I didn't think about whether he was made of money. I knew he was someone who came to see me regularily and knew my proclivities about asking for cash.
The weird thing is, he donated 50 bucks. Yeah. So why? He felt guilty. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to thank him in person and was supposed to see him in a few days anyway so I waited. I got another email. Did I get his money or not? Wow.
He came in and I treated him like I always do, with kindness, said thank you and we haven't spoken about it since.

So what can I take away from this? Some people have issues around money.
My friend Lianne says "what did you expect? People can say anything under the sun." She was right.

Fundraising

I have to raise 3,000 by June 1st. That's a lot of money. This is one of the things I've been dreading. On my own I've spent a total of $1127 just to get started!! I'm starting to think that these types of things are more for the wealthy people of the world.
I hate asking for money. My job is piecemeal. Every time someone gets a massage from me I have to ask for money. Which is fine. But sometimes I hate it. I wish I could just get paid from someone else and not have to ask my clients for money. What I do is expensive. I know it, they know it. Insurance doesn't cover it generally. But it really should be considered something everyone does to maintain their health. It's the only thing I've found that keeps my body from falling apart. For me, my work being so physical, I have to have massages. Otherwise I can't keep working.

I'm going to have to ask my friends and clients to donate to my cause. Just to be sure I called my ALC rep Hillary.

"what if I can't raise enough money?" I said. "We have a program where we give you an extra few months to pay it off" she replied. Hmm. So I still have to fully raise the money. "Yes." The money apparently gets used immediately. So any money I raise instantly goes towards AIDS research and care. I started to feel a sinking feeling. Not because I don't want to support this wonderful program but because I'm not sure I can. There's only way to find out. I signed a contract. I'm in it.

Self Care Maniac

The knee pain and tightness all over my body intensified over the last month. It's gotten so bad that I started getting 2 massages a week for a little while there. One week it was three. A thai massage,(60$) wasn't enough. A korean massage? (65$) Not quite. Finally I went back to Michelle Malloy in SF (80$). She's great. Probably would have needed more from her too but I had done as much as physically possible to loosen up. I wasn't doing enough apparently.

You will need a foam roller (32$) if you ever plan on doing long distance work outs. Or if you don't but you have a serious amount of tension. I wanted to die but things are easing up now.

Also you must soak in hot water. My favorite places to do this are Imperial Spa (20$) and Kabuki (free with ALC card!)

Do it. Like it. Love it.

I over did it

Maybe it was all the spin classes. The new shoes (100$ REI)with clip in cleats (25$). The new bike. I don't know. But I feel a lot of tightness in my knees. In fact it hurts to bend and turn. Like they're sort of fragile. Tell me if I'm wrong but I don't think I'm supposed to feel this way.I suspect that clipping in activates your quads in a way that's different from when you have completely free movement of the foot. Every time you lift your leg you're pulling on the quad. Which, is most efficient but hard to adapt to.

Training

Let me tell you this training business is hard. I did my first "official" training ride on Thursday. It was a 36 mile ride that left from the Dolores Park and went to Pacifica. Round trip. I looked at the training schedule the night before. It said "steep climbs" "strenous". I'm going to be honest here. I didn't actually believe them. I mean, I've seen the people who do the Aids Ride. Well some of them. They are not thin. That doesn't mean they can't crank. I've known too many outrageously good overweight athletes. But, I wasn't sure if they were just embellishing. You know, saying "steep" so you would take it seriously if you were a novice. Which, I did not consider myself to be.

I was wrong. I am a novice. I am also feeling like a truck hit me.

I've never biked for 7 hours. Nor have a climbed so many hills on a bike before. I take it all back.

Seat Change Request

Ok it's been a few weeks now and the seat that came with my bike is killing me! I'm not sure if it's even made to be sat on. From what I can tell it's made of leather and steal. I don't sense ANY padding! I've been training on my indoor trainer and a spin class held at Mission Cliff's. I need new shoes too. Man!

Getting a Bike

The day after I signed up to do the Aids LifeCycle I went looking for a new bike. I didn't have much money and I wasn't completely sure what bike to get. But, I knew I needed a decent road bike. I just didn't want to pay thousands of dollars. So I started with the one place I always go when I'm buying or selling things, Craigslist.There it was, an add for a barely used Biachi Imola. I called immediately. The girl selling already had a perspective buyer. "Could I come to see it now?" I have a date!....forget it.. Yes I could come now.

I've never used a human as collateral before. But I did this day and as I felt the wind in my hair I knew this was worth it. I bought the bike. 700 hundred smackers! Not as cheap as I expected. That brings my total to 745 dollars with bike and sign up fee.

btw. Did you know there was a grand prix/ formula driver named Jules Bianchi? This picture came up when I was searching for images of my bike online. When I read further I discovered a young formula atlantic driver named Simona De Silvestro. The site stated that Swiss Simona dominated round two of Formula Atlantic at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. She turned her first pole position into her second victory in this very competitive series. It's a challenging course. The Atlantic circuit is open wheeled racing. Imagine taking a go kart up to 120 miles an hour. You feel everything.

Awesome! She's my new inspiration!! You Go Girl!!

(anyone who knows my love of racing will understand this segway)

Welcome to ALC. I found my next challenge!

It’s a 7-day, 545 mile bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles that raises money and awareness for the HIV and AIDS services of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. This marks the ninth year for AIDS/LifeCycle and the seventeenth for the event overall, and during the week of June 6-12, 2010, thousands of Cyclists and volunteer Roadies will come together to do something incredible. Something that will change lives. Something that YOU can be a part of! You only need to register; we’ll help you train and fundraise. What are you waiting for?

That was what I read moments before signing my name on the dotted line. It's Febuary and I've just decided to jump into training for the Aids Ride!!

It's been a person goal of mine to someday do this ride. It's for a great cause and it's mentally and physically challenging. Now that I've signed up and I'm looking at the total number of miles and days, I'm starting to think this may be harder than I thought. Only one way to find out!