I'm back in the saddle again. . .and again. . .

So, if you read my blog about my new accessories, you will know that I got a new saddle. Well after approx. 90+ miles it was quite clear that my saddle & my "girlie bits" were not getting along. So, back to the cycling store - Helen's - to try something else.

Again, they were extremely helpful . . . and I ended up with a Selle Avant saddle.

I rode for just over an hour tonight & so far, it seems to be working wonderfully. The girlie bits were very happy & I was able to get in the aero position, which I could not do on my long ride 3 days ago!!!

I will put it to the test this weekend with another long ride.

Peace & love, TracerX

You give me fever . . . fever. . .

. . . when you infect my inner ear. Oh my, what does it all mean? It means I had just gotten over a cold/bronchitis . . . had a good week or so. . . then started having headaches, dizziness & nausea. NO, I am not pregnant!! On Wed. I started with the low-grade fever, so I went to the doctor & it turns out I have otitis media.

I was put on antibiotics & am very pleased that this can be over soon. No swimming for a few days, though.

Now, the problem with all this is that it has put a little crimp in my workouts. Not so much the walking or biking, but the damn swimming!! Puking in the pool is not a pretty sight. Not that I did throw up in the pool, just really felt like it.

I guess I'm writing this because I'm feeling nervous about my upcoming 70.3. I feel like my training is not where it needs to be.

Maybe it's just that I have only 3 weeks left. And, I am going to ass-u-me that it's normal to feel some anxiety.

That's all I really have to say. Oh, except that I had a really great hilly ride this week. It felt good. . . oh, wait - maybe that's hope that I detect?

Peace & love, TracerX

America's Next Top . . .

Mountain Biker??? NOT! I feel positive that I will never be America's Next Top Model or Mountain Biker. Maybe just plain "Cross-Training-Mountain-Biker-Who-Is-Not-Very-Good-At-It" would better explain my situation.
















Also, I have not been mountain biking in about 20 years. Which begs the question: why today? Well, let me start at the beginning: I went out yesterday to Helen's Cycles in Santa Monica & got new pedals & a seat for Penelope. (OK, the seat is really for me.)














I also got a nice, new pair of triathlon bike shoes!! Carbon fiber!! And the best part? They didn't cost an arm & a leg! Those I bought at Cynergy Cycles.

Let me say that I had incredible assistance from the general manager at Cynergy!

I also had amazing help with everything at Helen's from a sales assistant named Joe . . . he is their triathlon specialist and was oh-so-helpful. I also bought new tires - or so I thought - for Penelope. Joe offered to have the new tires put on, but being the big girl that I am . . . I needed to do it myself.

So I got up this morning & headed for the garage to put on my new tires. Well, I found out I only bought 1 tire!! OK, I'll just start with that on the back, since the front tire wasn't really that worn.

This is my first time putting on a new tire. I have my cup of coffee, my bike pump & my new tire. I am ready to rock n' roll!

Boy - it would have been easier to wrestle an alligator! Not that I've ever done that . . . I just imagine that it would have been.

So, I get the tire on with the tube in it & start to pump it up. Huh, what is that hissing sound? OH, it is a hole in my freakin' tube!!! Not to panic, I have another tube available . . . I get the new tube out of the box & proceed to use it, when I discover it is the wrong size - it's too big! (that's what she said)

So, now I am stuck with 1 tire & 1 tube. Now how am I going to get my ride in???

Wait just a minute . . . I can use my mountain bike!! (actually not mine, borrowed from a friend.) But a bike ride is a bike ride.

I get ready & somehow wrangle my husband into going with me . . . he is a mountain biking expert, after all. Alright, he used to ride a lot 20-plus years ago, but he is still a great resource & he can identify my body if I fly off a cliff. A win/win all the way around.

I really only have one thing to say: mountain biking is way different than road biking!

I can't navigate creeks with difficult rock crossings. I can't get the gearing right going up a hill & when I do it feels like I am pulling too hard on the handle bars & popping a wheelie up the hill. My center of gravity is all off. And falling hurts like a son of a bitch!

I ended up taking two spills causing a nice big hematoma on my knee, a painful hip & a banged-up elbow! Lucky for me no one saw me fall.

I had to walk across a couple of creeks with a difficult single track & walked up one big hill. I still feel like I got in a decent workout. Just a bit banged up.

Oh, one more thing to say: No more mountain biking until after the 70.3. Then I have to keep it up for my Wildflower Sprint Triathlon. I only need to manage 9 miles on the bike portion, but I don't know what the route looks like. So I will be doing a lot more practice.

Well, it is time to go soak in the tub!

Much peace & love, TracerX

p.s. Helen's Cycles offers 20% off on accessories for L.A. Tri Club members.
Cynergy is 15% off. I was very happy with my discounts. Thanks LA TRI.

Only 5 weeks to go til California 70.3.......

and I am feeling kinda nervous. After my wonderful ride last Saturday . . . then a nice long swim Sunday morning, followed by a 60+ minute walk, I ended up getting a freakin' cold!

- which has turned into bronchitis & has caused me to miss an entire four days of training.

So, I feel like I am starting from scratch . . . it's a bitch getting sick & being old. OK, I am really not that old. But all the same, I have 5 weeks to just keep plugging along!

I am going to try to make a time prediction for my 70.3 (my 1st one ever!!):

1.2-mile swim: 40 mins.
56-mile bike ride: 3:35:00
13.1-mile run: 2:45:00

Well, that adds up to right about 7 hours!! YIKES . . . seems like a long time, but I want to be realistic. So, what the heck . . . at least I'm doing the sucker.

OK - that's it for now.

Peace & love,
TracerX

Here are a couple of pictures for clarification.....

TracerX & her Trek Madone named Penelope Marshmallow Creampuff Pitstop


For my good friend Pendong...this is a picture of Penelope.

Hey kids - cover your ears, there may be some foul language . . .

F#$@ son offa B@#*% . . . . OK, got that out of my system! Why do I have to curse, you ask?

Well, as you may or may not know, the ToC (Tour of California) came rolling thru our wonderful state. And due to the fact that I love guys in tight shorts & shirts, I wanted to see the tour fly right by me. So Vit, H.R. Pufnstuf & I decided to ride the route, or at least Stage 7, from Santa Clarita to Pasadena. Well, actually just to the top of the climb at Angeles Crest Highway.

So Vit & I started out in Granada Hills & rode to Sierra Canyon & San Fernando Road to meet H.R. (he drove his car out there - thank GOD). We took off from there to Soledad Canyon to ride uphill and see the tour come by. (We were several hours ahead of the game, but I know Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer & the gang were much faster than me, so I needed a head start.) We got to Sand Canyon and Vit had us turn right.

What a beautiful ride up Sand Canyon - the homes are gorgeous, lots of space for horses to roam & it was a beautiful day. So we continued upward - we even rode past a sign that said, "Angeles National Forest." It was just a matter of 11-plus more miles of hill climbing to get to Mill Creek Summit.

Or so I thought.

We were supposed to be riding up to 4,900 feet, give or take a few. So, here we are riding along up a nice steep hill, then down a bit, then up some more. And I'm talking kinda steep here. I am only cruising at 5-something MPH on Penelope.

Slow enough to notice mile marker 12. And 12.34. And 12.75, And so on. Now I start thinking to myself, "Self - does this seem right to you?" But I ignored my Self & started another long downhill roll. Now I know something is wrong. Why the hell am I going down again? Where is all the snow??? Where are all the people who want to see the ToC?

Where the hell are Vit & H.R. Pufnstuf?

And, why the hell is it hot out here? Aren't we gaining elevation?

Well, I drop on down to my boys, who agree that something is wrong, given that we are back in the FRIGGIN' San Fernando Valley (basically) at the Wildlife Waystation!!

F@#$....F#@%...F$#@!!!!!

It is NOON. They start at NOON. But we can't make it back in time because we have to climb out of this hellhole!

It took me a good little while to adjust to the fact that now I was just on an average little training ride. That I would not have that thrill of the peloton speeding by me. To shout, "woooo hoooooo!" or to run alongside some rider clad in tight shorts & shirt. I was pissed!!! Dang it!

I had to get over it. I mean, there are times in a race where you feel frustrated, tired or that you just don't have it in you. You need to mentally pull it together & get your mind around what you are doing in that moment!

(Oh, I sound like I know what I'm talking about. I like it.)

Back to the ride . . . we basically went back the way we came. Made it back to Carl's Jr., where H.R. Pufnstuf's car was parked . . . ate lunch, discussed what the heck went wrong (yes, both Vit & H.R. had directions for the ride) & I hitched a ride back to Granada Hills. Vit was a stud & rode back the 7 miles. I was spent - my thighs were done - plus, we needed to get back to watch the ToC.


That was just salt in the wound. So many signs, literally, that we missed . . . like: where was the writing on the ground that all the fans do in chalk? Of course - the snow!? And all the people who come out to watch??

F#$%.....F#$%.....F@#$

Sorry, that is it.

Now some stats, according to Vit's Garmin: we rode 53 miles (45 for me) & climbed 7,600 feet (approx.7,300 for me) . . . no wonder I was spent - major climbing!!

All in all, I had a nice day with my friends.

Peace & love,
TracerX

It's been such a long time...no see

Hello all (all 4 or 5 of you)...I just wanted to say the The Surf City Half Marathon was a blast. No rain this year. It was the perfect temperature, sunny with beautiful ocean views!

My final time was: 2:59:06 Pace: 13:40. That is 6 mins. faster than my time last year.


Well, that is all for now. There are lots of updates & I will get to all that a bit later.

Peace & amp;love, TracerX