Farewell to thee 2011

Hmmm.  Everyone I know is saying farewell to the year.  I think it is appropriate to do so myself.  2011 has been a difficult year.  The theme is CANCER and it is infecting more people than I like to talk about.  From my dad to my cousin's wife who have been hit the hardest.  And whose future's are still being paved.  Thankfully my own brushes have been deemed insignificant in comparison.

I refuse to make resolutions, I believe resolutions are made to be broken.  I prefer to make life long changes knowing that set-backs happen but that if I persevere they are only set-backs.  I would like to improve some things this year that I can carry with me always.

First to let myself be close and stay close to those that I have become the closest to in 2011.  I realized that through all the down times in 2011 that I have really needed people and they have been there.   And if I let them they will continue to be there.

Second to step up things in the exercise department.  Running has been going well, I'm learning to respect it again and actually enjoy it, we have always had a love-hate relationship.  But I am quite a bit of a whiner on the bike at times.  I really need to buck up and accept where I am regarding conditioning and fitness and not complain when those who ride with me are better or stronger, we all have ups and downs, 2011 was a down year in this department for me.  However, I am feeling inspired.  So many people around me are discovering what exercise can do for them and it inspires me to see them figure out what works and how it is going to fit in their lives.

Third to just stop and be appreciative.  I tend to overbook myself and just go from thing to thing without stopping to appreciate the activity or the people or what have you.  And in this one to help those I'm closest to enjoy the good times in their lives, it is a given that we will help each other through the rough times but to really revel with them in the happy times so that the good times can always outshine the shadows.

Fourth to get a little more organized at home.  It is tough living between two places but I use it as an excuse too often for why things don't get put away.

I hope these things become habits that I can take with me beyond 2012.

I'm sure I will come up with more as time goes on, but this is a good start.

So onward and forward.

Have a wonderful NYE, be safe, enjoy the ones you are with!

I know I will be spending it with the people I love.

Minnesota Biking Trip Finally

Things have been crazy.  But I'm finally getting to post about our biking trip to Lanesboro, MN and the Root River Bike Trail.  We had perfect weather.  The fall colors were perfect.  On the way up we stopped in St. Ansgar to visit Dan's old stomping grounds, it is where he had his first teaching job. 

The first day we got there in the mid afternoon so we took a shorter ride.

Apparently happy cows can also be found in Southeastern Minnesota.

I don't have a great picture of the bed and breakfast from the first night and I won't bore you with pictures of the inside of it.

The second day we went for a longer ride and stayed in different Bed and Breakfast that was tucked into the countryside.  We will definitely stay there again, it was serene and beautiful.  The next few pictures are from the B&B and our ride.

Yes, I knitted.

The last day we hiked and shopped and then headed home here are some pictures from our hike.

The trails were around the B&B which you can see in the background.  This is one of the best pictures of us from the trip. 

So fortunate to have found someone who likes to do these sorts of things with me.  Next year we are going to Wisconsin.







Summer re-cap

Well it has been forever since I have posted anything.  We survived TOMRV and actually had a really good time with it, staying in dorms was so much better than camping as is done with RAGBRAI.

We rode one day of RAGBRAI, that was enough, not sure how all of those people survived the heat.

We went to the Sound Garden Concert.
We went to the Heart Concert.

We rode the Harmon Hundred (did the 50 mile option)

And now I'm training for the Des Moines Half Marathon.  I have never really loved running but lately I have been thoroughly enjoying my runs.  Some hurt more than others and some just fly by.  I'm doing  a race this coming weekend Capital Pursuit.  It is a 10 mile run with a downhill finish into downtown.  I am going to acutally race it, as much as it is a race for me.  I was shocked (at first) to find out I'm a much slower runner than I thought.  I bought a Garmin with a GPS in it so I would know how long I was running, the downfall is now I know how fast and how hard I'm working too.  But after the first shock of it I'm okay with it.  I'm enjoying myself and getting healthier and I'd rather run for a lifetime than be fast and injured (that's what I'm telling myself ;o) ). 

In a couple of weeks Dan and I are taking at trip to the Root River Valley Trail .  We are staying in this bed and breakfast the first night and this one the second night.  We are going to bike in the afternoons and relax and just have fun, I'm really looking forward to it. Then we are going to swing by the folk's farm and go to a Jazz Band concert at UNI.  I'm looking foward to a week off of work and getting out of town. 

I will try to get some pictures of our adventures posted soon.

5 days to TOMRV

Well the weekend is almost here for the big bike ride.  We rode 60 on Saturday and 30 on Sunday.  I'm sure the mileage will be okay now the hills might be another thing.  I'm looking forward to an early morning start, love riding my bike when the sun is just coming up.  I'm looking forward to the beautiful Iowa scenery.  Praying for nice weather, rain gear will be there just in case.  Looking forward to seeing what challenges the weekend brings and just going to ride my bike as best as I can.  I'm also looking forward to the pie at dinner and spending some good time with Dan and his family and some of our biking friends. 

Went for my first early morning jog this morning.  It was painful, my body does not appreciate morning runs, never has.  I'm a much better runner after 4 p.m.  However, it is so nice to get up and get it out of the way and my old running partners run in the mornings and I want to start joining them again.  So starting the trek to morning runs and hopefully the Des Moines Marathon half-marathon in October.

TOMRV Training update

Had a nice, relaxing long weekend.  Got a variety of things done, wish there would have been more time to do yard work and ride the bike, but some of both got done.  We rode 62 miles on Sunday, it was humid but cloudy so it was not bad, ideal weather really.  Since there was rain most of the weekend, both Friday and Saturday we had to take our chances Sunday afternoon or face 35 mph wind gusts on Monday.  We have down graded our TOMRV goals to the shorter route, so the 70 and 50 mile days rather than the 100+ and 90-something days.  It feels much more doable.  Mostly this is because some of the individuals going with us have not done much riding, one person has only been out less than a handful of times, glad it is not me.  I barely feel prepared.

I've been taking a TRX class at work.  It has  been the hardest, most challenging class I have ever taken.  I have not wanted to walk out of a class in I don't know how long.  It probably has been the best thing for me, but I'm not sure I will put myself through another session until the end of the summer.  I haven't quit and only have 3 sessions left, after that maybe some personal training to get stronger and try another session in the fall.......who knows. 

My spinning class at work will take a session off for the summer, to resume in the fall.  I really like teaching but will be glad for the break as I am going to start to train for the Des Moines Half Marathon this fall, that is the goal any ways.

So, after TOMRV maybe some half marathon training updates. 

TOMRV Training Update

Well, in my book we are way behind on our TOMRV training.  We did 55 miles Saturday.  We will do double that in one day of TOMRV.  I hope this weekend that we take the time to do 65 to 80 miles.  I will be honest that I really hate riding my bike after 80 miles, so the last 30 of TOMRV will be a challenge mentally as well as physically.  The good news is with the wonderful midwest winds it is just like climbing a constant 5% grade when the wind it blowing at you at 17 mph with gusts.  One time this weekend I slowed down to 9 mph, yes 9!!  The bf turns around and tells me not to stop riding, ummm..........I wasn't.........the wind caught me.  So a 11-13 turtle pace out to Redfield, but a nice 19-22 mph ride back.  So, all in all a nice ride once we turned around.    I have to keep remindng myself this is not a race.....it is a ride that is suppose to be enjoyable and fun.

Knitting is taking a back seat as it usually does this time of year, much to my dismay.  I really love to knit it is relaxing and just fun to make something.  I especially like to make things for other people.  Right now I'm working on a bunny for my niece, Lia.  I have not made her or sent her anything since she was born and I am feeling pretty bad about that.  I hope the bunny and the two books I got her will go over well.  Here is a picture of the bunny, it is a Susan B. Anderson pattern.  I love how she writes her patterns so you put it together as you go, saves the assembly later and it is fun to watch the progress.  I am finished with the arms, need to attach them and have started the legs.   I am pretty happy with it so far. 

Birthday Weekend

Ahhh the big three-eight.  The day came and went.  I relaxed, spent time with good friends and of course my love.  I got the food scale (for weighing yarn of course) that I asked for and got to splurge on some ice cream.  And got in a 45 mile training ride with the man (he is faster and stronger - I am going to attribute it to my fantastic spin classes he has been attending).

I am blessed in so many ways.  I may not have thought this is where I would be 10 years ago, but it is not a bad place to be.  I have great friends that are always there for me, I have someone in my life that loves me, and I'm in good shape.  I am gainfully employed and get to enjoy the things in life I truly love to do, knitting, cycling, listen to music, traveling, etc.

It is really easy to get sad or feel down about the things I have not accomplished, but that really does not help out.   So for the rest of 2011 and hopefully beyond it is my personal goal to really focus on those things that are positive and make me happy.  Clean my life out of the things that bring me down and facilitate focus on the negative.

So cheers to year 38 of my life.  Life truly does keep getting better.

And thank you to all who remembered and took the time to send me happy wishes, I hope it is returned to you 100 fold.

Bike Ride #1 planned for 2011

So far for this year we are planning to do a bike ride called TOMRV, Tour of the Mississippi River Valley.  This bike ride goes from Bettendorf to Dubuque (or Preston to Dubuque).  Of course we are doing the longer ride and starting in Bettendorf.  The first day will be 106 miles.  The second day we ride from Dubuque back to Bettendorf for another 90 miles, so in two days we will almost have ridden two century rides.  In Dubuque we will be staying at Loras college, I'm bummed we did not get into Clarke College where all of the activities will be, but there will be a shuttle.  And we are used to waiting in lines for shuttles from RAGBRAI.

I did part of this ride about 5 years ago.  The first day I had the flu, so I missed out on the hill called the Wall that goes into Galena. 

I'm super excited to be putting on a compact crank on my bike that I just purchased off of eBay, I think it will give me the extra gears I need to get through this rather hilly terrain and enjoy it.  I will miss my standard crank, but I am not as young as I used to be.  And honestly I am more for riding for the fun and exercise rather than to  break any records.

I will be going out there with Dan and his brother and dad.  All the other guys I used to ride with will be there too, but I am sure we won't seem them much of the ride as they are going to hammer it out.

Dan is really strong on the bike and we have fun riding together.  However, I do predict he will be riding up those hills better than me with his new awesome bike.  I'm okay with that.  I just have to keep the blood sugar even so I stay okay with that.  I really really really wish I could have talked a girlfriend into doing the ride.  The guys are okay but it would be nice to have someone else along, but alas I could not talk anyone into doing 196 miles of hill after hill after hill for two days.

I am hoping that the weather is nice, however, it is known to rain a lot of years on this ride, so I will be prepared for any type of weather.  The scenery will be nice so that will definitely help.

By the end of the month we need to be riding outside at least 3 days a week with a long ride 50+ on the weekends.

Had an awesome ride this past Saturday, the wind was strong but by sticking to the trails the ride was not a bad one.  22 miles down on the way to this awesome ride.

Friends

I wanted to dedicate a post to all my great friends.  I wish I had a picture of all of them to put here.  Over the years I have been very blessed with lots of great people in my life.  Right now I'm so very thankful for my knitting friends.  They are great shoulders when one needs a shoulder, they don't judge when one is having a rather difficult day, and they always make me laugh and help me to laugh at myself. 

And a shout out to one of my oldest friends here in Des Moines, Ms. Tallulah.  She is about the only person who tells it to me as it is and not as I want to hear it and although I may not always love it, in the end it is appreciated!

So thank you to all my great friends!

If you judge people, you have no time to love them." - Mother Teresa

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.   -Marcel Proust

Never explain - your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
Elbert Hubbard