Bridgid O'Donnell's
AIDS/LifeCycle Homepage

Bridgid's Links

L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center
The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, a leader in battling AIDS and caring for those who are HIV-infected since the earliest days of the pandemic, provides free medical care to those who can't afford treatment and distributed more than $17 million worth of free HIV medications last year. The Center also provides one-on-one and group therapy, mobile testing/counseling, education, advocacy, and prevention services. Each month 700-1,000 people are tested for HIV at the Center.

Shifting Gears/Team 100
Team 100 is an extraordinary group of riders and volunteers committed to helping raise funds for the Los Angeles Jeffrey Goodman Clinic for those living with AIDS/HIV. We ride together, fundraise together, support each other, and have a fun time doing it! We aim to build an extended family within the AIDS/Lifecycle community.

Until There's A Cure

Bridgid's Blog

Thursday, May 29, 2008

10:22 PM

Bye-bye and thank you!!!

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE, SUPPORT AND LAUGHTER.

THANK YOU FOR BELIEVING IN ME.

Y'ALL DA BEST!!!

 

NOW LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!!!!

 

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Monday, May 26, 2008

9:34 PM

Squirrels have commitment issues

It's a beautiful, cool afternoon. Billowy clouds in the sky. No traffic. Perfect riding weather. I'm riding down Agoura Rd. in a rural stretch of road that is right out of an old Disney movie. The sweet aroma of Star Jasmine fills the air. Perfect, perfect, perfect day. One of those days that just make you feel all around grateful.

A squirrel darts out of the brush makes it to the middle of the street and then turns around and disappears back into the brush. Ha! A I thought I was the chicken. Now I'm picking up a little speed, I look at my computer -  28mph. I looooove going fast!!! Another squirrel dashes out in front of me, freezes in the middle of the street turns and runs back. Now, I have to swerve to avoid hitting him. Not cool. I slow down because this is obviously an area of squirrel crossing that L.A. department of street maintenance has failed to properly mark.
Up ahead, I see two squirrels chasing each other around a tree. Figuring they are too preoccupied with each other, I maintain my speed. Of course, one jumps off the tree into the street, stops, runs back, stops, runs back to the middle then turns and runs back to the tree.

And then it dawns on me...

Squirrels have about the same ability to commit as my last girlfriend did to our relationship.

 

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Sunday, May 25, 2008

8:40 PM

Last training ride

Today was the last official training ride before we all head up to S.F. I was out riding with my UTAC teammates this morning, doing my Ab Fab favorite ride - Calabasas to Westlake Village. On the way back, after climbing Las Virgines,  Val and I were laughing at how we sometimes curse at the steep hills. Making the turn onto Mureau Rd., Val turns to me and with her sweet little ever-smiley face says "Come on, let's take this b___ch down!" The four of us, Val, Jen and Vee (I just looooove riding with you girls!!!) start pounding our way up this hill. I know for a fact I have never had so much fun getting up Mureau Rd.

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Saturday, May 24, 2008

2:11 PM

My motto through this whole thing

Those who say I can't do this, really shouldn't inturrupt me while I'm doing it. I really find it annoying.

I'm out riding this morning and am about to start garbage truck hill. Last week when I was climbing this hill is when I started with the heat stroke. The body remembers. I actually got a little nervous. Even though the weather today is nothing like it was last week, I just remembered how retched heat stroke feels. As I start the climb my head starts. It's really the weirdest thing. Even though I have climbed this hill numerous times without heat stroke, I get hit with it once and my head has a field day. Oy!
About a third of the way up I hear that fearful voice, "Stop, you can't do this."     I've always given myself permission to stop if I needed to - there's no reason to sacrfice the body. Especially on an endurance event. But I wasn't tired. The more I was telling myself to stop... the more I just got annoyed. I very polietly asked not to be inturrupted while I'm doing the very thing "that voice" was telling me I can't do. Then I just kept going up the hill.

God, I hope I'm not the only one who not only "hears voices" but argues with them.

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Thursday, May 22, 2008

5:38 AM

Single digits now

Ok, we're into the single digit countdown! Now, I just have to start putting my stuff together to pack and see if there are any last minute purchases I have to make. Ooooooh, more shopping!!! I can do that once I get home this weekend.
My biggest challenge has been wrapping things up at work in order to vacate for two glorious weeks. I love my job but sometimes... it just takes up too much of my time. i can't even tell you when the last time I had two weeks off. I think I was in my early 20's. Such quality problems I have today.

This week has been a mild week training wise; Mon. & Tues. mornings I climbed Reseda Cyn.  On Wed., rather than hill climbing Brendan, Alison & I just had a very leisurely ride around the dam, looked at the beautiful birds, quacked at the ducks (I do great duck and pidgeon sounds) and just talked about what comes next. Brendan reassured me that I have worked hard (and boy have I!) and I'm ready. Yeah, I'm ready.

I have completely removed all expectations of the ride and of myself. I'm not going into this with the goal of riding EFI (every fucking inch), I'm going in with the goal of giving it my all and having a blast with the whole thing. If by default I ride EFI, cool. With some things I can be very stubborn.

We have been watching the weather and praying for a mild week. After experiencing heat stroke last week, it's not something I want to repeat. OMG, when that hit me last weekend it was actually pretty scary: I could handle the chills and the being hot and not sweating bit but when I started getting disoriented... Yikes. At least now I know what the symptoms are - and it has nothing to do with hydration. I had drank close to 3.5 liters of water and electrolites before I hit the 30 mile mark. It was just a hundredandstupid degrees out.

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Monday, May 19, 2008

6:59 AM

Bike Stolen

OMG!!! I had a dream last night that with less than two weeks before the ride my bike was stolen and my only alternative was to ride my 25 lbs mtn. bike. Which would just suck! When I woke up I went out to the living room to make sure it was still there. Whew!

After L.B. Pride yesterday and going out for dinner with some of the girls afterward reminded me of the community I have been sucked into. If you allow it, it's not just a bike ride it really is a family like atmosphere with all these folks. I worked the ALC booth at Long Beach Pride yesterday and being a first time rider, I was used as the before/after example. Brendan refered to me as his baby duckling whom after bonking at 6 miles on my first training ride, can now do back to back 90's. Kerry & I were cracking each other up over Cindy's fundraising video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rafpuNDm0To  Cindy's my tentmate with a great sense of humor) It was a lot of fun to hang out with all these folks for the day and I realized, again, how valuable an experience this has been for me.
I have been amazed at the generosity and compassion of people who have either donated to my fundraising efforts, left me notes of support and even people I have just arbitrarily met on the road while riding. All of this came at a time in my life when my initial insticts were telling me to stop letting anyone in and stop feeling anything for other people. Because that instinct was so strong it needed something huge to stop it's momentum. This was huge. This was more powerful.

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Friday, May 16, 2008

3:07 PM

Messages of support

Notice to friends and family:

  If you would like to, you can send me messages during the ride by logging into; http://experience.aidslifecycle.org/2008/support/
and then typing in my cyclist number - 5858. It would be way cool if you would do that. I can also receive email via my dingleberry phone.

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11:22 AM

2 weeks

How many times in your life have you just wanted to hit the button to slow down the hands of time? How many times have you wanted time to just stand still so you can savor a moment just a little longer. Or never wanting such an incredible feeling to change. With two weeks left, that's what I wish I could do - slow down time. At first it was because I felt I needed more time to prepare, now it's because I don't want it to pass.

This has been such a wonderful experience for me in ways I never could have imagined. In my very first entry on New Years Day I fessed up to being a big fat chicken and the reason I didn't tell anyone I had signed up for this was to give my self the ability to bail on myself. Here we are, 4 1/2 months later and despite my fear, anxiety, depression and everything else... I didn't bail on ME. During this process I have learned that I am valued and I'm not invisable.
I have been in AA for the better part of 21 years and during that time my experience with sobriety has been very different than the ones I've heard about. Much to the point that I think a lot of people just lie about their experiences in recovery. I have gone to thousands of meetings, with people I have much in common, granted mainly dysfunctional things, yet forming very few lasting friendships. Two to be exact. After being a regular in a meeting, holding commitments and such - when I stopped going to that meeting, no one would call to find out where I've been, to see if I was ok. Hell, even to see if I was still sober.  I felt invisable. It doesn't matter I played a part or if it was of my own creation, the feeling was the same, I was invisable and I didn't matter. It was pointed out to me just the other night, a fact that I so often forget - majority of people in recovery are selfish, self-centered and self-obsessed despite any length of sobriety. They're in it for themselves. They can and will manipulate the program to suit their own wants and often to avoid taking responsibility for their own actions.. Not everyone, so don't take offense if you are in recovery and reading this - I probably don't mean you. 
Conversely, I have been riding with a group of people for only 4 months. During which time, I have made friends that call if I don't show up for a training ride I said I was going to do. Last week I got a case of food poisoning (to hell with waterboarding, food poisoning would be a wicked torture!) and missed a ride. The next day I had two phone calls and a few emails from folks wondering where I was. The next ride I went on, probably about half a dozen people knew about it and checked up on me throughout the ride.
The point being, I realized when I had just about given up hope, that kindness and selfless generosity does exist with some people. And I am lucky enough to have the opportunity to travel down the coast with 3000 of them in 2 weeks. I discovered I have a gift to help and encourage people when they feel like bailing on themselves. Maybe because I've done it so many times on myself. I can make people laugh when they are struggling up a hill by singing the stupidest song I know... THE BRADY BUNCH THEME!!!

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Saturday, May 10, 2008

10:39 AM

Panicked again!!!

I know the month of May we should all be "training down" but I haven't been able to ride at all this week. Work has been incredibly busy and then last night, something hit me and I was sick all night. I didn't think it was a great idea to go out on the ride to PV I had planned for this morning. I'll go out this afternoon for my "30 mile stretch" to Griffith Park and back around - but at 21 days before the ride, a week off my bike... not cool. Last night I was having panicked dreams about having to be SAG'd everyday. 

 - Ah-ha moment!!!   I don't have to prove anything to anyone. I'm not a warrior, I'm not a bad-ass (cuz bad-asses are stoopid)... I'm just a chick on a bike giving it my all and doing the best I can. That's enough.

Ok, I'm better now.

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Sunday, May 4, 2008

9:01 AM

Ahh-Haa!!

It never dawned on me that anyone other than Janell & Nori would read my blog. (And I love you both for keeping track of me )
But I've received messages from a few people I've never even met regarding my entry titled "If you train with your heart, you can trust your training" and I had another one of those "Ahh-Haa!  " moments.

See, I have a stalker that lives between my ears. My little pea-brain when left unattended to its own devices will convince me that this is an impossible deal. I mean come on now, 545 miles on a bike? At my age? With a bunch of strangers? With MY paralyzing social phobia???  
Example: Yesterday, MY plan was to add 30 miles to the 72 mile ride I was going on to make it The BOD Century. (Hey, If Paul Hulse can have his own century, why can't I???)  Now it was a tough ride that was scheduled and I think this was my first cat. 4 ride. Then my head started. "All those hills... Chevy Chase... twice... Lida... Sierra Madre... Whoa! Sierra Madre??? No,no,no - I don't go east of the Rose Bowl. I learned my lesson in February! What if I poop out and can't make it I haven't been able to ride as much as I'd like to over the last two weeks. I'm losing ground on my training..." Blah,blah, blah... Get the point?
So, I unconsiously sabotaged it. Even though I got up in plenty of time, ate, drank, stretched and had packed the night before - I still didn't get out of the house in time to ride over to the meeting spot. In fact, just when I got there, people were starting to ride out. So I started the whole ride disappointed in myself. Being the last rider to head out. Grrrr, I hate being last. To me, you stand out more if you're first or if you're last. Just let me blend in somewhere in the middle.
So we head out across Glendale and I'm trying working up a good pace to warm up. Not even a mile in, I'm winded, my legs hurt, those self-depreciating thoughts start. When we made the turn onto Chevy Chase, that panic hit. Here was the first hill I had demonized. As we started up towards the hill, we passed Glendale Adventist Hospital and the memories of the last time I was there hit... that night three years ago when Jimmy died. Wow, and May 3rd too. Yep, I got a little emotional. Ok, really emotional. I miss him a lot but it brought to heart the real reason we do this.
I found my pace, found the song for the day (Pat Benetar - Love Is A Battlefield) got into my zen zone and started up the hill. About a mile up I saw some folks stopped on the side of the road. As I got closer I saw it was my UTAC teammates. Brendan, one of the trainers I often ride with said "Look at you. You don't ride in the back of the pack anymore. In fact you haven't for a while" Apparently, even though I was the last one out, I had passed a group on my way up. (The zen zone is amazing!) When I stopped, I realized I was barely out of breath and there was no burn in my legs anymore. The Ahh-Haa moment hit!   When I make the whole thing about me, I poop out. When you can tap into what is in your heart - nothing can stop you. Trust your heart, not your head. Therefore, if you train with your heart you can trust your training.

The rest of the way up that hill was a breeze. We were talking, we were laughing, Brian got poop-bombed by a pigeon... Really, it wasn't hard at all. The rest of the day, most of us stuck together. I didn't do The BOD Century as I had planned, instead I had a great ride with my teammates. I didn't worry about how far east of the Rose Bowl I was or the hills we were about to start up. I enjoyed riding with a bunch of people that don't make it about them. Hmm, maybe a bit of a lesson in integrity and humility was thrown in there. Not a bad way to learn.

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Saturday, May 3, 2008

6:25 AM

The BOD Century

Today, I am doing my own personal century ride. The training ride I signed up for is 72 miles but I figured if I left from my house and rode over to the meeting place that would add another 30 miles to it making it The BOD  Century (Bridgid O'Donnell... get it?) I've set up a sweep if necessary, I've got all my stuff packed, I've been up for 45 minutes eating and drinking... all I have to do now is start pedaling for 100 miles.

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Thursday, April 24, 2008

7:20 AM

When you train with your heart, you can trust your training

When I looked at my countdown clock this morning and saw that we are 38 days away - I was finally more excited than scared.

Here's a little story:
     Years ago when I was in my first Tae Kwon Do tournement, I was scared as hell I was going to get my ass kicked. A reasonable fear I believe. I was a 2 stripe green belt, I had been training for over a year for this very event and this was a necessary hurdle to get over before I could move closer to getting a black belt. It got to the point where I was so scared my stomach was in knots and I wasn't sure if I could do it. Especially when I had to compeat against someone half my age. I couldn't remember necessary techniques; certain blocks, kicks, combinations. I couldn't remember things I had learned so well I didn't even have to think about them, I could just react.
     When it became apparent I was almost frozen in terror, the Master I had been training with came and asked me how long I have trained for this event. I said 14 months. He asked if I trained whole heartedly. I said, yes, I put everything I had into my training. His response quelled my fears immediately. He said, and I will never forget this because it is so important...
 "When you train with your heart, you can trust your training."
     I would love to say this story ends like a sequel to The Karate Kid but I got my ass kicked. By a 19 year old (I was 40 at the time) so I didn't feel too badly. But I gave it everything I had and I won the second place sparring medal in the tournement. I wasn't first and I was ok with that.
     Those words hit me again this morning. "When you train with your heart, you can trust your training."
It's kind of like a version of "turning it over". If you whole heartedly do the work to expand on your spiritual life, then you can trust the path you have been placed on to take you where you need to be. I think its just part of the mental obsticle I have heard so much about over the last few months. It's not the hill that'll get me - it's my head. I can trust my training.

That is all from Yoda this morning.

 

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Sunday, April 20, 2008

8:11 AM

People in general, sometimes aren't so bad.

I completed the "Day On The Ride" yesterday. I wasn't first one in but not last either. It was great.
When we all headed out, I got very emotional and started crying. Three thoughts had crossed my mind: 1. It's amazing that about 400 people would volunteer (roadies, sweeps, cheerleaders, food service, bike techs... ALL ROCK!) their time to set up this whole day for us. To make sure the cyclists were taken care of. 2. I miss Jimmy something awful. (Girl, I hope you read my blog) 3. We shouldn't have to do this. But how beautiful it is that people WILL do it.
They said that there are over 3000 people who participate in ALC in various ways. But that's not including all of the people along the way, in the cities we pass through that come out and cheer us on. I got to experience that yesterday. As we were crawling up the umpteenth hill and looking not so pretty I'm sure, there were a group of kids that were having a school car wash. As we  passed by they started cheering us on, then the people at the bus stop started cheering. As we were riding through Hermosa Beach, some people had asked what this was (We were still a large clump of riders at this time). When we told them it was an 80 mile training ride for AIDSLifecycle and told them what ALC was, they stood on the corner and started cheering riders on as they passed. I hope that's how it will be in June. Because to me it would be amazing for at least for a week, I can be part of a world as it should be. People altruistically working together for a greater good and those who can't, being supportive of those who are. Wow, what a concept. Can you even imagine what kind of changes the world would go through if we all experienced that for a week. How it would ultimately change how people are. I know how I have been touched by strangers kind enough to encourage me on this journey, friends of friends and co-workers of family who have so kindly donated money and left me little notes on my homepage, you have all made it a little bit easier to keep going.

The ride was hard, at times very hard. Especially with horrible headwinds the last 30 miles that really wore me out. By the time we were heading back I was beat. I drank and ate enough so the energy was there. But you get to a point where your muscles just say 'ENOUGH". The hills were tough but they don't scare me anymore. I know I can tackle any hill they throw at me now. Not quickly, but I'll get to the top. They can't beat me anymore. It's a mindgame and I figured it out.  
Bad-asses are stoopid. I don't have to be a warrior or conquer anything. I just have to pedal up the hill. That's all, look 3ft ahead and pedal. I'll get there.
It was really a sight to see - climbing up Malaga Cove and looking both up and down the hill and seeing about 50 cyclists hunched over on bikes, inching their way up the hill. This was, what seemed to be, about a 10 mile neverending climb through beautiful neighborhoods in Palos Verdes over looking the ocean. What made it even more bearable was being able to stop and admire the breathtaking view... and not being the only one. It was more than just taking a rest. For me, it's that thing inside that just makes me stop and go "Wow. Thank you G_d for putting me in this spot at this time."

This morning I was supposed to do a half century but didn't turn my alarm clock on last night. I also need to go and have my bike fit checked. At the end of the ride yesterday the pain in my shoulders and neck was like a knife. My knees are pretty sore too and that happened last time I rode with headwinds as well. So it was suggested I go have my bike re-fit now that I'm used to it. It makes me a little nervous that I haven't done long rides back to back yet. Hopefully I'll have a chance to do that before Day 1 - if for no other reason so I'll know what pain relievers to bring with me.

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Saturday, April 19, 2008

4:27 AM

4:30am

It's 4:30 in the morning. The birds aren't even awake yet. Today is the "Day On The Ride" ride. 80 miles. YIPPEE!

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Sunday, April 13, 2008

8:36 PM

No one gets left behind.

Please! Someone tell me that the ride will be air conditioned. I started out this morning on what was to be a 75 mile ride. The 100 mile option had been canceled already due to lack of support. When I met up with the group at 7am we were all informed that the 75 mile option was being canceled because of the heat. Mind you, it's only April, there's no such thing as global warming so why in the hell would we have to be worried about heat? Well, by the time we had gotten to our first rest stop 10 miles in I had already went through one of my water bottles, and we really hadn't even started climbing yet. By the time I got to the second rest stop in Westlake Village, I had gone through all of the water in my camelback, one bottle of Cytomax (Gatorade on steroids), had stopped for a bottle of cold water at a gas station to refill my camelback and had put a pretty good dent in that. Then came the tough part. Going out is primarily down hill - which means, you got it, coming home is up hill just about the entire way. Just when you think you're up and over the hill, you turn the corner and there's the other half of it. But I'm getting much better with hills. That's pretty cool.

The ride broke up into three groups, I was in the middle group. When we had arrived back home we waited for the last group to come in (we ride out together, we ride in together.) But they were no where in site. Brian called the TRL riding with the last group and we were told to send a sweep, the temps had pushed over 100 degrees, they were still pretty far out there and they were out of water. I was one of the three vehicles sent to pick up riders on Mureau Rd. - that very long, steep, double tiered hill previously mentioned. I went and found my group sitting under a tree. One of the riders looked at me and said "Are you the Bridgid who's Janell's friend?" (Yup, I found her Janell) So I loaded Jenni's bike in the back of the truck and we took off. When we got back to the group, in the true class & style of ALC, Jenni's was applauded when she got out of the truck. We all shared with her our first experience with Mureau Rd.. Brian reminded me the first time I rode up that hill, it seemed like I stopped every 25 yrds at every tree. I reassured Jenni that hill will never be as hard again. That the most important thing is to listen to your body. When it says enough, it's not kidding. Take advantage of the sweep if you need it. There is no shame. (bad-asses are stoopid)  Especially when it's 102 degrees out. And no matter what - no one gets left behind.

I wasn't invisable today. I was able to help.

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Saturday, April 5, 2008

9:28 PM

A taste of the real thing

I rode up to Oxnard with a training group this morning. It was a beautiful day and a great experience riding on part of the path we will actually be taking on PCH the last day of the ride. Doreen, the tire changing maven who was the TRL riding with our group kept insisting that I climb the hills in my big gears saying "it will only make you stronger..." Yeah if it doesn't kill me!
But the thing is - I did it. When I was able to get up and around the first bend at Pt. Mugu on the big ring and heard Doreen cheering me on - something kicked in. That competitive streak that I know lives deep down inside all of us had a serious showing today. When two other riders were passing me on the hill knowing what gear I was in, started cheering me on... "We're almost there. Almost to the top. Keep going, keep going, keep going..." Well, I couldn't let them pass me and get that far ahead for very long. I let out a big growl, which I hope they didn't hear, stood up and pulled ahead. Maybe it was the chocolate milk I had at lunch or the rest of the group that I could hear cheering each other on but I got to experience that incredible energy today that gets you through. 
When we got to the parking lot of the meeting place and Doreen arrived, she said "I bet you didn't think you could do that."  I had no idea. But I do know, it wasn't all me. As Brendan has often said, "It takes a village..." It's that contageous energy that takes you out of yourself. I was being encouraged to tap into something that allowed me to push through; the burning pain in my legs, my heart beating so fast I can feel it about to pop out of my chest, my lungs feeling like they can't take in enough oxygen... all of that stopped mattering and I just pedaled. Plus, I'm thinking growling works. 
Nori keeps telling me... "Pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, breeeeeathe and pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal, pedal."

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Tuesday, April 1, 2008

8:43 PM

YIKES!!!!

Wait, wait, wait!!!  Can't we go back to February????

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Sunday, March 30, 2008

5:30 PM

Tip of the day...

 

 

 

DON'T EAT THE BUTT BUTTER

 

No, it wasn't me but I heard the story

 

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Thursday, March 27, 2008

8:17 AM

In the wiiiiiind chickapea

I have come to the realization that I have allergies. With how the wind had been blowing over the last week, I haven't been able to breathe well - one of those things necessary when climbing hills. Silly details.
This morning was the first ride since last Saturday. A friend and I met up at 6:45a and did the Reseda climb. I made it but still not feeling 100% so it wasn't a strong climb. It's amazing how 4 days without riding made that much of a difference but it did.

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Tuesday, March 25, 2008

6:57 AM

No ride since Saturday

My whineyness on Saturday was due to an oncoming migraine that cultivated Saturday night as well as an upper respiratory thingy that now leaves me short of breath. Great. Just what I need. Shortness of breath. I am going to be screwed this weekend if I don't ride during the week.
I am riding in my 1st century on Saturday and a 30+ ride on Sunday. That's a big weekend! 130 miles. That is if I can breathe. This is the not-so-great part of Spring for me... allergies. Perfect timing. I can finally do the serious hills and now I just can't breathe. As if I'm not getting scared enough as it is, now I have to miss a week of training???

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Saturday, March 22, 2008

2:00 PM

Not feeling it today

Normally, Saturday morning's I am up and amped to go ride. This morning... not so much. 
 It was a combo of just being tired, not feeling well and just stuff. I was lying in bed thinking "Now, how many miles have I put in this week. How many do I need for my weekly goal? I can skip today, I'm doing a half century tomorrow."

I got out of bed, took a shower, ate and went out for a ride. Still not feeling well, I had to make it a short one - 27 miles. No hills to speak of. I really just didn't have it in me And now it's hot.
Hot, cold, hot, cold, hot, cold... no wonder I'm coming down with something. OMG, I'm whiney today. I need my bankey and a nap.

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008

1:13 PM

Is it worth it?

I got up at 5:15am. Crawled out from under the warm comforter... so I can eat breakfast. I make eggs, toast w/p.b., coffee and start drinking water. I go and meet others who have probably done the same.
It's cold, it's dark, the sun hasn't even come up yet. Dressed in obnoxiously bright colors that clash horribly with my hair and spandex shorts with a built in diaper, I get on my bike. Did I mention it's still dark? Did someone forget to make God's coffee this morning. The sun should be up. Hellooooo?
I meet with my training ride leader who greets me with a good morning smooch. What more could a girl ask for? I'll answer that later.

We set off with our little headlights strobing. The sun is now juuuuust thinking about coming up. Did I mention it's cold?
Did I mention that my knees and back are stiff in the morning and now there is really cold air blowing on them. My fingers... they just about go numb within the first 100 yards. It's cold in the morning still. And I think to myself... Is this worth it. I can ride when I get home from work and it will be warmer and I won't be as stiff, and, and, and...
There we are at the bottom of the hill that has become my Wednesday morning and I start to climb. At a pretty good pace. My TRL yells to me to keep my pace... Brady Bunch... I Love The Night Life... Unwritten... all the songs from Saturday come to mind. Half way up the hill I stop for a stop sign and indulge in a 30 second rest. Where is everyone? I lost my TRL? My favorite TRL??? Then I hear the yell in my head "Keep you own pace". Brady Bunch... I Love The Night Life... Unwritten... again. I stop at another stop sign. Looking to the east, I see the most beautiful sunrise. Yeah, it's worth it.
I look uphill I'm about 150 yds from the top. I look downhill and still can't see my TRL. I pull away for the final push to the top. Once there I turn around, shift into high gear and start the really fun part. The 30mph decent. Wheeeeeeee! Hell yeah, it's worth it. I see Alison with Brendan and another rider about 2/3 of the way up the hill and stop to say... I got to the top. Again. Stopping only when I had to by law. And then what did I do???  Fail to unclip BOTH feet and fall over. And laughed.
Most definitely worth it.

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Saturday, March 15, 2008

3:38 PM

No stopping!!!!

I just want to say, for anyone who reads this blog 'o mine....

THIS IS AWESOME!!!

If you read my earlier posting, I went on a long ride today. Not only did I finish within a respectable amount of time (6.5 hours), I did the hills stopping only once because I couldn't safely reach my water bottle, so that really doesn't count. I may have been a hill slug (that's what my jersey says) but I made it up Las Virgines, Mureau Rd. & Agoura Rd. without stopping and without falling. That's equally important.

Why such a big deal you ask? Because I have not done an official training ride with level 3 hills without stopping a few times on the hill.  Just like the other day when I made it up garbage truck hill in Griffith park, when I got to the top of Las Virgines I thought "Last time this was such a long, horrible hill". It seems like garbage truck hill was a bit of a turning point in my training and I can't tell you how thrilled I am about that.

At the start, there were about 30 people in the ride - which is just such an incredible sight to see. But throughout the ride, folks with equal cycling abilities break up into groups. So there were about 6 or 7 of us that finished together. Dani, I guess was the newbie-est of all of us and she was getting pretty tired. When we would all have to stop for a traffic light, once we got going up to speed again, we'd cheer Dani up to the front of the group and had her lead us all back to the finish line... and I got to see, correction, I got to experience what keeps people going on this ride. What a wonderful feeling it is to be part of it.
Everybody was tired from the hills so we talked about the songs that we have playing in our heads that help us keep going up. Now that was a funny conversation. Mine has been The Brady Bunch theme. Although today I had a different song that I like much better... that song "Unwritten". That song got me up Mureau Rd. Tom had "Islands in the stream" (which is just wrong), Brian had "I like the night life."and Mimi had the manic music from the Wizard of Oz. You know when the wicked witch comes and take Toto and she rides away on her bicycle. It got everyone laughing and we all forgot about the exhaustion. We forgot about the fact that we had 18 miles and a big hill in front of us still.
It's like being tethered together; one person starts getting tired and everyone slows down to their pace so they can catch their breath again and get their legs back. When you run out of steam... you use the groups energy. THAT is how 3000 cyclists will get from San Francisco to Los Angeles. When we finished, we cheered other riders coming in, we hugged and we exchanged phone numbers so we could ride together again. 
What a beautiful, beautiful day.

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6:15 AM

A 75 mile day

I'm heading out the door for my longest ride to date - 75 miles. Part of the course was the route I took for the half century so I know there are some nasty hills in there. But, it was windy last night so it is bound to be a gorgeous day today for a ride. Part of the course is the route we took for the half century back near Lake Sherwood with the horses, cattle ranches and nasty hills - the last part is heading up towards the Santa Suzanna Pass which is.... you guessed it! More hills. It is bound to be a trip that's for sure.

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Saturday, March 8, 2008

5:23 PM

Garbage Truck hill... check

Ok, so my friends kept me out way too late at Girl Bar last night so I missed the training ride this morning. So I was on my own. I started out with the intention on working on distance today rather than hills. So I rode out to the Rose Bowl and back which is about 40 miles. But on the way back I went through Griffith Park because it was such a beauteee-ful day. And for some reason or another, I decided to go up the hill called "Garbage Truck Hill" It's a short but very steep hill that I have yet to make it up and over without stopping. Until today! I was so proud of myself I can't even begin to tell you. Hills are my achilles. I don't like them, they don't like me. But there I was Brady Bunching it up and over the hill. And when I got to the top my thought was "I remember this being so much longer." On the way up, I even ran into another ALC rider.  Hehehe, WE ARE EVERYWHERE!!!

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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

8:40 PM

Here's a story, of a lovely lady...

 Who was bringing up three very lovely girls...   Come on, you all know the song!
That's how I get up hills. For some reason when I am so tired and my legs feel like they are about to fall off, that song gets stuck in my head and I start pedaling to the beat of it.
I was telling a friend about that this evening and we had such a good laugh about it. They only explaination I can come up with as to why the theme song to the Brady Bunch... It's something I know so well and don't have to think about. It just comes out automatically. Some people count, others give themselves the "I can do it" speech. Me, I sing 70's sitcoms. Hey whatever works!!!

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Sunday, March 2, 2008

3:22 PM

L.A. Marathon

I got up at 4am this morning , loaded everything into the truck and Vee & I went and did our first marathon. It was a blast!!! It was so much fun riding in the street and not having to look out for cars!!! I'm getting used to them, but I still prefer to have my own lane.
On the way home, we were amused by the fact that doing a 26 mile ride was not really much of a workout. Since we had everything with us and we were all warmed up... we went and climbed Reseda Cyn. I got to the top again!!!     NOW I feel like I've had a workout. I'm really proud of myself and feel like I have accomplished something. I have accomplished something! But I still hate steep hills. It hasn't even tempered down to a strong dislike yet. Patience, patience, patience!

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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

4:19 PM

The miracle is, I had the courage to start

6:30am this morning, I started out to climb Mecca. I don't mean THE Mecca, bowing to the east in a prostrate position - but Mecca Ave., south of Ventura. Which is a verrrrrry, loooooong, steeeeeeep hillllllll.
The first time I tried, it kicked my ass. Since, I've climbed Potrero Rd. during the 1/2 Century (which is a hill for the sick and twisted), climbed Lake Ave. and assorted hills in Sierra Madre/Altadena and Griffith Park.
I did it. I got to the top. Literally, 5.7 miles of a 1475 ft. incline. I thought my heart was going to explode. The weird thing is, when I got back down (way too much fun going 30mph on a bicycle!) I wanted to do it again. And I think I might try it again tomorrow morning.
What strikes me as I write this is, I was terrifed to even mention that I had signed up for this thing in the first place. Telling people made it real. But I started to ride. Then I started to ride more. Then I bonked and rode even more so I wouldn't bonk the next time. And in a matter of weeks, doing 60 miles on a Saturday morning is cool. Throwing on a pair of shorts and doing 10 miles of just hills before work is a great way to start the day. Especially this time of year. Who ever said the San Fernando Valley sucks hasn't been south of the Blvd. to the top of Mecca at 7am.
I wouldn't have seen such a beautiful view if I hadn't the courage to start. If I had bought into the lie that I can't do it. That I never follow through. That I was doing it to get "her'' attention. The fact is, better yet, I got my attention. I have discovered that if I can find the courage to start, I will develop the will to finish.

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Saturday, February 23, 2008

9:42 PM

F.D.G.B.

Took my first real fall today. Coming up a hill, I was downshifting and dropped my chain. The hill was pretty steep so I didn't have a lot of momentum going, couldn't get my feet unclipped fast enough and fell. Ouch!
I now have a baseball sized knot just below my knee (the knee is ok though) and a pretty good scrape.
It was just a hard ride all around today. Not my favorite thus far. I should have done the beach ride.

F.D.G.B. = Fall Down, Go Boom!

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

6:08 AM

I know we're in a drought but....

I NEED TO RIDE!!!!

EVERYBODY DO YOUR NO RAIN THIS WEEKEND DANCE!!!

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Saturday, February 16, 2008

4:05 PM