VCR works.... hey wait - got some vids!

So, now that we have a working VCR/DVD combo that does NOT eat video tapes - http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=vhs&field-keywords=Leslie%20Sansone/104-2714951-8106330 If you have never heard of these, they are pretty awesome. I learned about them at a RT conference a few years back and naturally had to try them. I did the 2 mile walk featured here at the top of this list. These are nice because you don't need any special equipment or much space. They are so easy a fatso can do them! (I use 2 lb weights but they are not required). Another bonus, I did this with my 3 year old next to me! (sounds weird to say 3 year old!) She was imitating some of the kicking, side-stepping, walking in place... She told Daddy she was exercising! It really was cute. She couldn't do the whole 2 miles obviously - but it was cute.... and I think it may have tired her out right before she went to bed. BONUS!
So it is always nice to have something that I don't have to drag out of the basement, wait for the sun to be up, or use any special equipment.

Woo Hoo!

Nothing like fearing for your life

Well, there is nothing quite like a ride on the road, 2 lane road, 45 MPH speed limit with a left turn lane in the middle, one that has tractor trailers, delivery trucks, and crazy people driving on it to inspire you to pedal faster. I rode about 15.5 miles today, first almost 9 miles were 16-18 MPH steady. When I turned around I was pretty tired and averaged 12-14 mph (mostly sidewalks) back. I think that when a large tractor trailer passes less than 3 feet to your left, it'll scare you into going faster than you think you can go!

So while the distance was less than I had hoped for, it was in barely over an hour! So I'll take that. :) add some work out on the ball and I'm golden for the day.

http://www.internetfitness.com/calculators/calburncalc.htm According to this page I burned like 1200 calories. Hard to say if that is accurate though. Thanks again, to my buddy (you KNOW who you are) for saying - hey you talked me into exercising - you'd better keep doing it too!

Totally nothing to do with exercise

Check out my garden! I had just harvested some peppers and cherry tomatoes. The Roma tomatoes are turning orange, but didn't quite look ready to be harvested yet... The bush is sage - it is a pretty plant so I took a picture

It is raining, so the plants are sagging just a little from the rain...

re: rambling thoughts on your rides?

So I went for an easy 14 mile ride today. I call it easy only in that it was in my neighborhood so there were no climbs. Rides through our neighborhood are still fraught with dangers! Cracked roads/sidewalks, the occasional loose small dog with big-dog thoughts (I am gonna eat me a cyclist!), helmet-less children that can barely ride, drivers NOT paying attention, the usual! I know that I am not supposed to ride on side-walks but I am not riding on the roads that are 2 lanes and 45 MPH with a tiny little shoulder - at least not until I can consistently get my speed up! So for those roads, it is the sidewalk.

Do you ever have random odd thoughts while you are riding? I do....Like.... Hmmm I can feel quite the cool breeze on these shorts - what if they rip open?....... Why does my shadow always have a better shape than I do?.... Did I just hear a cat-call for me? nah - can't be..... how silly do I look on this bike right now?.... why are there so many McHouses in my area for sale (the ones that people were buying up left and right in the $450,000 - $500,000 range a few years ago)... Why do people ride without helmets and worse.... why do they let their children ride without helmets?.... what in the WORLD was I thinking when I decided to do this 300 mile bike ride?

Funny thing

So, it stopped raining for a while and I hopped on the bike. Now I decided to do 2 things that drastically changed this biking experience: 1. I took inhaler just prior to cycling (I could breathe!!!!) 2. I aired up my tires... they are 100 PSI they had between 50 & 60 each... what a HUGE difference tire pressure makes. That got me thinking about air pressure in my van and gas mileage - now I understand the correlation!

I was slow, but I never felt the difficulty breathing this time (imagine that). Oh well 11.45 miles wasn't too bad! I did the 1/2 mile followed up a little latter by the 1/4 mile 22-24 MPH sprint. That is always a leg killer - but WOW. Why does 22 feel FAST on a bike but S L O W in a car? Isn't that strange?

I didn't go further today because the sky was turning an ominous shade of dark gray and it smelled like it was gonna rain soon. That ended up being a wise decision. Hubby couldn't believe that I went out to ride at all. Planks - ugh 20 seconds 2 times was killing me, don't even ask about the crunches. LMAO oh well... Baby steps... Never give up - right?

Registration for the big ride is Nov. 1st I believe. I hope we can raise the funds! That is the thing I am more nervous about, not the actual ride. Isn't that funny??

re: happy rain

Well we need the rain, that is for sure. However, the last 2 times that I have wanted to go ride my bike it has been raining. There is not a lot of weather that will stop me from having a ride - even really hot or cold.... but wet pavement is a bad thing for my skinny road tires. At least yesterday while I was in the pool for work I got in some tough exercises while I waited for my client to get out of the changing room.

I really wish I could find some time to go in the pool on my own. I would love to see how I would do swimming some laps. I used to be a strong swimmer - I was invited to join my high school swim team but I didn't because it conflicted with the Grand Rapids Youth Symphony... funny isn't it?

Anyway last weekend I rode with N-AA.. she just smoked me! LMAO... Although once I took my inhaler and could breathe better I was much less of a wreck! I think in the future I will just use it before I ride no matter how I feel.

re: push ups - gonna pay for that!

So here I am - trying to kill myself apparently. I was working with a client at the gym with the exercise ball... decided to do pushups with him.. UGH! Bright side.. I did 37..... not-so-bright side... gonna HURT tomorrow! oh well... If you have never tried it - do! walk out on the ball to knees (or thighs) and do 10 push-ups... roll back... repeat!

That and crunches.. lately I really can't get time for exercise like I want but I am doing better about fitting it in at work. Exercise is Exercise right?