The ride and the swim...

Yesterday I was lucky to get another "wonderful Wednesday" - in more ways than one.

Not only did I get my girls, Michelle and Sonja, in from Denver for our training day - but we were treated to a beautiful 75 degree day... ummmm, minus the gale force winds!!!!

We were loving the opportunity to show off our flashy Trakkers uniforms - and I was eager to give my new Kestrel a good test run.  "Time to stretch her legs", I would think to myself.   My Kestrel is sleek and beautiful, handles the road well, and is pretty comfy.  Her motor needs some work, but time in the saddle is the only solution.

We set out for a 5-hour day amid the gorgeous Colorado scenery.  Days like this, with the views we had, make me continue to feel so lucky to live in a place like this.

True, the winds were pretty rough - the headwinds were fierce and the crosswinds about freaked me out a couple times... "I NEED TO WASH MY SHORTS WHEN I GET HOME!!", I would yell out to Michelle and Sonja to elicit a smile amid our fear.  I would always get one!... and then we'd all hang on for dear life as we were being blown into the road!!!   Today was mental toughness day, fo sho'!

Sonja freaks me out when she takes pictures while riding!   Like a protective Momma Bear, I yell at her to put her camera away!!!!   (Amazing how good her pictures are when she is in motion, huh?)

Slowly but surely we made our way to Carter lake....

Both Michelle and Son dusted me up the climb to Carter Lake, and I found them curbside waiting for me to, of course, celebrate arriving at our destination with a picture (and Michelle a peanut butter and honey sandwich)!

The winds were really picking up, so we were all pretty determined to make our way back to my place.  You gotta admit, if you have to suffer amid a long day on your bike, there are worse places to be than here:

  I was so proud of my girls today --- hanging tough and not giving up.  They did some pretty tough intervals amid some crazy winds.  I was really pleased with my very strict aerobic day.  I'm not ready for intervals, I need to get my endurance back... and I have a loooooooooong way to go, but I was pleased with how I felt, how well I executed my nutrition all day, and that I kept myself "steady eddie" all day.  No surges, no blowing up, no bonking, all low HR.  It was a good day.... and let me tell you, the fact that I get to share these days with 2 gals who are never negative, never cranky and are always encouraging -- well, who wouldn't thrive in THAT atmosphere....    (Plus they eat burgers and drink margaritas!   Ooooh yaaaa!)

Sonja and Michelle are always so sweet and appreciative, they're always thanking me for things like riding with them.  I'm not sure they know how great it is for me to have them.  They look out for me as much as I look out for them, perhaps even more, which I find utterly heartwarming.

Case in point, and probably my favorite moment of the ride.  We descended Carter Lake.  Just about anyone who has ridden with me will attest to my nervous nelly descending skills.  Most of it, admittedly, is mental (once you crash and break your whole body you get a little scared), but the years off my bike have left my handling skills, already mediocre at best, pretty abysmal.   I have gotten much better.   (Andy and Cory helped me a ton in Phoenix in January!)   As faithful companions, Michelle and Sonja are completely tuned into my needs on these rides.  Without my even asking - they both jump right into formation.

We begin the steep descent.  As usual my hands are death gripping the brakes.  Sonja jets out in front and keeps looking over her shoulder to stay in front so I can follow her line, but also never letting herself get too far ahead where she can't help.  As I keep looking over my shoulder, Michelle is behind me, guiding, calling out tips and encouragement, staying close enough to help if needed.   I remember how touched I was at this.  I didn't ask them for help, I didn't ask them to protect me, I didn't ask them to look out for me.  They both just did it.  It was almost instinctive.   I was the creme filling to the Oreo.  This made me feel very cared about, which I appreciated more than they will ever realize.  This doesn't happen a lot, me feeling truly cared about - so when it does I notice.  Big time.  (Thank you, friends...)

So - 5+ hours in the saddle.... signed, sealed and delivered....

Then, quick funny story about today.

I wanted to go to Monica Byrn's 10am swim.  She'd texted me that she was coaching and that's all I needed to get some incentive to swim.   I really love her workouts and, selfishly, how much attention she gives us all.  Within the first 200 of warmup, I was psyched to see Cooper had come!!!  She jumped into my lane and we continued with the warmup set.... not long after, Gordo jumped into our lane - so it was the 3 of us playing nicely with each other.

So Monica gives us this crazy-ass set... 29 x 100m's - descending intervals starting at 1:40 and going down to 1:20, then starting again at 1:40.    Some we were doing more than once - like 1 x 1:40, 2 x 1:35, 1 x 1:30, 3 x 1:25... I don't know but it was impossible (for me) to follow! :)   I am the worst at leading complicated sets because of my poor memory retention (thanks head injury!) - it used to upset me, now I just sort of laugh about it.   Cooper totally had that set figured out but I was already tuned out.   No way in hell I was leading that thing - I was already lost and we'd not even begun.  I knew Cooper didn't want to lead.  So she and I looked at Gordo and almost in unison said, "You're leading!"  :)    He was totally compliant, he laughed and said with a smile, "I am good with the numbers".   He and Lara repeated the set, confirming all the different intervals and numbers.... whatever.... I tuned them both out and drooled at the hot guy on the deck....

But soon we were starting.  First 100m on 1:40.  Gordo looked at me and said, "Carole, don't go Rock Star on the 1:40!"   *laugh*   I don't know why that was so funny to me (meaning, take the effort easy on the very easy 1:40 interval) ... but it was... what a funny way of saying it.  That kept me entertained for a good while.

30+ minutes later, we were at the end of the set - we had the last 4 x 100's on 1:20.  Gordo had been leading the whole time, Cooper behind me, and I had to admit he'd been swimming well.   The last 100 came and Monica, of course, urged us to make this one the fastest.  (shit!  I was pooped!)  Ok, game on.   There is nothing worse for your ego than having a non-swimmer (GORDO!!) in front of you.  I may as well be wearing a Seal Mask too.  :)   So for this last one I was damned determined to swim completely up Gordo's ass!  I was going to literally swim over him and then tease him afterward (all in good training fun, naturally) - that was my plan.  I was ready.  Let's go, pal...  This is MY turf.
Ummmm. .....  He completely dusted me.  Completely.   Man!   Is there anything worse than having a non-swimmer dust you??  :)     :)

Great job today, Gordo and Cooper!  Thanks for keeping me going on that set!