For those of you who don't know, I will be spending the next 5 weeks in Columbus, Ohio while on rotation at Grant Medical Center. A classmate and I are staying in a furnished 2 bedroom/2 bath apartment provided by the hospital, which is quite nice, actually. It's managed by a corporate housing company, so it's not exactly homey...it feels like a nice extended stay hotel. The only problem is...there were no signs of Christmas cheer here when I arrived yesterday.
So, today I went out and bought a nice big red Poinsettia, a small wooden sleigh (think counter-top nick-nack), and a candle that smells like Christmas cookies. I also bought an apple-cinnamon air freshner for my bathroom. Granted, many of you are decorating elaborate trees and hanging lights, garland, and wreaths, but this little corner of Ohio where I temporarily reside now has just enough holiday cheer to get me into the mood to Christmas shop. Now, what did I do with that list?.....
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Brrrrr, already.
This week I'm on vacation relief in Lawrenceburg, TN. Basically, I'm covering for a classmate who's on vacation. The hospital is 1:45 away from my house, so they provide us a house to stay in. It's a decent little place, and it's got everything one needs...heat, washer/dryer, hot water with good water pressure, cable, internet connection...you know, the basics.
Today I got out of the hospital at 1pm after doing 11 cataract cases. Yep, I did 11 cases in under 5 hours. Our team today was the model of effeciency to say the least. With an entire afternoon to myself I figured I go for a ride. It's important to mention that it snowed here yesterday and many school districts in TN were closed d/t weather today. So, I had mapped out the nearest portion of the Natchez Trace and decided I'd try to add a few miles onto the end of the furthest point to which I'd ridden while training for the century. In effect, I'm piecing my way down the Natchez trace, which is over 440 miles long! It would be ~20 miles north to my furthest point, and 20 miles back to the car, and I should be able to make it by sunset - that was the plan. Well, I started riding north and had gone 15 miles before I realized that I wasn't going to make it back to the car before sunset, so I had to turn around. I finished just before the sun went down, but the last 5 miles were basically in the shade where it was 38 degrees!!!
All told I rode 30 miles in 2:18 and I never stopped once!!! I was absolutely frozen on the drive back to the house; I never realized I could stand my car heater at 90 degrees for any length of time, but today it was hardly hot enough. When I made it back to the house, the super hot shower with great water pressure was wonderful...it was actually probably better than I would've had at home.
While I'm glad that I got out, rode, cleared my head, and challenged the elements....what was I thinking? It's freaking cold out there, people!
Today I got out of the hospital at 1pm after doing 11 cataract cases. Yep, I did 11 cases in under 5 hours. Our team today was the model of effeciency to say the least. With an entire afternoon to myself I figured I go for a ride. It's important to mention that it snowed here yesterday and many school districts in TN were closed d/t weather today. So, I had mapped out the nearest portion of the Natchez Trace and decided I'd try to add a few miles onto the end of the furthest point to which I'd ridden while training for the century. In effect, I'm piecing my way down the Natchez trace, which is over 440 miles long! It would be ~20 miles north to my furthest point, and 20 miles back to the car, and I should be able to make it by sunset - that was the plan. Well, I started riding north and had gone 15 miles before I realized that I wasn't going to make it back to the car before sunset, so I had to turn around. I finished just before the sun went down, but the last 5 miles were basically in the shade where it was 38 degrees!!!
All told I rode 30 miles in 2:18 and I never stopped once!!! I was absolutely frozen on the drive back to the house; I never realized I could stand my car heater at 90 degrees for any length of time, but today it was hardly hot enough. When I made it back to the house, the super hot shower with great water pressure was wonderful...it was actually probably better than I would've had at home.
While I'm glad that I got out, rode, cleared my head, and challenged the elements....what was I thinking? It's freaking cold out there, people!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
El Tour de Tucson
My report of the most amazing ride I've ever done will be forthcoming, I promise...pictures and all. Hang in there; it will be worth it.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
50+, again
Today Roger and I rode 50.9 miles from ACME multisports in Goodlettsville. It was no greater than 48 degrees all day...and we had a vicious a headwind, again. We did quite well in my opinion, 4:06 cycle time; 4:18 total ride time. We rested very little, and with the wind chill we couldn't afford to rest much...it was just too darned cold. The last time our team rode this same route we did 51.2 miles in 3:52 cycle time; 4:45 total ride time. Considering the conditions and the lack of rest time, I'm quite proud of us.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
No Guts, No Glory
How many times have we heard the phrase, "dig deep"? It makes it into many of those inspirational based-on-a-true-story movies about underdog high school basketball teams winning the state title or inner city after-school program kids learning to swim as champions. I understand it's supposed to be motivational, an encouragement to find something within yourself that will push you to rise to said occasion and perform as you never imagined possible. Today it was directed at me. "Why?" you may ask. Grab your bag of popcorn and settle in for a bit of drama with an inspirational twist.
This was the day of the Long Ride. My cycling team was due for our longest ride before the El Tour de Tucson on Nov. 22nd and the plan was 85 miles (or so I thought). The day started out strangely for Katherine (coach) with a flat tire, then at mile 26 Jerry (teammate) blew 2 spokes on his back wheel. Since he couldn't finish the ride Katherine rode back to the car and drove to pick him up and take him back to his car. In the meantime Roger (coach), Graham (mentor), and I continued the ride. It was along about mile 52 that I hit it...the wall...that great big impedance that you hear about people hitting during endurance events. It's often due to poor hydration or nutrition during the event, or can be due to over-training, lack of proper rest/prep, or something beyond your control. For me it was likely that Roger and I had ridden 78 miles just 5 days ago, and that I felt run-down all 5 of those days.
There I was on the Natchez Trace, Katherine was with Jerry, Roger and Graham had ridden on ahead of me. I couldn't muster up enough energy to pedal faster than 10mph (pretty slow), I hurt everywhere (my seat, knees, quads, hamstrings, elbows, neck, back, shoulders, hands...everywhere), and I was exhausted. Mad as a hornet that I couldn't push myself harder, and distraught that I was alone, I began to cry. And cry. I called my husband (yes, I was on the bike...but only going 10 mph!). He did a great job after I told him he had to talk to me. He helped me see that I had to stop crying and wasting that energy, and that I had to be able to focus on making a decision...crying wasn't going to allow me to do that very well. "Are you going to quit? Are you going to rest for a little bit? Are you going to ride 10 more miles and reevaluate? Only you can decide what you're going to do, but you've got to stop crying so you can focus on making a decision." I stopped crying, decided to keep going (for now) and hung up the phone.
Roger and Graham were waiting on me at our turn-around point and rode with me until we met back up with Katherine (she had ridden back out to catch up with us....CraZY!!) She was updated on my current mental and physical condition and for the next 16 miles all three of them rode quite slowly (for them) so we could ride as a team. That meant so much to me. We stopped to rest and stretch with only 14 miles to go. Katherine looked at me and said this is where I had to Dig Deep. I could've strangled her...I was in no mood for peppy words of encouragement. I just wanted to go home. Keeping that in mind, we headed out. Graham "pulled" me for miles, allowing me to draft off him. THANKS GRAHAM!! Roger hung behind me, so I was never left behind. THANKS ROGER!! At 4 miles out Katherine sang another verse of "4 miles left to go on the road, 4 miles left to go...." It was at that point I realized not only that I was going to make it, but that I actually had some reserve of energy. I DUG DEEP and kicked it into high gear. "There she goes," Graham said. A man sitting on his front lawn even shouted something about me kicking it up right at the end. Katherine said, "It's what she does." I knew I could make it, I just knew it, and I pushed myself as hard as I possibly could, reaching over 22 mph and a heart rate of 190 bpm. (I'm lucky I didn't have a heart attack!!!) While I'm certain my team let me finish first, given the horrible day I'd had, right before I pulled into the parking lot everything in me gave out. Katherine was right behind me and encouraged me to finish strong, that I was almost there. THANKS KATHERINE!!
TODAY I RODE 90 MILES!!! (Total time: 7:57, ride time: 6:57, avg: 12.9 mph) I couldn't be any more proud of myself; I'm especially proud that I'm known for riding hard at the end and pushing myself to finish strong. Words cannot express how much I appreciate my husband and my teammates for bringing me to this incredible milestone. There is no possible way I would've made it without them. WAY TO GO TEAM!!! and thank God I'm home. I've sat in a tub of ice and Epsom salts; I've showered; it may be time for food soon. But I'm most certain it's nearly time for bed. Love to you all!!
Me and Roger at the end! Notice my cool Arizona Jersey and Roger's El Tour de Tucson jersey from last year.
This was the day of the Long Ride. My cycling team was due for our longest ride before the El Tour de Tucson on Nov. 22nd and the plan was 85 miles (or so I thought). The day started out strangely for Katherine (coach) with a flat tire, then at mile 26 Jerry (teammate) blew 2 spokes on his back wheel. Since he couldn't finish the ride Katherine rode back to the car and drove to pick him up and take him back to his car. In the meantime Roger (coach), Graham (mentor), and I continued the ride. It was along about mile 52 that I hit it...the wall...that great big impedance that you hear about people hitting during endurance events. It's often due to poor hydration or nutrition during the event, or can be due to over-training, lack of proper rest/prep, or something beyond your control. For me it was likely that Roger and I had ridden 78 miles just 5 days ago, and that I felt run-down all 5 of those days.
There I was on the Natchez Trace, Katherine was with Jerry, Roger and Graham had ridden on ahead of me. I couldn't muster up enough energy to pedal faster than 10mph (pretty slow), I hurt everywhere (my seat, knees, quads, hamstrings, elbows, neck, back, shoulders, hands...everywhere), and I was exhausted. Mad as a hornet that I couldn't push myself harder, and distraught that I was alone, I began to cry. And cry. I called my husband (yes, I was on the bike...but only going 10 mph!). He did a great job after I told him he had to talk to me. He helped me see that I had to stop crying and wasting that energy, and that I had to be able to focus on making a decision...crying wasn't going to allow me to do that very well. "Are you going to quit? Are you going to rest for a little bit? Are you going to ride 10 more miles and reevaluate? Only you can decide what you're going to do, but you've got to stop crying so you can focus on making a decision." I stopped crying, decided to keep going (for now) and hung up the phone.
Roger and Graham were waiting on me at our turn-around point and rode with me until we met back up with Katherine (she had ridden back out to catch up with us....CraZY!!) She was updated on my current mental and physical condition and for the next 16 miles all three of them rode quite slowly (for them) so we could ride as a team. That meant so much to me. We stopped to rest and stretch with only 14 miles to go. Katherine looked at me and said this is where I had to Dig Deep. I could've strangled her...I was in no mood for peppy words of encouragement. I just wanted to go home. Keeping that in mind, we headed out. Graham "pulled" me for miles, allowing me to draft off him. THANKS GRAHAM!! Roger hung behind me, so I was never left behind. THANKS ROGER!! At 4 miles out Katherine sang another verse of "4 miles left to go on the road, 4 miles left to go...." It was at that point I realized not only that I was going to make it, but that I actually had some reserve of energy. I DUG DEEP and kicked it into high gear. "There she goes," Graham said. A man sitting on his front lawn even shouted something about me kicking it up right at the end. Katherine said, "It's what she does." I knew I could make it, I just knew it, and I pushed myself as hard as I possibly could, reaching over 22 mph and a heart rate of 190 bpm. (I'm lucky I didn't have a heart attack!!!) While I'm certain my team let me finish first, given the horrible day I'd had, right before I pulled into the parking lot everything in me gave out. Katherine was right behind me and encouraged me to finish strong, that I was almost there. THANKS KATHERINE!!
TODAY I RODE 90 MILES!!! (Total time: 7:57, ride time: 6:57, avg: 12.9 mph) I couldn't be any more proud of myself; I'm especially proud that I'm known for riding hard at the end and pushing myself to finish strong. Words cannot express how much I appreciate my husband and my teammates for bringing me to this incredible milestone. There is no possible way I would've made it without them. WAY TO GO TEAM!!! and thank God I'm home. I've sat in a tub of ice and Epsom salts; I've showered; it may be time for food soon. But I'm most certain it's nearly time for bed. Love to you all!!
Me and Roger at the end! Notice my cool Arizona Jersey and Roger's El Tour de Tucson jersey from last year.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Surviving the Elements
Today's plan: ride 80 miles on the Natchez Trace.
Today's forecast: high 50 degrees, winds 10-15 mph, clear and sunny.
Today's outcome: my coach Roger and I rode 78 miles. It took us 6:05 bike time; 7:20 total ride time. And we TOTALLY FROZE!! It never reached above 56 degrees (in over 7 hours!!), and those "winds" ended up being head-winds over 80% of the time we were on the bike. We looked at each other when we got out of the car at the parking lot where we started and bluntly told each other we were rediculously crazy for even thinking of riding in these conditions. But for me, the bottom line is that my mom didn't get to choose to have cancer, or select which grueling side effects of chemo she would prefer, so I can't let the conditions around me dictate whether or not I will complete the training for this century ride.
At our 50 mile rest stop we actually had people comment to us that it was a beautiful day for a bike ride. WHAT??? It was a beautiful day to look out your kitchen window while sipping hot tea and see the bright sun and "breeze," but there was nothing beautiful about riding a bike in that weather. The best part...it was the coldest day so far this fall, and the temp tomorrow is supposed to be in the 60's. Let's hear it for life and schedules dictating your life and schedule. (I'm certain some of you will understand what that means.)
Just so you have a true respect for what I went through, here's a photo of me at the end of the ride. No, I'm not wearing scuba gear. Please note the long thermal pants, full-finger gloves (with hand warmers beneath), the wind-resistant/water-proof red exoskeleton jacket, and the black skull-cap with ear flaps under my helmet.
What you can't see is the long-sleeved jersey below the jacket.
A word of advice: these conditions take a toll on your ears, and I was given the tip to use the waxy-type ear plugs (think swimming gear) to block the wind from entering your ear canal. Holy Mackrel, what a difference ear plugs make. Anyway...gaze at my brilliance!
Finally, forgive my strange smile, I'm undergoing dental reconstruction and have issues with my smile...remember that the camera adds 10 lbs...and give me serious credit for posting a photo of myself wearing spandex!!!
Today's forecast: high 50 degrees, winds 10-15 mph, clear and sunny.
Today's outcome: my coach Roger and I rode 78 miles. It took us 6:05 bike time; 7:20 total ride time. And we TOTALLY FROZE!! It never reached above 56 degrees (in over 7 hours!!), and those "winds" ended up being head-winds over 80% of the time we were on the bike. We looked at each other when we got out of the car at the parking lot where we started and bluntly told each other we were rediculously crazy for even thinking of riding in these conditions. But for me, the bottom line is that my mom didn't get to choose to have cancer, or select which grueling side effects of chemo she would prefer, so I can't let the conditions around me dictate whether or not I will complete the training for this century ride.
At our 50 mile rest stop we actually had people comment to us that it was a beautiful day for a bike ride. WHAT??? It was a beautiful day to look out your kitchen window while sipping hot tea and see the bright sun and "breeze," but there was nothing beautiful about riding a bike in that weather. The best part...it was the coldest day so far this fall, and the temp tomorrow is supposed to be in the 60's. Let's hear it for life and schedules dictating your life and schedule. (I'm certain some of you will understand what that means.)
Just so you have a true respect for what I went through, here's a photo of me at the end of the ride. No, I'm not wearing scuba gear. Please note the long thermal pants, full-finger gloves (with hand warmers beneath), the wind-resistant/water-proof red exoskeleton jacket, and the black skull-cap with ear flaps under my helmet.
What you can't see is the long-sleeved jersey below the jacket.A word of advice: these conditions take a toll on your ears, and I was given the tip to use the waxy-type ear plugs (think swimming gear) to block the wind from entering your ear canal. Holy Mackrel, what a difference ear plugs make. Anyway...gaze at my brilliance!
Finally, forgive my strange smile, I'm undergoing dental reconstruction and have issues with my smile...remember that the camera adds 10 lbs...and give me serious credit for posting a photo of myself wearing spandex!!!
Saturday, October 4, 2008
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