Dead

I know my blog had been dead for about 6 months...I've been pondering if I should make it private, if I should continue blogging...is my life worth blogging about?  No, not really.  So I'm not sure what my plans are exactly.  That's why I've been off the grid. I think I am going to break up with facebook too...it has to be one or the other...if I stay on both that would make me a super ME - monster, I may as well Twitter.  So as for now I am back to blogging...I just may make it private.

Nittany Cross Race

Seth is awesome he dropped his chain like 4 times on this race and passed like 78 people still and got top 20 out of 150 something riders...what a stud!

Cross Racing is a different type of racing...Seth has been dabbling in Cross Racing (not cross dressing...well not that I know of) and I thought it was high time I tried this great style of racing...Seth got started by transforming an old road commuter to Sweat PHAT my cross bike.  This bike is hot, and super ghetto!  So ghetto in fact that when I lined up at the beginning of the race the woman next to me asked me if I welded the bike myself.  Cross is a 40 min race you do laps on grass, trail, dirt, roots, or whatever, and you run over barriers and obstacles, while keeping your heart rate dangerously high all on a road bike! I started the race feeling really good since I did most of my training in low zones, so why not race in zone 5 and zone 6 ( I know you shouldn't have a zone 6 but when you go past your max, you're now in zone 6) I was at the front'ish of the pack for the 1st lap, then slowly kept going further back in the pack....I will take credit for the lack of high intensity training, but most of the blame will go on Sweat PHAT that PHAT beast, she was too big for me and the saddle (seat) was wrong for me...I was in so much pain!!!  I would have given anything to punch Seth...he told me Cross was awesome, amazing, blah blah rainbows...and such but he forgot to mention that Cross is practically the love child of Eddy Merckx and Death himself! Those crazy Belgians!!! So needless to say that was my first and last Cross race so far...I think if I get a MUCH nicer bike than I will go back to it, but a real athlete would never blame their gear...but I'm a poser.

 Here's me faking enthusiasm after the race.

Fisher doesn't even bother faking anything, this is what he thinks of the race...

Fisher's 2nd Birthday

 My little guy turned 2...how all the cliches are coming true. I just can't believe time is going by so fast.  I remember just holding him when he was just born and he was so small...now look at him...go grown up...sheesh I'm going be a wreck when he turns 8.

 Fisher loves Baseball so we took him and his friends over to the baseball diamond across the street to play kickball.  The little kids played with a bouncy ball and the big kids played with a yoga ball.

 This just looked like a bad idea!  Seriously that ball is bigger than Fisher. Yikes!

 Fisher lets Grandma know what he thinks of potty training.

 

 I feel so lucky to have such a great Family.  I love my crew! 

Topsail

 After the Race my sister and I load up the car and head down to Baltimore to pick up Anna my Sister in law from the airport, we were on our way to Topsail, NC to a beach house for the entire week!!!  We were going down to meet with my mother in law and all the sister in laws with 2 extra bonus' Anna's Mom and sister....it was the ultimate girls week.  I had no idea that the water in NC is amazing, the beaches were perfect!!!!  We had a blast - so much fun.

 We would just play in the water for hours, Fisher...need I say it...like a fish.

He loved the beach so much he cried when we left.  I guess that means we will just have to live near a beach some day.

Hardcore 24

It has been way too long for this post - so I'm going to sum everything up.  The 24 hour race was in July in New York and it was amazing! 

 The Team:  My Sister Charlotte came out from San Diego to be my nutritionist. 

  Seth my Husband was the crew chief so he oversaw everything...and took care of all the things I forgot.

So this is how the race worked.  The race start at Noon on Saturday and goes to Noon on Sunday.  The course is a 8 mile loop, the person with the most loops by Sunday at Noon wins.  You get to decided your pace how long you want to rest, you can even sleep if you need it.  For me I had my A, B, & C goal.  My A goal was to get 100 miles.  I had a race plan and a nutrition plan and I really felt prepared for this race...I felt really good. My race plan was to be conservative...stay in a zone 2 which I am convinced I don't have.  I rode about 3 laps staying within my zone 2 and it was hard, because I was going so slow!!!  So finally I just had to ride how I felt, and that meant I rode harder and I was in Zone 3 and low zone 4...but I felt better and I was moving quicker now.  I can't remember which lap it was on maybe lap 4 the clouds opened up and the craziest rain storm hit us!  The trail was dark even though it was only 5pm, and the rain was so heavy that you could barely see the trail.  I had to use my headlamp at that time.  To tell you the truth it was probably the best time I had on my bike.  When else would you ride your bike in weather like that.  Well it gets better...after the rain and when the sun started to go down the trail was covered by the thick thick fog....honestly you could hardly see the trail underneath your front tire.  You had to keep your light on so you can see the reflectors to keep you on the path...the fog was so thick that would could pass right by someone and not know.  Again it was a little stressful, but a lot of fun.  Unfortunately my wrist was bugging most all of this race...but luckily I didn't have too many down hills to pound it. So really my whole goal this race was to be a smarter rider!  Usually I am not a smart rider, I just go out until I blow up and then keep trying to go and enjoy the pain...well I am getting a little older and wiser, so I really tried to dial in my nutrition and with the help of my sister I did just that.  I had the best nutrition plan I have ever had.  I ate real food!  I hardly touched energy food.  I ate burritos that were made with chicken, quinoa, grapes, humus and other good things, I had soup, PB&J's, I ate real food, and the best part was that my sister can read my mind and she would have exactly what I wanted waiting for me with out having to tell her...she's amazing. 

 

 Transitions: This is what a lap would look like.  I would start the trail ride my 8 miles, roll up to my teams pavilion Seth would take my bike and he would clean it and make sure it's shifting well etc. He would check my liquids to make sure I drank enough, and get me clean water and stuff.  I would sit down and Charlotte would bring me something to eat, and stuff my pocket with about 150 calories worth of food I need to eat on the trail.  I would eat and chit chat with the our friends who were there racing.  I would get up stretch and get back on my bike roll though the timing station and do another lap I would be at the 'camp' for 10-15 mins.  It was clockwork.  Everyone was working really hard.

Anyway this post is too long already, but the race continued through the night, and everything was going really well I was on mark to make my A goal, when I thought I was having an allergic reaction to a granola I ate.  I freaked out because it was in the middle of the night and I probably wasn't thinking clearly...and I didn't want to be on the trail and go into shock then I would be in real trouble...so I took half a benadryl, then took a shower and got back on the trail.  Too bad for me benadryl knocks me out, so I was practically sleeping while biking...it was brutal and painful.  I roll up to camp at 3 something, by no I was in First place, but I was so tired I slept for a few hours and when I woke up I did another lap, but I didn't feel right after that, so I called it...and ended the race I think about 8 or 9am on Sunday.  I ended in 2nd place and I only got my C goal and that was 80 miles...I guess I don't regret anything I just wished I didn't take a sedative during an endurance race....but as for everything else, it was great!!!  I had a great time and I think I finally found the race for me.

Huge shout out my Seth who supported me through all my hours of training...He was the one looking after my bike and body, he would stitch me up after work without complaining, he practically carried me out of a trail when I sprained my ankle, he would watch Fisher while I rode...he would check in with me to make sure I was on mark with my training.  He is by far my biggest support in life, and I am not joking when I say, I would not be where I am today without him.  He knows I need outside motivation, what it comes down to;  he knows me better than I know myself....so he knows how hard it was for me to say that.

Suffer-fest

Well, that pretty much sucked.

I raced this last weekend, and it was harsh.  I'm a little disappointed in myself for sucking so bad.  The course was really technical, beyond my current abilities.  I had to walk my bike over and around stuff often...which messes up with your rhythm.  It was also scorching hot...and crazy humid which didn't help things.  I had a few crashes.  Yeah I don't know what happened.  I had 2 good laps in the morning, but by the third lap I was suffering.  The forth lap was just dangerous, I was so hot and I was kind of out of it. By the fourth lap I was having a difficult time controlling my bike properly, so I wasn't as stable, and with this course being as technical as it was I thought it best if I finish that lap and call it a day. That's exactly what I did.

After this race I am more nervous than I was before for the 24 hour race. 

Heading Out

Quick Note:  I'm running out the door to go do my first solo race with some endurance.  It's a 8 hour race about 2 hours away from our home.  We are camping tonight so Seth can race tonight and then around 10am tomorrow I will start racing.  I need to remind myself it's all about preparing myself for the 24 hour race...so I need to ride more conservative and hold back at first....I'm excited.  It's going to be fun.  I forgot to mention this earlier but I sprained my ankle a few weeks ago so it has derailed my training plan, so I am not trained for this race, but I better just pick up where I can and start riding. Okay I need to go pack the car, I'm not even going to re-read this. Ciao

Spring Riding

I know I haven't been posting much lately. I've been busy earning gold stars for my chart (side note: My closet has been cleaned twice already). Also my little Fish has been sick for near a month now (many different colds, viruses, and allergies)...I have come to treasure my rides...riding my bike has become my saving grace. It's funny after I broke my wrist people figured I would give up biking, you know it didn't even cross my mind...and I'm glad it didn't. This last Friday I had an amazing ride...I always like riding to some degree when I go out, but this last Friday was near magical. First off the weather was gorgeous a bit nippy which is perfect once you were warmed up. The roads were quiet, the gears felt easy, pedal strokes were smooth, and I was light on the bike. It kept getting better, since spring is here the trees are filling out, the air smells of lilac and pine...there were so many sections of the ride that took me back to California...it smelled like California, it looked like it, the roads were smooth like the ones back home...it truly was a ride for the soul. I was riding and found a new road out in the middle of nowhere, but this road was perfect in every way...once on this road I forgot about my training plan, heart rate zones, cadence, time, steepness of the roads, I forgot about everything except how to ride my bike...all I could do was listen to my body and ride with a huge grin on my face. I'm glad I took my old bike camera and caught some moment from my bike...hopefully you can sense some of the magic of that day.

Sunny Day

It's nice to take a break from work and training to enjoy a sunny day with my handsome boys.

How This is Going to Happen.

If I am going to accomplish my set out goal of completing my race with some grace and dignity then I am going to need a plan. Lucky for me I am incapable of sticking to a training schedule or any schedule for that matter. I don't think I have ever done the same thing twice. I am what you would call a novelty athlete.

Here's my plan;

First

• I need to explain why I am doing this race, the reason for this is when I am on an 8 hour mountain bike ride and I want to die I can come home cry a little then re-read the purpose of the pain. Thus motivating me to ignore the pain and continue on the path of self destruction.
• Answer: I am doing this race for a lot of reasons. The main reason or purpose is to give myself a little treat before we add another player to the Gundy Team. It's a huge challenge that will inspire me to become a stronger athlete which I hope will flow into other parts of my life and will teach me discipline (or at least teach me the discipline I need to put my dirty clothes in the hamper). Another reason, I want to see how far I can push myself, and I want to find out what is waiting for me at my edge.
  

Secondly

• I need to lay out a training plan - how will I track my progress? What will be my rewards and punishments for accomplishing or not accomplishing my workouts?
• Answer: For the next two weeks I have a training plan already written out. I will print it out and place in on the fridge. I will track my progress by using a ancient techniques of the Star Chart. Yes, you heard me correctly I get a gold star every time I complete my workout. (This works for my friends 3 year old daughter, she does all sorts of chores for a gold star) After these 2 weeks then I will purchase a plan from a coaching service.
  
• Reward: For each week I complete my workout with 83% completeness I will reward myself with a fresh bottle of Ibuprofen and a new bottle of biofreeze.
  
• Punishment: If I fall below 83% then I must swim. I hate swimming almost as much as I hate hippies. However there may be cases when swimming won't be an option, when that is the case I will clean my closet. Both things I hate to do so I should be motivated to keep my numbers up.
  

Thirdly

• I need to come up with motivational quote that will keep me inspired to continue my journey. This quote must make me feel strong, yet give me a little out if ever I should need one...it could and should be used as my mantra and should not be filled with hurtful remarks...mainly about my weight. I will also have the right to change at any given time.
• Answer: I came up with this quote while Seth and I were out riding.

"It's not about you becoming your best, it's about you beating the best in others."

I'm all signed up.

I just signed up for the Hardcore 24 race in New York. It's a 24 hour mountain bike race, that I will attempt to do solo. I'm excited...really excited. I know it's a big race for people who are really tough, and I know I'm not that tough...but I figure if I stick to a plan and do the work then I can do the race. It is now written, and so it must be.

Just sitting here....

For the last day or so, I have had a registration page open for a race I want to do...when it was about for me to confirm my registration and pay up, I froze...the page is still there, waiting for confirmation...I know I want to do this race, I'm going to do it, but once I pay for it - that's it. It's like being written in the great book above. There's no going back, I will have to go forward and train, train, train, and then begin my training for it. Even now, I see the tab...and I hesitate...it's a race I know I am going to suffer in...I'm not afraid to suffer...I just don't know how to prepare myself to suffer this much. This race is for people who are so much tougher than I am. I feel like a little kid wanting to play with the adults. I wonder is this anxiety a survival technique I should be listening to? Or, could it be that my body enjoys the life of leisure, and is really super lazy?

On the flip side...I like the challenge. I'm not fast, I know that, but I like to get the job done. In a way suffering allows me to meet myself in a different setting...a quiet place, and at times a dark place. I want to try to accomplish something greater than my ability.

Well now that I have hyped it up like mad...I better just sign up for it, right?

Happy Fasnacht Day

Happy Fasnacht Day

Today was Fasnacht Day...the day all the Amish Dutch peeps clean out their cupboards of their white flour, sugar and lard to make donuts. They do this the Tuesday before lent. While I was at work people brought in donuts to celebrate. It's a dutch thing I guess.

Huh, now what?

Most of you remember when I was training for my marathon in October, then I broke my wrist and stopped training. The marathon came and went...it was a bummer but I survived the disappointment of not running 26.2 miles for fun. Well for the past little while I have been training for a 13 hour mountain bike race that will happen in the middle of April. S came home today and told me all the race slots filled within one hour of registration opening...and now I am 50th on the waiting list...huh, now what?

I'm looking at races, but I'm sad...this was going to be a great race. I have to continue my research but I think I will be able to find a race soon. I'll keep you posted.

The Dutch Life

Okay I'm not very good at scanning, but I want you to click on the above picture. this is a local magazine that did me a favor and found all the great restaurants in the area. Now do me a favor and tell me the top 5 Mexican restaurants rated in the Lancaster area, I'll wait.

Yeah did you see that!!! Taco Bell! Sweet Heaven where on earth am I? As soon as I told my Mom that, she sent me 2 cases of refried beans from California, she figured I was starved for Mexican food. The 4 other restaurants that somehow made it above Taco Bell don't have great reputations either...food poisoning, fake cheese, and the name Charlie in one of them. I knew moving to the other side of the country would have it's challenges...but I thought that no matter what - Mexican food would be there for me...like a good friend. But no, those damn immigration laws!!! Open the boarders for crying out loud, I'm starving for chips and salsa!!!

Okay, okay okay I need to keep my cool...it's not the end of the world...I can just try a different type of food...you know I love good Italian food...who would they suggest?............................Olive Garden! Gasp! What about seafood, we are close to the eastern seaboard...RED LOBSTER!!! NOOOOO!!!!! (eugie takes a deep breath, drops her head and shakes it side to side slowly)

Okay then, I get it...I will just eat Dutch Country food I hear the Scrapple here is delicious! If you are wondering what Scrapple is, here is what wise old Wiki has to say about it:

Scrapple is typically made of hog offal, such as the head, heart, liver, and other scraps, which are boiled with any bones attached (often the entire head). Fans of scrapple sometimes boast that scrapple contains everything from a pig except the "squeal."

I hear the Dutch cooking here is Yummy...I think I'm going to vomit...I just want chips and salsa.

Family and Friends

This is Uncle Fabulous, that's his real name. You ask Fisher were Uncle Fabulous is and he will go straight for him. They are the best of friends always getting in trouble hunting for rocks and trying to tame great beasts.

Fisher's BFF invited him over for a lobster dinner with live lobsters...Fisher had a blast playing with his food before it was cooked. Once it was cooked he didn't want anything to do with it. I think he just got too attached to the lobster while it was alive. Sad.

One thing I find completely heartwarming is how Fisher loves both sets of his Grandparents. It makes me so happy that they all care and love our child as one of their own and as many of them had said, maybe a little more. However I am worried that Seth's dad will be a negative influence...he's always getting Fisher into trouble, trying to sneak him out of nursery on Sunday to take him to 7-11 for a Slurpee and hot dog, or teaching him to run with scissors. I have to watch those two...always up to no good. That is why Fisher adores him.

Wedding Cake

This last weekend Seth's older brother got married to an amazing woman. Anna, she is fabulous and is a great addition to the family. However she is a little nuts because she asked me if I would make the wedding cake, and of course I have never made wedding cake, needless to say I accepted and was so excited to make the cake. I called my friend Webber to help me with this project. Webber is good with all things regarding food.

A week or so before the wedding Webber and I got together and did the test cakes. Then 3 days before the wedding we got together to make the cakes...it did not go so well. We made cakes without salt, other cakes did not bake evenly then collapsed, cake batter spilled in the oven when we put it in, and it goes on and on like this...but 6 and half hours later we had a 6", 9", and 12" lemon wedding cake ready to be transported.

Wow, you know I was going to blog about how when we got down to Zion everything went wrong and it did for the first day...we forgot the whisk attachment to the Kitchen aid, we had to go to a restaurant and ask for theirs, which they lent it to us for 2 days. Equally surprising and awesome. Then the chocolate frosting was becoming a nightmare...blah blah, but I am realizing people won't really care. The important thing is that the wedding cake and grooms cake turned out splendidly. Most importantly they tasted really well...lemon cake with a whipped frosting. It was a lot of fun to do and I glad someone finally let me do their wedding cake. Jannasen (the couples Hollywood name) were really good sports about it.

Side note, Fisher was their ring bearer and did a good job with that, but when the Martinellis started flowing with the music blaring Fisher got crazy!!! He was a dancing machine, he was such a trooper, it was such a long day with him and no naps...poor guy...but he was great...just keep him dancing and you will keep him happy.

Picture Time

Fisher's Grandpa is always goofing off with him. You really have to watch these two. The other night I came home Fisher came up the stairs from hanging out with Grandpa and he is covered in Post- it notes...then not even an hour later, those two disappear and when they re-appeared Fisher and Grandpa are covered in toilet paper because they were 'mummy's'.

Fisher loves both of his Grandma's like crazy!

More Snow!

My entire family all went to San Francisco plus most of my extended family. We had so much fun!!!

Digital Scrapbooking

It's a new digital scrapbooking program I have, it's great! I have been jealous of all you digibookers out there.

Scars

I have added a new scar to my collection.


Yesterday I got my cast off. That is when I saw my new scar, which to my surprise is not that bad. I thought it was going to look like this;

This morning I started to catalog all of my scars, and I counted 22 scars. That's kind of a medium amount of scars.

The worst part I have 9 scars from biking...apparently I suck at biking and can't keep the rubber side down.

1 scar from snowboard, I hit the back of my head on a tree...blacked out...didn't noticed I had a huge gash in the back of my head till the next day. Parents bought me a helmet that week.

1 scar on the tip of my right middle finger from when I was in 4th grade a blender attacked me. Took the tip almost off - 3 stitches.

2 from knifes - I'm not a cutter, just clumsy.

1 smile scar I got from my older brother when I was a baby. It was done with a pair of scissors and I will leave it at that.

1 scar I don't want to mention.

3 scars from my appendectomy.

1 from being a pyro when I was a kid.

1 scar on my bottom lip, I almost bit through my lip as a kid, you can kind of notice it when I smile.

2 on my knee not bike related...I have no idea what caused those. I probably fell or something.

I thinks that's it, of course I am not counting emotional scars...I mean those are almost countless.