Laughter in Training

Back to blogging....

I wrote the draft of this post in December.  In reviewing my unpublished posts this evening, it dawned on me that I needed to post this, as well as write about my extraordinary experiences during the last several months.  I am compelled to get back to you and this blog.

Training for an endurance event is serious business.  It is a fine balance of hard work, rest, nutrition, hydration and more hard work.  An endurance event, when it comes down to it is a solo endeavor, however the road to the event is paved with training, friends and a support system.  It does indeed take a village to send an athlete out onto the course.

Training in the winter in Indiana requires either facing the elements, or riding indoors on the trainer.  Wind, snow, frigid cold...not for the faint at heart.  I have ventured out on the road as much as possible.  (Truth be told, I enjoy riding in the wind.)  However, the month of January, and now into February of 2014 has meant a lot of snow.  Lots...with a capital "L".  It's actually a bit ridiculous. As such, the trainer has been my friend and nemesis.

As you may know, I recently completed my first ultra distance event; La Vuelta Puerto Rico. http://www.vueltapr.com.  Three days peloton riding, 375 miles around the perimeter of the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. It was an amazing, life-changing event.  I will share more very soon.

The months surrounding this event have been rather tumultuous for me.  My personal life is changing..in a major way.  As such I have taken a brief hiatus from blogging.  In an effort to resume blogging, and write about this adventure, I'm jumping back a couple of months to the trip to Florida.

You may recall, in early December I began to write about the journey of three friends (a.k.a Tres Amigas) to a training camp in Mt. Dora hosted by MotionFit. https://www.facebook.com/MotionFit.net.  Kameel Abdurrahman is a captain at La Vuelta and has done the race many times.  We were anxious for the 141 mile mock La Vuelta training ride.  I left you  with the story about our stops in Tennessee.

Back on track:

Day 3...Friday, December 13, 2013 we arrived in Florida.  The town of Mt. Dora beckoned us after a very long 2 1/2 days of travel.  The town of Mt. Dora surprised me.  It was quaint and beautiful.  A small village of unique shops and restaurants.  We were eager to check in to our hotel, The Lakeside Inn, and get out on our bikes.  Alas, the desk clerk informed us that our room was not quite ready.  Dilemma.

Being the practical women we are, we decided to look for a laundry facility to wash our dirty, sweaty (smelly) clothes.  We had no idea of the fun that was about to unfold.  The mark of true friendship is being able to let loose and be yourself (honest and raw).

Turns out the laundry facility was not in the greatest of neighborhoods.  I am fairly convinced a drug deal went down in the adjacent parking lot.  We averted our eyes and kept our heads down.  The bench in front of the laundrymat housed an apparent homeless gentleman who had seemingly not seen a shower stall for weeks.  He seemed intent to sit and take in the three female athletes washing their laundry.

Still, we found time to be silly and enjoy the beautiful Florida sunshine, in spite of our surroundings.

Caught a few rays....improvisation as no beach was nearby.

Met some interesting characters. 

In such a setting, we lost ourselves in laughter.  Even if just for an hour or two.  We finished the laundry, found our way back to the Inn and rode our bikes.

One step closer to La Vuelta, many steps closer to each other.

More to come...we have a lot of catching up to do!

Peace Out xoxo

The Quest

I talk about facing my fears in this blog. It is my daily struggle for progression in life. I was asked by someone close to me today if I thought it ironic that I write about "fear no more".... yet am still full of fear.  No.  I don't find it ironic.  However, this idea gave me food for thought.  I love writing, and this blog is my outlet.  I'm not discouraged to discover new fears crop up, but rather inspired by them.  Progress, not perfection.  That's what this phase of my path is all about to me.  I've awakened recently and discovered that I like me.  With all my faults.  I can't hide from the world, but rather I must embrace it.  There is no other way for me to move forward and gain strength then to walk through my fears with an open heart and mind.  To stagnate is to die.  And I want to live.

It inspires me, and fills me with hope to hear feedback from readers that in some way, this blog has touched them, as they have similar struggles. Let's be honest.  Fear is a force.  But only if we let it get to that point.  If my fumbles can help even one, then it's worth it to write honestly in this forum.  Spiritual journaling with a purpose.  Sure, it might come back and bite me on the ass, but I'll take that chance.

The key component to me is putting it out there.  So what if something comes down the road that I struggle with.  It's called Life.  Shit happens, as they say.  It's what we do with the shit that matters.  Sit in it or step out of it.  To me, it's a simple choice.  Move on.

That being said, I want to expound upon my fear du jour.  It may sound silly, but with the serious things going on right now in my life, I want to write a light hearted piece.

For me,  I think one of a woman's most dreaded obstacles in life isn't boyfriend or work struggles....but rather shopping for jeans.

Jeans are a staple in our wardrobe.  They can be dressed up, dressed down, worn to the point of being held together by a mere string of fabric, patched, faded and loved.  Like a relationship, our love affair with our jeans goes through many stages.  Love, hate, anger when the zipper won't zip and elation when we can fit back into our "skinny" jeans or when our "boyfriend" jeans feel as if we are comfortably ensconced in sweat pants.

Then comes the sad day when your favorite pair of jeans are just not fit for public display.

At this point, it becomes necessary to shop for a new pair. Second only to bathing suit shopping, it can be painful. It can be likened to dating.  We get dressed up, go out, try several on and nothing fits just like they should.  The mini try-on sessions just don't feel right. Frustration sets in.  We just want the perfect match.  Is that asking too much?  It's all about putting the jeans on and having that "ahhhhh" moment and you just know you've found them. Like anything in life, it takes time and patience.

After the perfect pair is found, the honeymoon phase sets in.  We want to wear them all the time.  With heels, with sneakers, with sequin tops or with a sweatshirt.  Never ending fun combinations and happiness.  When we look good in our jeans, we feel that we can conquer the world.

With time, the jeans grow more comfortable.  They seems to mold with our body, forming just the right fit.  They soften, fade and become more dear.

Facing the fear, letting it go, processing a new situation and giving it time to grow.  In time, almost everything becomes like the perfect pair of jeans.  Comfortable, easy and just right.  Given a little effort, love and patience.

If you need me, I will be shopping fearlessly for a new pair of jeans.
Peace,
xoxo

The Journey Continues

My eyes opened on day two of our journey.  Thursday, December 12, 2013. We had arrived long after sunset the night before so I was anxious to see my outdoor surroundings. It seemed we had driven through emptiness arriving in the middle of nowhere. I was imagining beauty, from the description I had been given by Becky, our hostess.  I was not disappointed. The morning light peeking through the window displayed a spectacular view of the pristine landscape of the back of the home, which had been hidden in the thick darkness of the night. It was remote and breathtakingly beautiful.  There was not a sound.  It was as if time stood still and I was the only person present. I had been given a room all to myself, probably for the last time on this trip. I stretched, like one of Becky's cats, and remained in bed for a few more minutes lost in my thoughts. This was a rare luxury and I was taking full advantage.

As I relaxed, I closed my eyes and reflected on the sense of peace I was feeling.  Our slow progress toward Florida was another luxury I appreciated. This trip means more to me than a simple vacation and cycling training. It is a catalyst to an even deeper level of spirituality. A much needed battery recharge. 

I was in perfect company. The three amigas, as we have dubbed ourselves, have different personality traits, yet we blend well together. Balance each other.  Compliment each other. Athletes, women and friends on a common journey.  There are times in life where one must put the hustle and bustle behind and return to simplicity.  We had no particular agenda other than to arrive at athlete check-in in Mt. Dora, FL at 6:30pm Friday evening, and the big training ride on Saturday.  Otherwise we were winding our way slowly to the sunshine state.

I am not spontaneous.  Or, at least I haven't been.  Recently I have been consciously letting go of a lot of my old ideas, habits and character flaws which have been holding me back from achieving balance.  On this trip I have learned spontaneity, patience and tolerance.  So far.  Ha Ha.

We had a lovely breakfast with Becky and Fatty the cat, reloaded the car and hit the open road. Destination: Chattenooga, TN. The only plan was to ride our bikes when we arrived. Hopefully part of the Ironman Chattenooga course, if we could locate it.  Basically, however we had no idea where, when or how long the ride would be, and I let go of the control.  I was along for the ride, so to speak, in more ways than one.  And that's huge progress for me.

We arrived in Chattenooga around 11am, and scoped out a good place to start. We parked in an open lot and unloaded the bikes.  It was colder than we anticipated and we needed our cold weather gear.  We laughed, bundled up (understatement) and set out.  We were going to attempt an out and back, as we were unfamiliar with the town and surrounding mountains.  Yes.  Mountains.  We started out, and Catherine stopped to request some sort of directional advice from a local Salvation Army bell ringer.  He seemed to know what he was talking about, and once again the urge to act spontaneity struck and we decided to throw caution to the wind and set out in the direction he pointed.  Our plan was to make as few turns as possible.

After taking an eternity to get changed, fill our water bottles, use the restroom and set out amidst much laughter, it was close to 2:00pm.  The ride was hard.  The elements and the terrain worked against us, but we persevered!  It felt bitterly cold, there was a fair amount of wind, and we faced challenging climbs.  (I happen to love riding in the wind and I embrace climbing, so the ride was so much fun.)  The girls had a blast as well.

Downtown Chattenooga was beautiful and the perfect spot to break up our trip to do what we love.  

We returned to the car, locked our gear and our bikes and had an early dinner. Ben and Jerry's ice cream for dessert. We justified the calories with the exertion we had put forth on our bikes. We got back on the road at 6pm, laughing and chatting as we replayed the day. We stopped for the night (spontaneously) in Valdosta, GA.  

Next destination: Mt. Dora, FL  A three hour drive....

To be continued....

The Visit

The highway stretches endlessly in front of me. The trees, stripped of their leaves, appear ominous and sculpture-like against the gray overcast sky. Thanksgiving is in two weeks and winter is approaching. Winter is my least favorite of the four seasons. I prefer the heat.  I'm much happier with the sun shining on my face from a bright blue sky with water droplets glistening on my skin after a swim.  Less clothing, more hours of daylight and more time to be outside indulging in my habitual biking and running.

The miles pass slowly, seemingly in time with the gloomy horizon. 

This trip is a pivotal one for our family. We are on our way north from Indianapolis to Livonia, Michigan for a college visit.  Both kids are along for the ride and laughter fills the car.

My daughter is a senior in high school and will graduate in May. I have admittedly been in denial about the fact that she is growing up. (Thus aging me!) As the hours tick by in the five hour drive,  my thoughts drift back to my own college visits when I was 18.  (I will keep the number of years that have evaporated since then a relative mystery.)  Needless to say it was just slightly longer than 18 years. As often is the case with my creative mind, I linger over thoughts and dreams from that part of my life.  I reminisce various life choices I have made and indulge in daydreams of  how my life might look had I done some things differently. I am thankful I possess an active imagination, as it serves a purpose in my writing endeavors.  A small dabble in fantasy.  After some time I snap back to reality and take some time to appreciate the way things turned out.  I look in the rear view mirror at the two faces that are perfect illustrations of my choices. Nick and Kendall.  Gratitude envelopes me in its embrace.

The obligatory selfie. More laughter erupts.

The kids are living testament to the fact that I wouldn't want to go back and alter my past, even if I could. And to lament my past  is something I can't afford to do.  Even in day dreams. No regrets! The decisions made are rooted in who I am today and I wouldn't change that. My feet are firmly planted in the now and it's my moves from here on out that will alter my future.  

The visit went extremely well, and put all of us at ease.

The college was picturesque and rather small.  It would not have been a school I would have chosen, but my dear daughter does not thrive in crowds or big cities like her Momma. Where I am at peace amongst the hustle and bustle she is content with a slower paced environment. She loved the school. It was a long drive, so she would be far enough away to gain independence yet close enough for me to visit. Not too often.  (Easy for me to say now, but Michigan boasts beautiful scenery for bike rides. Just saying...)

The next several months will be a whirlwind time spent with Kendall.  She will turn 18, graduate from high school, languish in the last summer before venturing off to college and into adulthood.  Bittersweet.  Yet I will walk with her through this journey with love and friendship.

Peace
xoxo