New Blog- Yummy Recipes!

Check out my new blog site entitled Yummy Recipes (click title above to view). I'll keep a link to this new blog on this page under "Links" (right side of this page). I hope you enjoy!

Lake Balboa

Well after having a few months off from riding, making some minor changes to my bike, and getting educated on bike maintenance. I re-established the relationship between my booty and my saddle. I rode 16 miles around one of the bike paths by Lake Balboa. It felt good. I had to stop because the park was closing and it was going to get dark. I felt like such a muffin. I thought with it being fall, it would be cooler, so I was baking in my cycling tights.

I got a new saddle and yes, I got my booty measured to ensure it was the right size for me. I also got a new chain and my first tune-up without a mechanic. So, I wanted to stay close to home incase there were any problems. Just a couple saddle adjustments and I was good to go.

I had really missed riding. It is great to be back in the saddle again…

Stretching with Phase IV

I have always been taught that stretching is one of the most important parts of my workout program and I love to stretch. So, today I took the Phase IV interactive Stretch Clinic in Santa Monica, CA. Phase IV is a Scientific Training and Performance Center. The clinic was lead by Kent Moody, a Physical Therapist & Director of Clinical Quality Assurance. Kent too has been an athlete (an avid runner for nearly 40 years), so it was perfect learning from someone who has applied his own teaching to his training. It was nice to see such a variety of stretches that help many different types of athletes, from runners, cyclists, swimmers, etc. Now I have even more stretches to incorporate into my workouts.

*(please note illustrations above are not from the class)

Here are the Benefits of Stretching (from the class handout):

1. Stretching prevents injury: Stretching prepares muscles for workouts. Everyday activities, (i.e. sitting at your desk, driving, and standing) leave your muscles tight and susceptible to injury. Stretching before each and every workout prevents injury to tight muscles.

2. Stretching improves performance: By increasing range of motion of bones around a joint, stretching improves the biomechanics of your body. Muscles stretched to 110% of their resting length will contract more powerfully and allow you to perform better.

3. Stretching aids in the recovery process: Muscles are left short and tight after a workout and if left to recover in that state will become permanently shortened. Stretching muscles after workouts “wrings” out the waste products and allows muscles to recover in a lengthened postion.

Future Rides...

I hope to do more rides this year. Whether they are local, out of state or out of the country I am looking for people who would like to join me. I think it would be so cool to ride though out not just my own state, but my own country and even through parts of the world. So, if you want do a ride or know someone who wants to as well. PLEASE let me know.

I might do the Bay to Bay MS150 Ride in October '06. I believe that it is from Huntington Beach to San Diego, but I am having a little trouble finding people who will commit to doing the ride. Stay tuned to see if I ride...

Cross Training

Chris R. and I have a sport exchange thing happening. I am getting him into cycling and he is getting me into rock climbing/ bouldering. I have incorporated bouldering into my weekly workout program and hope to join him for rock climbing excursions as well. (btw: that is not me in the photo--I wish it were though)

Speaking of working out, I did stop training and riding for about a month or two, but started back into it this week (I currently have a 2 week trial pass to Ballys and have been going every day). I was going to be working out with someone, but they just decided that they will be moving out of California the end of September. So it will be up to me to stay disciplined on my own. I hope to start riding my bike again on the weekends mid-September, beginning October. Fingers crossed.

I am also considering entering the Santa Clarita 5K in November again. Last year I had gotten within a mile from the start and the car I was traveling in got a flat tire and I missed the run. The year before I had a business trip. So, I might try and do it again this year. Maybe the third times a charm.

Since I love cycling so much I did take a “Comprehensive Bike Maintenance” class at REI a couple weeks ago. It was a huge learning experience and hopefully I can now make more adjustments to my bike on my own.

Top 5 Questions Asked When I Got Back From The Ride

Q#5: Are you going to ride again next year?
A: I would love to do the ride again, and would do it in a heartbeat. However, I haven’t registered yet and am currently uncertain what the future holds for me in other aspects of my life. But I am going to train and prepare as if I were going to ride in ALC6.

Q#4 Did you ride all 585 miles?
A:No, I got sick on day 3 and missed about 50 miles and missed Quadbuster (a huge hill). I am still heartbroken about it.

Q#3: What was the scenery like?
A: We rode through farmlands, wine country, freeways, cities & towns, along the coast. It was breath taking.

Q#2 Did you meet anyone special on the ride? Are you dating anyone from the ride?
Aa: I met a lot of special and amazing people, but even with the riders being about 50% gay and 50% straight, I didn’t find anyone special (Although a couple did steal my heart, but not in that way). Besides that is not the reason why I joined ALC5 and decided to ride. I did however find that my passion for the cause grew tremendously.

Ab: I am not currently dating or seeing anyone in that way from the ride. I am young, free and single and am not in any big hurry to date again. It’ll happen when it happens and I’ll let you know when they find me. :)

Q#1. Did you have fun?
A: Yes, I had one of the best times of my life. It was so incredible. Words cannot describe my experience. You have to register and do the ride to find out what I mean (click here to register). :)

I’m Ba-ack—With a new look too!

Wow! I can’t believe that I rode in ALC5 only 3 months ago. It seems like last year. I had family visiting today and they jogged my memories about the ride. My how I miss it. I laughed and nearly cried looking over my past blogs. Funny how at one time when I chipped that bone in my foot, I didn’t think I was going to be able to ride. Thanks to all of you who supported me during that time, especially Julie and Mariann (I miss working out with you guys), Mike E, Chris R and Jaclyn.

Also a HUGE thank you to all of you who supported me both financially and emotionally before, during and after the ride. Thank you also for the emails, flowers, phone calls, cards, etc that you sent me congratulating me on my ride. You all are so awesome!

I’ve spent the summer hanging with friends doing things that I hadn’t gotten a chance to do. I spent my birthday in Monterey and enjoyed riding my bike around the Bay. The summer was also filled with jet skiing, mini reunions with fellow cyclists and occasional visits to the ALC office to visit the amazing ALC staff. I did ride with Team Ventura a few times and even had the pleasure of having my friend and co-worker Chris R join me in my training.

It has been an emotional summer, dealing with the highs of the ride and then the sadness of it being over. It is very true, you change and grow as a person on this ride. I also miss the camaraderie of my fellow cyclists. One of the things I miss most aside from riding, is my tent mate Tsufit. I miss our late night talks and giggling right before lights out. She is such a sweetheart. She is still safe living in Israel. My thoughts have been with her and her family amidst the war going on there. Thank you to those who never met her, but yet still ask how she is doing.