Tallahassee

Last weekend we went up to Tallahassee

so I could work on my hill training for Six/Three Gap.
It was a blast.  We rode for three days - I hung on the last/third day of the ride and stayed with the group we had and basically learned how to spin the pain out of my legs and to take it easy and not kill myself.

It was so nice up there - the weather would get hot by the time we were back at Brendan's from the rides in the morning.  But the mornings were perfect and the canopy roads are oh so pretty.
It really made me miss it up there ... and miss the ability to live in a city that I could pretty much ...BIKE anytime during the day if I wanted to.  Unlike here, where I live now - and if I wake up late in the mornings, the opportunity to ride in peace with less traffic and less jerhks is just impossible (unless I bike to St. Pete.  Which I don't mind doing - but the first 5-7 miles to get to St. Pete are just hell).
And the weather down here - still is humid and gross.  I am SO.READY. for the fall months to get here.  I think everyone is.

New Frame

The frame when we pulled it out of the box (note the box and the old bike in the background. 980grams. Meow

Saying goodbye to the aluminum frame - putting it on the rack to move parts over


When we hit the speedbumps. Needed a new stem, and seatpost with a new seat clamp.
All the snafu's have been adjusted now and I rode the bike today. Man, they weren't kidding when they said that carbon is the way to go. It was lighter, and felt so easy/less struggle. I loved it.
I'm still a little over-extended on the bike, so I think I'll need a shorter stem or just to simply move my seat up just a bit. But other than that - she rides like a dream. :D
And Sean Connery and I rode over the bridge again this morning. I'll give you more details on that later.
Also - will make better photos of the bike this weekend with the 'real' camera.

Goodbye Trek

Sold the Trek Alumunium frame (and fork and seatpost, which were carbon, and seatpost clamp) yesterday for 120.00 via Craig's List.

It actually went to a cycling buddy of D's who found it on there and is making the bike up for his girlfriend.

So it's getting a good home :).  

Tomorrow I ride the carbon frame for the first time ever.  Going to take it out tonight when I get home to make sure everything fits just right.

Back on Track for Team Skinny!

P.S. It's AUGUST now - and while I am shocked that the year is flying by - I am also glad as it makes it closer to cooler/better weather for us here in sweltering Florida.

Sorry for the delay in post

The week after my birthday always seems to be full of craziness..and most of it having nothing to do with Team Skinny.  Boo

New bike came in and D started working on it on Saturday, hoping that everything would transfer over with minimal damage/problems.  And it did - with the exception of two things.

The problem with transferring stuff from one bike to the next?!  Neither are good if you hit road-blocks...and the fact that you don't want to break everything off/down to put on the former bike until the parts get here is also it.

So I'm not doing any riding this week - and this weekend I will be doing leisurely rides to compensate for the non-riding (meaning I will be on my Miyata cruising around).

I did think of riding the Miyata to work..and I might still do that on Friday - but that bike is a heavy bike..although very comfy for riding - that's for sure.

Plus - I really just want to ride the sweet new carbon bike...;)

Sunday Ride

I <3 my Sunday Rides

Hadda crash day on Wednesday

It was a day of doing absolutely nothing - no yoga - no biking...just sleep.

Body wasn't 100% used to the whole new workout regime, so it was telling me to QUIT/RELAX for a day.

 I'm back on the bike and back to doing the yoga now and I plan to keep going.

I'm 11 miles short of my goal this week - so that means tomorrow I will have to ride at some point in time.  My friend Christina is participating in an art show with her jewelry in DT St. Pete (which is about 11 miles from my house) so I think - depending on when I wake up - I shall ride to see her tomorrow and ride back.  That will put me above and beyond the mile goal for this week.

Add the standing Yoga poses for the weekend (all this past week I have been doing the back poses/stretches with the assistance of Senor) and I should be good to go.

Tonight is hanging with one of my favoritist's, going to dinner at a place I've never been to and then hitting up 'Da Club (ok this place is really nothing like "DA CLUB as it's the CASTLE in Ybor) and the heading home to relax with the bestest man in the world.  Watching what I drink tonight won't be a problem at all.  

It's going to be a great/awesome weekend!

Yoga Day

Had to change the schedule around a bit - after going almost 40 miles on the bike yesterday, my body needed sleep more than anything (no I did not take a nap yesterday..yes I am surprised).

I crashed out by about 9:15 and then woke up about 6 - too late to jump on the bike/get ready (it takes me about 20 minutes) so I decided today will be my yoga day and tomorrow will be bike day.  Not that big of a deal/change and still totally doable and on track.

I'm thinking I will keep up the Team Skinny Regime until Screamfest/Spooky Empire (October 8-11th).  That weekend will be my complete - OFF weekend as a reward.  If I can keep it up that long (3 months) then I think I am deserving of a three day weekend off from exercise.  I will however, be selling special effects makeup all weekend...

Oh and What is UP with Lance crashing three times yesterday?!  Yowzas..wonder how much that pissed him off mentally...as I know it would me...

Week 2 - Team Skinny is still on board

This is seriously the first time I have ever been this motivated to do this in the two and a half years I have been riding. I don't know what has gotten into me, but I hope I can keep the momemtum up.

The past week I have ridden over 50 miles...rode 5 days out of the week and one day for two hours.

This week is already starting off great - as I 'graduated' in the cycling passion.

How you ask?!

For the first time ever, I woke up this morning, got on the bike and had ...NO IDEA of where I was really going (with the exception of having to stop by a friend's house between 8:30am-9am to pick up something).

I just got on the bike and rode ...which ended me up at Coffee Pot Park, and I found other little trails through St. Pete, which I thought was pretty freaking cool.

I met up with other cyclists while on my ride. It felt nice - everyone smiled and waved as I rode past and said 'Morning!" :) Very Good Morning it was indeed.

This week looks like I will be riding to work on Wed/Thurs due to weather.

And me incorporating Yoga into the Team Skinny Goals.

Thanks to two totally awesome ladies who let me borrow a beginner Yoga DVD for a bit, I am getting a great start today with this goal as well.

I only did 10 minutes, but holy crap did I learn a lot in 10 minutes. Such as

I AM NOT FLEXIBLE AT ALL...

But the Yoga will def work that and I'm looking forward to it.

I shall be doing this on my 'off days' from the bike on the weeks and also one extra 'freebie' day when I feel like I could use a good stretch and centering.

If I keep this up - I might actually end up going to Six Gap this year with Brendan and Dimitros..AND participating.

OFF DAY

I had all intentions of waking up and going riding to work this morning (and back of course) - the weather was perfect for it today.
However, since I have kept up with my ride regime for a week now, and was pretty exhausted..my body said NO and I SLEPT through my alarm...
Ah well - today will be my off day and I'll just jump on the bike this weekend. No worries.
I rode for 27 miles yesterday (2 hours) so today should not be abused/taken for granted. And this is the first month of getting back into it - the schedule should be normal by August.
And I made a cycling friend while on the bridge yesterday (another fellow cyclist). Awesome.

It's July - and the temp this morning was 73 degrees..with 47% humidity

That is a blessing to us Floridians on days like this.

Even if it gets up to 90 degrees later today (it's actually going to get up to 96), the fact that the humidity is down and there was a slight 'chill' in the air when I was on the bike is just heaven when you're used to sweltering humidity and sun/heat.

The fact that this area is nothing but a concrete jungle only increases the heat when you're own black asphalt. I seriously think I have felt my skin start to burn off my legs when I'm at a red light just WAITING for the light to turn green again.

The bike ride this morning in was nice - the water was peaceful and the chill in the air made for little if no sweating, except where my heart-rate monitor was of course. It felt damn good to be on my bike and not be in my car.

This afternoon will be brutal - the weatherman stated it's going to climb today and fast. The humidity will still stay low (for this time of year) but it's still not going to be a fun day on the bridge over. It never is. I cannot wait for October and the cool days all day long. Will definitely make me want to ride more to work than just once or twice a week - that's for sure :)

Progress of Team Skinny is going well. It's been four days of me waking up at 5am (even my off day I woke up to get used to the schedule). My legs are starting to have muscle soreness from the riding schedule and my brain is starting to become confused due to the sleep schedule and me taking control of it.

The plan was to take Saturday as my next 'Off' day, but that might change due to the weather. Might just not take it off at all. We'll see.

Team Skinny Day #3

Yesterday was my 'off day' for the week.
Weather does not look to be very promising for the next couple of days (something about a cold front...or maybe a hurricane...whatever, it's Florida).
Humidity is terrible right now. If I just STOP on the bike to take a breather, it envelopes me and thus makes it where the sweat doesn't dry up.
Meh.
Luckily, Dimitrios bought us a trainer last year...




One of the best trainers on the market actually.
So he set that up for me last night - in front of the computer.
I can happily watch Hulu now in the mornings and catch up on my TV programs I like to watch while getting my hour in the morning.
And 30 minutes in the afternoons.

Team Skinny Take 1

I did good this past weekend. I had plans to start on a training schedule and was worried that going out of town (I had planned to start it on Monday) would screw with my schedule (meaning I would be lazy and not get my @$$ up and ride the bike that I dragged all the way to Jacksonville/Orange Park). But luckily, my aunt has Banty Roosters who decided that 4:15 was the appointed time to start crowing at the sun (that wasn't out yet) and since I'm not used to them, it woke me up. I could be annoyed/pissed at this, but I actually saw it as a 'Thank you', as I got up and did my hour and a half ride..and got to see the sunrise on my ride (one of my favorite parts of my biking)





Today is my 'off day' but for the rest of the week I have to be on the bike for at least an hour to reach this goal I am attempting. The weather here in Florida, has..for lack of a better term, sucked monkey balls this past week and it sounds like it is going to continue to do so (it's been like Portland down here...meh). So I am going to set up the trainer tonight so I can at least ride in the morning should it be icky/unacceptable...
I am also going to seriously look into doing yoga. Stretching is good, and would probably benefit me by a lot.