Thru Endurance We Conquer!

I might be one of the few people who has managed to get a flat while riding indoors, and while using a trainer tire! I have been running the trainer tire on the Cervel since mid December and I really like how it works. I have not had any issues and my regular tires are not getting demolished by the trainer. But that wasn't the case today. A few times during previous workouts, I'd felt a thump-thump as the wheel was spinning, like I was rolling over something. Nothing came of it, so I ignored the feeling. Now I know - that thumping was the Stan's monster growing. Got on the trainer today at CTS for an always fun workout. I started out with the warm up, did some high cadance intervals to loosen up my legs, then settled into the workout proper. After suffering for nearly an hour (although 260 watts is feeling easier), I started my cool down. Normally, I would head outside on such a nice day, but because of work, I opted to save time and stay inside. Well, less then 10 minute...

I was perusing the Road ID website the other day and a silly thought struck me. Not only do we get the best in emergency identification with the Road ID, but we also can show support for favored causes. Don't belive me? Think about the wrist sport version - comes in black, blue, pink, red, yellow and purple. All of those colors stand for something, if not more then one cause! So I did some research and here is what I found out. Black - POW/MIA, Terrorisom Awareness, Mourning, Sleep Apnea and several other causes. Blue - (going with Royal blue here - there were lots of diferent options to choose from!) - Anti-Tobacco &    Secondhand Smoke, Arthritis, Child abuse, Domestic Violence, Drunk Driving, Free Speech, Hurricane Support, Prostate Cancer Pink - Breast Cancer Yellow - LiveStrong, Adoptive Parents Red - AIDS/HIV, Drug Free, Heart Disease, Stroke Purple - Alzheimer’s, Animal Abuse, Cancer Survivors Then, if we add in the colors from the Wrist Elite, it's an...

Once again, I am raising money for Challenged Athletes Foundation and Operation Rebound. This will be my third year with OR and I have some special events and ideas in the working. My goal is to raise $2500 for Operation Rebound by the middle of October, then race Silverman in the CAF kit again. I will also be racing all of the Xterra events in the CAf kit. Challenged Athletes Foundation is a non-profit organization that helps bring disabled individuals into the world of sports. Operation Rebound is focused on helping wounded veterans return to active healthy lives - providing grants for equipment and travel as well as coaching and mentorship. Nearly 83% of the money donated is given back to the athletic community through these grants. Please help me support Operation Rebound and donate today. http://teamorsilverman10.kintera.org/tracythelen

It's a good thing that this is a recovery week. There has been no consistancy in planning or being able to get outside and train. Last Friday, that storm blew thru and turned everything to ice. Then the sun came out and turned everything to mud. So no mountain biking at all this week. I was lucky, I did get off work early enough on Tuesday to go for a nice run in Palmer Park - was able to run in shorts. Most of the snow had melted and there was not that much mud, either. Then the next storm blew in that night. Wednesday morning, the roads were a mess. It wasn't too bad when I went swimming, but on my way home everything was a sheet of ice. This being Colorado, by 11:00, the sun was trying to come out and the roads were all melted. Another string of nice days and it was looking hopefull that we would be able to ride somewhere fun this weekend. At least until Friday afternoon. I left work in Pueblo and hit the rain almost immediatly. As I got further north, the rain got heavier a...

How is it that even a weekend off the bike, out of the water and with no running can leave me darn sore and tired? We headed up to visit friends in Black Hawk and Golden over the weekend and spent some time playing in the snow. The drive was not the best - the storm Friday night really made a mess of the roads. I have never seen that many cars off in the ditch while driving on I-25. Typical stuff - driving too fast, over correcting, slamming on the brakes - all thinks you shouldn't do while driving on ice. Oh well, the tow truck drivers were getting some economic stimulous from the snow. Once we got up to Black Hawk, we headed out for a nearly three hour hike with Paul, Dan and Leslie. We had been planning on snow shoeing, but the trail was pretty well packed down and there was no need for the shoes. But it was a great hike. The weather was perfect, the trail was nice and just hanging out with friends made it even better. Watching Syman (the dog) play in the snow was hillarious. ...

Talk about good timing. This was the last hard week in my current training block and the weather has been perfect. I was able to do all my run workouts outside, even getting on the trails for a few runs. I also was able to ride outside after my workouts at CTS. It has been a nice change from the cold of February. So yesterday after work, I decided to ride in Palmer Park and take advantage of the nice weather and evening light. It was great. I have not been to Palmer in long time, so it was like riding new trails. There was a little mud, but overall, a fun ride. I tried a few new lines and cleaned a few sections I'd not gotten before. My legs were really tired from the last few weeks, but the power is there. I am ready for a rest week, though, The perfect timing is that I got the ride in and that Nick and I are going cross country sking this weekend, not riding. And what did we wake up to? Snow! So I have a recovery week and no long ride or run planned for the weekend. This time, ...

This falls quite securely in the "Too Much Information" catagory, but it's about bloody time. Finally, my big toenail that went black during the Maine Marathon has grown out. That was the first black toenail I'd ever gotten in a marathon and it took nearly five months to grow out! The only reason it happened was because of that ugly blister. I had so much bandages and dressings covering the blister so I could run, my shoes were too small! I run my shoes a little snug on the toes so the heel does not slip and that was the one time it didn't work so well. But hey, some runners consider black toenails a right of passage. I'm just happy that it's all cleared up. Enough people seem me with bare feet between swimming and yoga.

We decided to take a chance on Peublo this again weekend. The weather was supposed to be nice both days and my co-workers said that they hadn't gotten much rain or snow from the storm on Wendesday. I got up early to swim at the Saturday Masters practice. That was a good workout. It was a pyramid from 200 down to 50 free, but the last interval in each set was broken into a shorter sprint pyramid. Really fun, good practice for holding paces and then sprinting. I might have to start swimming on Saturdays more often. After the swim, we got the Turtle and loaded up. Again, just a few things, one warm coat, booties, knee warmers, ect. Just in case. It was already pretty warm and Sunday was also supposed to be nice. We weren't too concerned. As we pulled into the main Arkansas Point trailhead, a few of Nick's riding buddies stopped us. It was really muddy, they said - not even worth riding. Nick just shrugged and said he'd check it out. The canyon trails tend not to get as m...

For the second day, my alarm clock did go off when it was supposed to!! Monday, I was all packed, ready to go to Masters Swim and then work. I wake up at 5:45, from the midst of a good dream. Just wide awake. Look at the clock and go "oh, crap..." I needed to get up an hour earlier so I could get to the pool and be at work on time. Turns out, the alarm I had so carefully set on my phone was actually set for Wednesday! So I ended up swimming on my own after work, which was not nearly as satisfying as a good IM day. So this time, I double check the alarm on Tuesday - right day of the week, right time, good to go. Not! This time I half wake up and glance at the clock. 5:25. I'm supposed to be at the pool already! I actually woke Nick up to ask him if it was really 5:30. Since I didn't have to be at work so early on Wednesday, I scrambled to get stuff gathered and dashed to the pool (Figurativly - I obeyed every driving law - getting a ticket takes a lot more time!!) I ...

Nick and I headed down to Pueblo on Saturday to camp and ride. We were hoping that the trails in Colorado Springs would be clear, but it was still a mud fest. I knew Pueblo would be dry, so we packed up the Turtle after work and cruised down. I think the days of throwing everything in the camper and claimed a good site at 7:00 are over. There were only a few sites left at the camp ground down at Lake Pueblo. Resevations and planning ahead might be in order for the next trips down. Given that we still have snow, ice and mud on the trails here.... Anyway, the plan was to ride for three hours on Sunday, with a good mix of terrain. We were planning on leaving at 11:00, so we wouldn't have to bundle up. I woke up early, peaked out the window of the camper and saw clouds. Wet, low-hanging clouds that looked rather threatening. Since Pueblo is un-rideable when it is wet, we decided to leave early just in case the clouds closed down. We were on the trails by 9:30, riding. Nick likes th...

This was the best Valentine's day present ever. Nick is not the really romatic flower and candy kinda guy - which is good, since I don't like cut flowers (a gift of love that will soon wither and die - not for me!!) and don't need the candy. He's also not big into baubles. I can count on one hand the amount of jewlery he has bought me. Which again, is just fine - I really don't wear that much and I'm pretty picky about what I do wear. But I will always take carbon - espcially if it is in the shape of two triangles and has wheels! I got home from work on Wendsday late. Nick was in the garage riding and said he would be up in an hour. I head upstairs, unpack my work bag and go to check my email. Nothing major happening. Look at a few places, then decide it's time to make supper. Nick is already upstairs by now and is getting ready to do some work. I'm cutting up veggies for a salad and happen to glance over at the bikes on the wall. There's something...