Tri Inside the Y Ironman Challenge

I'm participating in the Tri Inside the Y Ironman Challenge this month at the LVO YMCA. I've committed to bike 112 miles, run/walk 26.2 miles and row 50,000 meters between now and December 31st. (I chose the rowing option over swimming.) I have 5 weeks to complete the challenge, which started Monday. It should keep me focused on fitness through the holidays... and maybe I'll earn a few butter spritz cookies along the way. (My favorite Christmas cookie in addition to gingerbread.) Unfortunately, my workout with Christine last night didn't include anything that would count towards my tri, but I'm on the bike today in spin class and will try and get that rowing started. 50,000 meters?!

UPDATE 11/30: Tracking the progress of my Ironman Challenge in the right-hand column, below the photo of Will. So far, so good.

Post-Thanksgiving Frostbite Ride

There was just one lonely rider on our post-Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Ride today... and that would be me! (Frostbiters Paul and Joan are retiring their bikes for the season, and Sheldon is traveling.) I made my way over to the Salem start by 7 a.m. to see if Lucy was waiting. (But no... No Lucy.) I waited 5 minutes and then hoped to catch Ducky on the bridge... but no... no Ducky. Our frostbite riders are dwindling!

So, it was a solo ride for me out to Beverly Farms, (a 22 mile loop), and coffee and oatmeal at the Dunkin Donuts. (They have nice comfy leather arm chairs, granite tables and a flat screen TV! You gotta love Beverly Farms...) After my coffee break, I headed back to Swampy, taking the back roads through Prides Crossing and spooking an enormous deer on the side of the road. The thing was huge and could have knocked me off my bike! It had antlers! :)

It was a relatively mild day, 44 degrees, despite a very brisk headwind at times -- and my team's a bunch of wimps for not riding. Next week, I think I'm moving the start time to 8 a.m! There's no reason for me to be heading out at 6:30 a.m. for a 7 start if I'm riding alone.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Fitness Challenge... done. I adjusted my plans slightly this morning to accommodate a pie that still needed to be baked... so instead of looping Marblehead Neck and the perimeter, I rode the indoor trainer for 10 miles. (Of course as I popped the pie in the oven, I saw my neighbor, Lynn, heading out for a ride. Damn. If I had only set my alarm earlier!) Bike and cardio at the Y followed by the 1 hour muscle conditioning class. I was surprised (and happy) to find Christine Hopkins joining me in the class. Loved it! I had a great workout, which left me feeling guilt-free when I enjoyed the pumpkin cheesecake later in the day.

Much to be thankful for this year. All three boys and I are doing well and are happy and healthy, (despite my ups and downs with anemia/fatigue and, of course, the bike crash in July.) We're thankful that all in our family and extended family are doing well, and grateful for our dear friends, old and new. We've shared our deepest sorrows and a few challenges this year, but remained strong together. I'm thankful for that.

We're grateful, too, for the boy's sweet cousin, Mike, deployed overseas again during the holidays. (Thankful he's in neither Iraq nor Afghanistan this time around.) I'm sure it's especially difficult for him to be away at this time of year. We wish him and all of the troops a safe and happy holiday. Many blessings to you all -- I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Fitness Challenge

A few weeks ago, my friend Michelle, (married to Mike's cousin, Bill), announced a charity fundraiser planned for Thanksgiving morning in honor of her classmate and his wife, Matt and Kim Cariglio. Both husband and wife, (raising 2 young children), were battling cancer simultaneously -- Matt with Multiple Myeloma and Kim with stage 2 breast cancer.

The fundraiser, in support of the Cariglio family, is a Thanksgiving Fitness Challenge, being held at CORE Fitness in Providence on Thanksgiving morning. It includes a 3.1 mile walk/run, 30 minute total body circuit and 30 minute indoor bike. I don't know the family personally, but thought of the struggles they must be going through and wanted to participate. Since we won't be in the vicinity of Providence until after Thanksgiving, I've modified the challenge slightly (to complete locally) and made a donation to the Cariglio Family in lieu of the registration fee. (Sadly, Matt Cariglio lost his battle with cancer a little over a week ago, November 9th.)

I plan to follow through with the fitness challenge on Thanksgiving morning if any Cyclopaths want to join me! I'm heading out early to ride a quick 15 mile loop of Marblehead neck and the perimeter, ending at the Y -- where I've signed up for the 9 to 10 a.m. conditioning class, (substituting the 30 minutes of circuits with 1 hour muscle conditioning.) It almost matches the fitness challenge at CORE, minus the run.

My sincerest condolences to Michelle, the Cariglio family and to Matt's friends. Truly sad.

Frostbite Ride, Week 2

Today's Frostbite Ride included only 2 other intrepid riders besides myself -- Lucy and Sheldon. (I believe there are only 6 Cyclopaths in the group willing to continue riding through the winter.) I checked the temps before heading out to meet everyone in Salem -- 32 degrees. Argh. As I rode past Bagel World on my way to the Salem start, I caught a whiff of bacon and my stomach growled. I promised myself I'd get bacon wherever we ended up for breakfast... but by the time we reached the Beverly Airfield, my eyeballs were so frozen I'd forgotten about the bacon. It was so cold.

We like big checks!

Photo of Will taken by a PMC photographer at last weekend's check presentation. If you ever thought your donation was small, think again. Every rider-raised dollar went into that check for $37,000,000 -- Thirty-seven million dollars (!) -- and every single one of our sponsors was a part of that. Every dollar makes a difference. Thank you, again, for your support! We couldn't have done it without you!

Honoring our Veterans

Sending a salute to all members of the armed services today, November 11th. In addition to honoring family, (my dad, Bill, is a Marine and my cousin's two boys are both in the Navy and Air Force; Mike is currently deployed), I am honored to ride with three Cyclopath-Marines, Bill, Ellen, and Cape Cod Mike! (CCM's Marine call sign is actually "Gonzo". Oorah.) Thank you for your dedication and service -- I love you all.

Frostbite Ride, Week One

This morning I headed out in my best ninja disguise, bundled up for an early morning Cyclopath frostbite ride. Wearing Mike's balaclava, (which was just waaay too big), I struggled to keep it from slipping down my face to no avail. By the time I made it to Salem, the damn thing inched down over my eyes to the point where I could barely see. Of course I was greeted with a few chuckles as I pulled into our meeting spot. Nice that I can always be a source of entertainment to my cycle-mates.

After readjusting a few things, (replacing the stubborn balaclava with a headband), four of us headed north towards Boxford with ambitious intentions. I felt comfortable riding -- though a little chubby. Between the silk base layer, winter cycling tights, several pairs of socks, an Under Armour, thermal cycling jacket, my nifty new lobster claw gloves, and a ski shell, I was prepared for the cold! (Maybe too prepared.) Two others in our foursome weren't as cozy, however, and by the time we reached North Beverly, we reconsidered our plans to head to Boxford. Instead, we landed at The Depot Diner for a hot cup of coffee and a warm breakfast. Back to Salem by 9:00, the temperature ticked up a degree to 45, and I finished the morning just shy of 20 miles. Not too bad for my first attempt at winter riding.

Hello, PMC Riders

At the PMC Check presentation last weekend, a stranger looked at my name tag and asked me how I've been doing since the crash. I was a little perplexed until she mentioned she reads my blog! I know many people come to this site by way of the PMC, or Google, or the North Shore Cyclopaths blog, (which I also write.) Many of you are fundraising and training for the PMC.

My training is probably on par with so many other PMC riders. I'm not obsessed with miles or stats or the latest gear. I hate gels and bars and goop, (though loved Stinger waffles). Until recently I wasn't interested in the Tuesday Night Crit... until Ethan mentioned it. I kinda suck at pacelines. My weight has gone up and down and up again, (currently it's down) -- along with my hematocrit (which is currently up!) I've had good PMC rides and bad PMC rides -- from the 191 mile ride down to the virtual ride. I've also had emotional rides following the deaths of dearest friends. (The PMC is very personal to me.) Through it all, I've met some amazing people and have received incredible support from so many of you. I'm happy to know there are people out there reading this and following my training, (we PMC riders share a special bond), but know that the fundraising mission comes first for me -- and the cycling second. There will always be room for improvement as far as my training goes and I don't take it too seriously. (I am a North Shore Cyclopath, after all.) If you see me out there on the road, feel free to introduce yourself! I love meeting new people and I thank you for reading!

One Ride, Thirty-Seven Million Dollars

Will enjoyed his first PMC check presentation yesterday at Legal Harborside, where PMC founder Billy Starr, (at right in photo with Will), presented a check to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute for $37 million dollars -- a staggering amount of money raised for a single athletic event. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who have supported us this year and in the past. We are truly grateful for your generosity.

Post-Halloween-Candy Hangover

It was really cold this morning... 40 degrees, 15 mph winds... and just too cold to get out of bed. Despite my good intentions, I skipped today's Cyclopath ride along with the rest of the core group. Instead, I was terribly lazy and read my Kindle Fire for most of the day, avoided all things political, and pathetically overindulged in the boy's Halloween candy. (Which they shared only after I called them out for not sharing on Facebook.) For the record, the Nutritional Value for a snack size York Peppermint Patty: 1 piece: 50 cal, 0.7g sat fat, 9g sugar. ("Technically "fat free".) I really don't want to know about the Snickers.