When you're just not in to the bike

How is training going? Not good today.

I wanted to ride my horse today, there were several people lined up to go. Then Lan insisted I ride Wildcat Lake with him instead, saying I needed to ride more. Yeah, I need to ride my HORSES more.

We went out to Wildcat but I just wasn't into it at all. My bike was squeaking the entire time, his new heart rate monitor was beeping continually and I wasn't happy. Not happy at all.

For once I didn't whine the whole time but inside my head I was bitching the whole way. I almost cried a couple times too. I pushed the bike uphill more than I did the last couple of rides and I didn't care. I just wanted to be DONE.

I did kick ass on the descent though, just so I could get to the bottom faster.

There were a lot of people hiking on the trail with a lot of dogs. Luckily for everyone, all the dogs were on leash.

One woman said we could go faster on the fire road but after pushing my bike up trails to the top I'll be damned if I ride down a fucking fire road. That bitch needs to get her ass onto a bike.

The reward for going up is getting to come back down.

Vacation was fun, fun, fun!

How is training going? Good.

Last week we were in Las Vegas, had our bikes and went for some excellent rides in the desert. This is the view from a gold mine we rode up too from down there. That straight line is the road we drove up and you can kind of see the side road we cut off on.

I think this photo has a bit of blue from the roof top of our car.

This is from our first ride in the Las Vegas/Blue Diamond ride. About 80 degrees, perfect. We rode about 8 miles that day.

This trail is called the Mustang Trail.

Second day, this time we were south of the highway. To get here you park where the roads intersect and go through a tunnel under the highway. Our trail was to the right of the hill we were on here. That's a cliff behind me. This hill was awesome, I loved coming down it.

Here is Lan starting down. You can clearly see the trail we came up over to the right down the side of the hill.

I liked the looks of the shadow from the bike tires on the wall behind the car.

Other news:

I started my training with the Washington State Ferries this week and next week is orientation at Colman Dock in Seattle. We'll have 1 day on hands on training at Kingston Dock in about 10 days, on June 8th I'll pick up my TWIC card and after that I'll be able to work on the dock. I'm excited and scared at the same time. I hope this is a job I can truly enjoy and I hope I make it through the summer and possibly into the fall. Layoffs occur at the end of September.

Today I rode both Joey and Sunshower and it was SO GOOD. They were both in the arena and Sunshower was a good girl, no freaking out because of him being there.

Earlier today Lan and I went over to Linda and Steves house and all 4 of us went on a bike ride into Port Orchard. We added a few hills into the ride so it wasn't boring flat stuff the whole way.

Linda and I took a break in town to enjoy the Pirate Days farmers market then we all rode back home. it was about 17 miles R/T, a nice distance.

Who feeds while I'm gone?

How is training going? OK.

The weather here has been do dreary and even though yesterday morning it was a beautiful 61* for the first part of the day, in the evening it started to raina nd it hasn't stopped since. Its rained a couple inches. The barn is wet, the horses are wet, I am wet.

So, Lan and I are planning a trip. We have a timeshare in Las Vegas and we're leaving here on Wednesday for some much needed sunshine and warmth.

Our resort is Tahiti Village, right on the Strip but quite a ways away from the rest of the Strip attractions. A car or taxi is needed because you wouldn't want to walk the Strip out there anyway.

This is the pool at Tahiti Village, its got sand for the kids and a swim up bar for the adults.

This is the lazy river, you can float on it all day. Its got waterfalls and stuff to cool you on those extra hot days.

depressed

How is training going? I'm too depressed to run.

Had an argument with Lan yesterday, all a big misunderstanding. Now, because of miscommunication, I an not looking forward to going to Las Vegas at all and I don't want to run. Not at all.

Achilles Tendon

How is training going? My Achilles left tendon was tender this morning.

I got up and dressed to go for a run but my Achilles tendon was warning me not to so I stayed home. This concerns me because I hurt it last summer and it was a pain in the add. I know its tender today because of riding yesterday so at least I know why.

I'm not going to stop riding horses just so I can ride so I'll have to do more exercises to make it stronger. Tomorrow is Torreys Torture class and I'll work it then too.

7

How is training going? I didn't work out today but I'm tired.

This morning I got up early and went for a trail ride in Banner Forest. We actually had 7 riders so it was really fun. That's Amy right in front of me on Joey.

Amy took a lot of photos too. There is Larissa, Abby, Patti, Bonnie & Sandy.

Another stop, tyring to figure out which way to go. We had already gone in circles on the same trails accidentally but it was still fun.

Heading back to the trailers

Abby, Larissa and Amy rode with me in my trailer, or rather, the horses did. I had Charlie, Maggie, Joey & Sunshower.

After we got home I sprayed the sweat off Joey but Sunshower got a mostly warm bath with shampoo and everything. She wasn't too happy about it but stood calmly enough.

Afterwards she got hay and 15 minutes of turn out in the grassy pasture with her daughter, Wifi.

Riding Banner Forest on Horses

How is training going? This has been a week of hard workouts and a weekend of rest.

Banner Forest is my local riding haven. Its 640 acres of county owned property just to the north East of our farm. I can haul my horses over there in a short 10 minutes and be on the trail in another 10. The service road makes a crescent shaped cut through the middle with many trails off of it.

While the horses are still in winter condition we mostly stay on the service road but now that I've had them over there a few times we have started to go on a couple of the side trails, Banner Slough being the biggest one.

This is Bonnie on Kari going through one of the mud puddles on Banner Slough. I had just gone through here myself on Sunshower, barely any hesitation for us, yay.

Today I will be riding Joey, Amy will ride Taz, Abby will ride Charlie, Larissa will ride her mare, Bonnie will be on Kari and Patti will be riding her mule, Jonny.
With so many of us I'm going to suggest we split up and meet back at the trailers later. Its fine to have a big group of people but I'd rather have some time to ride with Amy without all the people there. If everyone wants to stay together thats fine too, fun either way.

Amy recently got divorced from her husband of 15 years, had to sell 2 of her Freisian horses, lost her job due to the bosses bitchy wife, lost her farm due to no job and last week her beloved dog, Jackpot, died. That was too much. Its already been a hell of a year for poor Amy. I hope todays ride can give her some hope. Plus I haven't seen her in about 5 months and we only live a short ways away from each other.

I am a member of Sea Spots Appaloosa Club located in & around Kitsap County. One of the many things they do is have a 'Penny A Mile' program where you keep track of the miles you ride each month and at the monthly meetings you pay 1 cent per mile. At the end of the year when they have the awards banquet they give $75 to the person who rides the most miles. So far I've only got 21 turned in but just in the last week I've already gone another 11 and today I hope to add another 5-7. I am bound and determined to win this program this year!  Last year I kept track of my miles but never got around to joining the Penny A Mile. Doh!

I better go eat and get my own shit together, we should be leaving here in a little over an hour.

99

How is training going? 99

I am at 99 miles ran for the year, so far. I woke up this morning at 6am and told myself I need to get out there and run, so I did. I was only going to go 1 mile but after putting on workout clothing I figured I might as well go a little farther and 2.4 was my limit for the day.

I also had a Body Camp session with Ginger this evening and that kicked my ass. In 3 weeks this is only my 2nd time to actually go to it and I had hoped to get to all of them. But life gets in the way sometimes. Friends need favors, I have other activities to do, like mtn biking or the horses, or I'm just not into it for the day. I won't be there for the last free session on Friday because I'll be at my

30 year class reunion

I wil be seeing people I haven't seen in about 32 years so it will be quite interesting. Some of them I saw a month ago and it was very fun. I hope Lan can have a good time too.

Here are the details

Tacoma City Half Marathon

May 1, 2011

 After all the training and pain I have finally completed my first half marathon.

 The gear.

 Pre race, about 5 minutes till the start.

 Lan was checking to make sure the camera was on.

 The runners, getting in line.

 See me? right in the middle of the photo.

 Seconds to the start.

 I'm about 30 seconds behind the leader, checking my stop watch

as I go through the start.

 And around the first corner. Time for Lan to start running.

 Here is Torrey with the white shirt and arm warmers. Torrey is our

Tuesday & Thursday torture class leader.

 at wrights park, about 2 miles in to the race.

 Stadium way.

 I'm in the pink, between the maroon lady & a blue lady.

The blue shirt lady, Lorna, became my best friend for the next 10 miles.

 The maroon shirt lady was with us the whole way too.

 Heading out onto Ruston way on the waterfront.

 Just about half way here.

 Lan couldn't get any more action shots, he had to get me at the end. Here, Lorna and I

celebrate being done. My finish time was 2:28:23, way faster than I thought I would be.

I did have to walk, but only a little bit. Just before mile 12 on an uphill I had to stop for 100 feet and again going up a steep hill by the Tacoma clock tower/Old City hall. And at 12.75 miles my left leg cramped so hard I thought I would die but walking hurt more than running so I ran. With the last 1/10 of a mile left and the end in sight I sprinted, to get it over with.

 Here I am in the car, less than 10 minutes after the end of the race. I was in a lot of pain and SO GLAD it was over. and already planning on doing a whole marathon so I can get a whole medal.

Because they only gave us half medals.

I did it!

Tacoma City Half Marathon is done!!

More later, I'm just too tired to share any more than that right now.