Cursed

My summer marathon training is cursed. Cursed, I tell you!

Saturday morning I woke up at 4:30 am all gung-ho and ready to conquer 15 miles. I even laid out my running clothes the night before. 

And then I was instantly doubled over, sick.

So, yeah. I didn’t run Saturday. But as soon as I felt better I managed to go to yoga!

On Sunday I ventured out on my own and ran 6 miles. Hurrah! I know that 6 miles isn’t even close to the 15 miles on my training schedule, but considering that I haven’t run for weeks (not kidding, it has been weeks) then it’s not too bad. I ran through my new neighborhood to try to get know the area a little better. In Logan Square, there are these pockets of neighborhoods with gorgeous homes, big leafy trees, and laughing children. But the main roads are dirty with vacant storefronts, trash everywhere, and a crazy amount of broken glass. My apartment is on the intersection of two major roads. Sad panda.

Back to the point. Right now, my marathon training is in salvage mode. I’m already waaaaaaay behind and I’ll miss the crucial 18- and 20-mile weeks because that’s when I’m on a vacation in Lake Powell. I cannot run there, as we are literally on a boat the whole time, but I did just buy some swim goggles to keep up my fitness.

So, new goal: Keep with the biking and yoga, continue running as best I can, and, well, just go out and enjoy the marathon. I know I’m not going to win the thing (*snort*), or even set a PR, but I can enjoy the training and eventually the race if I just relax, do my best, and have fun.

Fun? Fun, you say? Watch, there will be a post as I freak out about the race---again---in just a few weeks.

The Art of Bike Commuting

My Cannondale road bike

I've blogged before about bicycles.

But here I am to elaborate again on how much I love having a bike in the city.

I sent my car back to Colorado last year because it didn't make sense to spend $200/month in parking for a car I never drove. I found it easier to get around via public transportation.

But since I don't live in the Loop anymore, my bicycle is essential. Besides, it makes things a lot more fun! I'm also getting a sense of all the streets and neighborhoods.

I have become that "biker chick" I've always envied. Chicago is all about confidence. Confidence at work, confidence when going out, and, most importantly, confidence when riding your bike on the streets. I've had to use my voice on many occasions. I especially feel a twinge of joy when I yell at cabbies right before they pull out in front of me. They immediately slam on their brakes, their face showing a mixture of confusion and respect. Yes!!!

I've also found out that bicycle commuting is an art. It must be planned out the night before.

The above picture shows everything piled on my back during a typical ride to work. Moving from left to right:

• Kryptonite lock. These things are heavy!
• Bern bike helmet in Matte Neon Yellow. I'll take anything and everything that makes me more visible on the road
• Yoga bag, mat, and towel. I try to go to yoga in the morning as often as possible. This bag is the only Lululemon thing I own and at $40, it was the cheapest thing in the store
• Sherpani bag. I bought this years ago in Boulder. It has now proved invaluable
• Sunglasses, compact, lip gloss, and pens
• My kindle---which I can't live without. I'm currently reading The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler for book club
• Chicago bike map. This little thing has gotten me back home many times
• Wallet
• Lunch bag. I try to bring lunch to work as often as possible
• Work clothes. Luckily my office has great showers. I keep in a locker a towel, hairdryer, straightener, and makeup. I think I shower at work more often than I shower at home
• Headphones (absolutely necessary in the city, but not while you're riding!), running watch, CTA card, and work pass

Here is everything strategically packed away. Didn't think it would all fit, did you? Did you? Like I said, commuting is an art.

Want a lesson in physics? Try carrying your bike up two flights of curving stairs. Fun times.

So, my advice to you? Get a bike. Ride to work. You don't have to ride every day, but just a few days a week. It's worth it. Next lesson? Bike lights. They're even more important than my neon helmet.

Bicycles... and life

About a month ago I bought a brand-new bicycle. It was pretty and shiny and expensive. 

My new Trek 7.3 FX

Remember when you first learned to ride a bicycle? That sense of freedom it gave? That’s how I felt with my new bicycle. Since I was no longer living downtown, I was restricted to the trains and buses---which were sometimes a huge pain. If I had a late soccer match, I would spend more time on three busses just trying to get home than I did playing the game!

I loved my bike. It was great. And then I locked it up outside my apartment rather than bringing it up two flights of stairs. (Note: want a lesson in physics? Try carrying a bike up flights of a winding stairwell) My bike got stolen. I only had it for three weeks.

Want to know the saddest website in the world? The Chicago Stolen Bike Registry. Some of these people had their bikes for only a few days before they were stolen!
The theft bothered me, but everyone's self blame bothered me the most. I met up with a group trying to track down our stolen bikes and everyone in that group had locked up their bike. But everyone still said, “It’s my fault that the bike was stolen.” We all had excuses: We had either left it in an alley, or left it outside, or it only had one lock on it instead of three…
NO! If you locked up your bike, it’s not your fault! You didn’t steal your own bike. It bothers me how we all instantly blamed ourselves when it’s the crime that’s the problem. There should be a special place in hell reserved for bike thieves. 
The good news is that my friend Sean and I went Craigslist hunting (I HATE Craigslist, but that’s a rant for another day) and I found a new, better bike!


My new bike is a road bike---something I thought I was never “good enough” to be able to ride. Turns out that they’re just like every other bike. You just hop on and enjoy yourself!
Here’s a picture of my new baby:

Women's Cannondale Synapse 7

Maybe the new bike is a blessing in disguise since it works much better for my needs, but I still wish I wasn’t out $800 in the process. Stupid thieves.

Triathlon Recap

See this? This was not my triathlon experience.

Let me explain how my first triathlon went: I survived.

That's about all I can say.

No, really, I had a lot of fun with my friends. I also realized that triathlons aren't my thing. At least not right now. I hated training for the tri so much that I ended up not training at all. I was more out of shape coming into the race than I had been for months. Not good.

Right now I am absolutely thrilled to get back to my normal soccer/running/lifting routine. It's like heaven.

After the race with my lovely coworkers

Do I regret doing the tri? Absolutely not. Will I do another one. Not anytime soon. Maybe when I'm 55 or something and need low-impact training.

The bright side: Another event crossed off the bucket list.

Next task: Actually create a bucket list.

Excited to be close to the finish. This is probably the most energy I exhibited all morning.

Random

Since I've been gone for so long, I'd like to share some of my random thoughts via cell phone pictures taken over the last couple weeks. Yup, that's right: I still don't have a camera. And I like it. Don't hate.

I've been riding my little commuter bike as much as possible. My goal for this week is to not drive my car unless I'm leaving town. It's easier said than done.

It's after 7pm on a Tuesday night. I'm at work. This is what my desk looks like. I hope I don't run into the Creepy Janitor.

I can actually look cute some days! Here's my rockin' new halter and cute scarf. The only good thing about having linebacker shoulders is that I can rock the halter tops.

I love, love, love my Korean shirt from Adam. He has a shirt from Boulder in return. Check out the awesome project, TXP.

Besides the office, I spend a ridiculous amount of time here: Boulder Indoor Soccer.

My office is boycotting Amazon. They're bullies. But I have a huge and slightly worrisome crush on my new Kindle. It's that amazing.

I have been cooking. Not as much as I should, but still. Cookies!

Lastly, I'm debating about going here: Australia. We'll see.

Random Thoughts + Stuck at Work + Cell Phone Pictures + Hot Chocolate = Love

I’m Getting an Edumacation

No, not the kind with books and chalk and teachers. (Who uses chalk anymore?) Been there, done that. I think my degree is buried somewhere at home. Instead, I’m getting edumacated about life.

With my time off from soccer, I’ve been able to hunt down some awesome informational sessions and courses in  Boulder—all of which are free. Hurrah! Where have I found these goodies? Full Cycle and REI. They are both the bomb-diggity.

(Confession: Now that I can play soccer again, I don't want to go back. I've been having too much fun off the field...)

Some of the things I have learned:

1. Triathlons. Wow. Where to begin? The most important thing I got from this session is that triathlons are expensive. You could show up with just your Wal-Mart Huffy mountain bike (but that would be frowned upon by the elites); or you could start racing with a "simple," beginner road bike (with a starting price tag of $1,000). It just goes up from there—specialized wheels, tri bars, carbon fiber... you name it. Then there’s the rest of the gear. A decent tri suit is at least $100, and then you need a wet suit for open-water swims at another couple hundo. And then there’s the entrance fee and required insurance for the actual race. See the progression here? It’s expensive. It makes sense why you never see young people in triathlons—they can’t afford it! However, for a 40-something that’s established and has some extra money to burn, triathlons and most importantly the cool gadgets are definitely a plus.

I think I’ll stick to my $200 commuter bike and cheap and cheery running races for the time being.

I'd be the person drowning

2. Bike Maintenance. I’m not gonna lie, I’m spoiled by my mechanic father and two older brothers. They’re so efficient in fixing things that I happily whine and complain until everything is taken care of. This, of course, means that I know nothing about maintenence myself. Even my little $200 bike leaves me baffled. It seriously took me 15-minutes to figure out how to put air in my tires the other day. Sad, but true. So, off to bike maintenance class! The course was also very informative. The most important thing I learned: A clean bike is a happy bike! So, my bike and I are going to have a pool party this weekend. Chain grease (dry, not wet!) and spare tire tubes will be involved. Care to join? Speedos and Bikinis required. Banana Hammocks preferred.

See the pump? I now know how to use that. Everything else is gibberish.

3. Nutrition. I went to a women’s nutritional course hosted by Megan Forbes and Full Cycle. It was fascinating! To sum it all up—eat lots of fruits, veggies, and foods without additives and preservatives. I pretty much know all of this, but it was really helpful just to see it specifically discussed and analyzed. I also found out that my daily multivitamin, of all things, was making me sick and nauseus. Yay for scientific coding. Oh yeah, we also feasted on catered duck confit sandwiches. Yum.

Mixed drinks contain juice so they're healthy, right? Right?

I’m also getting educated in the fact that I’m not young and invincible anymore. I am still sore. I may cry. I played indoor for the first time in months on Tuesday, I lifted legs, back, and biceps on Wednesday morning, and I’ve been close to tears ever since. It’s bad enough that I couldn’t sleep so I gave up and went to the gym at 4 am just to soak in the hot tub and sauna. Brutal.

Finally, I have to share my recent cooking conquests. As always, I get far too excited any time a new recipe is successful. My new favorite is the gem I cooked last night:

Helloooo, lover!

Homemade wheat pasta with cooked asparagus, roma tomatoes, and proscuitto

 
The homemade pasta was very time consuming. Not too hard, per say, but the time involved is questionable when you can easily buy a huge package at the grocery store for a couple bucks. I'm still glad I figured out how to make it!
 
I can barely draw in a straight line, much less cut noodles! Seriously, it's like squiggle play pasta in there.
 

Straight lines? P-shaw!

 
Other fun times in the kitchen:
 

Tomato soup with white wine

Skillet cornbread with hot chilis and cheddar cheese

Soup and cornbread---yum!

Exhausted and bored from reading yet? I am. And I'm sore.