Doe Ditty Dumb

Not sure where it came from. The title that is. It just popped into my head.

Been missing writing my blog posts. Too much life expectancies getting in the way. Some things take over. Mash up all the rest.

The big weekend is coming up. The moments I’ve been training so hard for.

I’m ready. Made the quota on the minimums. Grateful for my mama for reaching out to her circles.

The legs feel good. Here’s hoping the rancid chest cold leaves me before Friday.

There can be a flop when you stretch yourself hard towards one goal. Questionable intentions. Got me to wrangling three in one month.

Yes, June is busy. The Victoria Goddess Half-Marathon run to start things off. Coming up to the Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer, followed by the 140km Tour de Victoria.

As the DH’ers in my life (Downhill Mountain Bikers) would say. I’m dialed!

Knowing what all of this has done for me is the lift. Weight loss, fitness, focus. Time for training. Then some more.

Tonight I’m on the steel commuter rolling home. The smell is in the air. Trying to act like spring. The drizzle softens the haze of the worshipped green all around.

Who would of thought I’d of spent all this time outside come rain or come shine?

As the droplets christen the sea the dimples of the moon or the sun warp the surface as each oar rows me home.

My journey is peaceful. The sound of an oar-lock rocking to the catch of the water.

At least it’s not cold like December. There were a lot of wet, long and cold training rides. Many damp and frosty runs. 

The time was worth it. 

Ready or not, here we come!

The forecast for the weekend is for rain. Warm temperatures filled with lots of spring rain.

No matter.

It will be a doe ditty dumb.

Whatever that means.

My Pal ICE!

"You really know what you’re made of. You run, but you’re sore, but you keep on running." 

Deborah Joel on completing a half-marathon.

My FIRST Half-Marathon (21.7km)!
Photograph by my person pal, Catherine Clarke.

Not once did I consider stopping or walking. For real. I ran the whole way.

My legs conquered the hills. No surprise given my hours of uphill cycling rolls.

There were harsh long hills on this course too. They didn’t bother me!

But the ladies passing me on the flats did.

One tussled up gal called me “Steady Eddy!”

What a course. What a feeling. What a dream come true. I DID IT!

No question the lack of training was felt. Especially in the hips.
When the 20km mark came up, I was already celebrating.

This course was actually 21.7km. Longer then most half-marathons.

But given the participants – all women – we didn’t mind.
Especially with the token finish. 
Firemen, a necklace and chocolate!

It was the Victoria Goddess Run. 
Consuming a Sunday bit for me, since I had to spin around and head home shortly afterwards.

Walking down the stairs on the ferry to the lower car deck for my quick escape to get first in line for the bus was funny.

“Ouch, ouch, OUCH!”

Work was also a challenge on Monday. Walking, going down stairs – absolute agony. Not to mention sitting down on the toilet.

Up – no problem!

I took to walking backwards down the stairs.

Today I rode my bike to work and felt fine. Super glad yesterday was over.

On tippy toes last night I got off the bus and toed my way over to Save-On Foods for a bag of ice. Which I lay on my legs, even on the row home.

Shortly afterwards it was separated into zip-locks for naked comfort to my thighs.

A good night’s sleep and come Tuesday - today, yup I’m as good as new.

Thanks to my pal, ICE!

YES I Can!

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to my Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer. I’ve received emails from folks saying they want to donate. I’m at 77% of my goal!

The event is June 16 & 17^th so not much time left.

I urge you to click on the top left link of this blog to donate or click here and thank you SO much for rolling with me!

I appreciate all of you!!

The body does what the mind says.

For the most part.

But if you’re an endurance athlete, as the old saying goes, Mind over Matter – can take on a whole new meaning.

Over the last three weeks I watched with prowess and excitement our Canadian Pro Cyclist, Ryder Hesjedal’s daily achievements in the Giro d’Italia.

On the weekend, I took to the live feeds, even in Italian. What I witnessed was incredible.

There’s a lot of verbiage out there that cyclists, runners and the like use to express when your body starts to tell you, “NO MORE – STOP!”

My favourite is bonking. There’s also gassed, tanked, hit the wall, done and the pain cave of course.

Ryder went beyond. From what I could see. He ignored his body and dug so incredibly deep, beyond the threshold. Into the unimaginable. A place maybe even he had never been before.

This weekend I am doing my first half-marathon. The Victoria Goddess Half-Marathon on Vancouver Island.
I’m super excited and scared. Training. Well, I’ve been more focused on the time in the saddle then the running. Mostly due to a niggling calf scar tissue injury that hasn't left me yet.

Even though, I am going to do it anyway. Taped up. And with these thoughts in mind: if I say I can - I WILL!

When the going gets tough, I’m going to think about Ryder and what he did.

Focus on the finish.

YES I can!

Training Ups

Signed up for the Victoria Goddess Run. A half marathon. Yup, call me crazy.

It’s two weeks before the 320km Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Which is three weeks before I do the 140km Tour de Victoria.

I know. I'm asking for a bit much out of this 40 almost 50 year-old body.

But hey, if you don’t take the leap you’ll never know how far you can jump.

Saw an interesting anecdote on Twitter today. Someone wrote they’d done a workout, then realized the “pros” would be doing another one, so they’d better get out there and up it.

Anotherwards, instead of doing what you should do or what you think you can. Do more.

Enough said.

So I’m telling my riding pal this morning, as we huff and puff up some hills on our bikes, that I signed up for a half.

“So how much running are you doing now?” she asks.

“About 40 minutes. Once, sometimes twice a week,” I reply.

“How far is a half marathon?” comes next.

Me in a mumbo jumbo said something like, “Over 20kms.”

Then, the lightning bolt.

“How far do you run in 40 minutes?” she smartly inquired.

“About 6.5 kms,” I reply meekly.

“So I guess you need to start running more,” she concludes.

Silence.

Seven weeks till the half. That’s the challenge.

It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.

Now fit that in with school, work, living and training for a 320km cycling ride.

Thinking I might need a new pair of running shoes.