Let's Do A Rain Dance - Shall We?

Sooooo... Tomorrow, I have a ride on tap.... A long ride... 70 miles to be exact. I would rather not do this ride in the rain, especially since it's not supposed to get very warm either.

I need help.... I need it to rain NOW (!), so that by the time I am about to hit the road, it's all rained out.

Let's do a rain dance - shall we?

How To Do A Rain Dance

1. Never do a rain dance on a hill.
2. Make sure you have a lot of room so you don't run into anything.
3. Spin around in clockwise circles.
4. Make up your own rain chant.  It should be rythmical and easy to say fast.
5. Yell your rain chant while spinning around in circles.
6. If you are trying to get rid of rain, spin in counterclockwise circles and say your chant backwards.

Happy weekend.... And stay dry! ;-)

Mark Your Calendars! Vol III/2011

ON THURSDAYS

"Girl's Morning Out" at Carolina Triathlon in downtown Greenville. Gather at 8:45am to pedal promptly at 9am. This is a 30-mile "C" ride hosted every Thursday by GHS EveryWoman Cycling Team and Carolina Triathlon. Road bikes and helmets are required. Everyone is welcome and nobody is left behind.

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3/2
Registration for Spinx Run Fest opens.

3/5
Reedy River Run 10K State Championship, 5K and Kids Run
Start on historic Main Street in downtown Greenville, SC, and finish at the striking Liberty Bridge.
Organized by the Greenville Track Club, for more information and for registration click  here.

3/5
ON ON TRI  - Reedy River Run Special
Bring in your bib from the Reedy River Run and receive: Extra 10% off your purchase and FREE beer or other cold beverage.

3/12
Zebras Do Exist Charity 5K Run/Walk
Where: Dorman High School
For more information and registration click here.

3/12
Peacock Strides for Babies 5K Run/Walk and 1 mile Family Fun Walk
in Mauldin SC
Race benefits CJ Foundation for SIDS in memory of Emily Ware
Click here to register and for more information.

3/14
Rachel Toor will present at Furman University Physical Activities Center at 7 p.m.

3/25
Moonlight & Magnolias 5K Run/Walk
in Greer, 1020 Anderson Ridge Road (CESA's MESA Complex)
Click here to register and for more information.

3/28
Amby Burfoot will present in the Furman University Center's Burgiss Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

4/2
Riding with Ronald
Where: Tigerville Elementary School, ready to roll at 9am
Ride options include 100k, 50k and a 10k family ride
For more information and registration, please click here.

4/7
FREE Bike Maintenance Clinic hosted by GHS EveryWoman Cycling Team & Carolina Triathlon
Where: Carolina Triathlon in downtown Greenville from 6.30pm to 8pm

4/9
12th Annual Assault on the Carolinas - Brevard, NC
Ready to roll at 9 a.m. and features three ride options (100k, 60k and 40k).
Register here. (Prices go up on April 1st)

4/9
GO DRIVE RUN 5K and Kid's Run
Every runner and walker will receive entry to the net-downhill twilight 5K, a great shirt, a ticket to the Drive game, FREE food, and beverages at the after-race party sponsered by ULTRA.
For more information, click here.

6/4 (tentative date)
4th Annual 100 Miles of Nowhere organized by the FatCyclist

9/10
Setting the Pace at Whitten Center 10K and 5K Run/Walk at 8:30 a.m.
Clinton, SC
Entry $25 before August 26th. Late entry is $30.

********************

The Y Tri Series:

04/10 – Rock Hill, SC

05/07 – Rock Hill, SC
06/18 – Ft Mill, SC
07/16 – Columbia, SC
07/31 –Blacksburg, SC
08/27 – Toccoa, GA
09/10 – Surf City Beach, NC
09/17 – Hartsville, SC
For more information (pricing, distances, if duathlon event is available etc) check the website.

Other YMCA Tri/Du Events:

4/16 Greenwood YMCA
6/4 Middle Tyger YMCA
8/ 6 Union County YMCA
8/ 13 Laurens Family YMCA
9/ 24 Tri the Ridge Pickens County YMCA


2011 XTERRA South Carolina Trail Run Series

3/12 Doug Harris Memorial 10K/5K (Clemson Issaqueena Forest)
7/10 Harbison Half Marathon (Columbia)
8/? Table Rock 15K

Month In Review: February

Oh wow... I can't believe that another month gone and that it's already March.

February has been a little weird:

1. I missed two days worth of training due to the headache from hell ealier in the month.
2. After that was over, I started struggling with a UT infection and missed more swims than I care to mention.... I finally gave up on self-healing and am just in the process of finishing up a batch of antibiotics... Ugh.
3. The 55 miles on Saturday whooped my behind and I had to dial it down some for Sunday and cut a run wayyyyy short.

What do we learn here? Never brag about a healthy month, because it's going to come back to bite you in the butt.

Compared to what I did last year in February, I am still pretty pleased though! ;-) Minus the swimming.

Feb 2010:
Bike: 137.71 miles/ 9h 13m 01s
Run: 58.71 miles/ 9h 41m 46s
Swim: 14,300 yards/ 6h 00m

55 Miles! Boo Yah!

Before leaving work Friday afternoon, I mentioned to my co-workers, that I am planning on riding around 50 miles the next day.... The reaction? "50 miles is even a long trip in the car!" ;-)

Because I had a commitment in the morning, I did my ride in the afternoon. Everyone else, of course, already rode earlier that day, so I was on my own. While I was a little worried to ride alone (and Terry being even more worried) in the mountains, I really ended up with a wonderful ride. It certainly helped, that I didn't run into crazy rednecks... Quite the opposite really, people were waiving and saying hi.... I assume, they are used to cyclist on this route.

Here are some pictures from the road:

Once I was back at the house and told Terry, that I did 55 miles.... he responded: "Well, that just a little over half the distance you have to ride for Mt Mitchell!" Thanks babe... Always so supportive! ;-)

Cookie Monster

Welcome to everybody coming over from the Healthy Living Blog. Thank you for dropping in!

For my regular readers: I have been part of the "Friday Feature" on HLB with a little interview.

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Yesterday, I finally received my order of Girl Scout Cookies... 5 boxes of Caramel Delight... The one and only kind (for me anyways!).

Way back when I ordered them, I actually called hubs and asked him how many boxes he wanted and he said something about none at all. I then reminded him, that last year, he ended up breaking into my cookie stash and demolishing a box in one day. After that, he said he wanted one box. I ordered 2 for him... 3 for me... Seriously, I have those boxes for a while!

Anyways... So last night, he asked me where the cookies are, since I stated on FB, that I just had my first GC cookie of the season and wouldn't let go of the topic until I got the boxes... I was smart enough to leave one box at work right away... I might want to secure all of "my" boxes there... Just seems to be safer! ;-)

So there you have it.... The ultimate cookie battle in our household....

PS: For my German readers.... This is only such a big deal, because Girl Scout Cookies are only available for a couple of weeks (months?) each year.



"I just had ONE cookie"... Up to that point maybe! ;-)



Happy weekend, everyone! ;-)

Outside: Where Living is Risky

Last week was an interesting blog post on peopleforbikes.org titled "Don't fear riding a bicycle, fear sitting in that chair". It really struck a cord with me, especially because I sometimes end up defending myself in terms of being "crazy enough" to ride a bike on a road... A road that is also used by cars, trucks and nutjobs.

Living is risky. Being active (whatever your activity of choice may be) bears certain risks, but being inactive doesn't make you live forever either... Quite the opposite actually. Here are some graphs that the Centers of Disease and Prevention published and that links inactivity to obesity and diabetes. It's really a no brainer, but it's still interesting to see these maps right next to each other.

There is still so much to do in order to make being active outside more accessible and safe for everyone, but there are also tons of options already available.

In the meantime, we just have to do our part in being as safe as possible out there... I am always suprised about how many people I see on the SRT without helmets on. What is especially ridiculous, when the kids wear helmets, but the parents don't. It's the helmets and the lights and the reflect gear that will protect us to a certain degree while we are out there....

It's expecting that other people screw up in traffic and act accordingly.... People are only people and make mistakes no matter if you are in a car or on a bike or just walking down the street, so open your eyes when you are out there and watch what everyone else around you is doing, especially if you don't have a cushion of steel around you.

Okay, I am getting of my soap box now.... Happy Thursday!

Mark Your Calendars! Vol II/2011

ON THURSDAYS

"Girl's Morning Out" at Carolina Triathlon in downtown Greenville. Gather at 8:45am to pedal promptly at 9am. This is a 30-mile "C" ride hosted every Thursday by GHS EveryWoman Cycling Team and Carolina Triathlon. Road bikes and helmets are required. Everyone is welcome and nobody is left behind.

********************

2/26
Historic Marion Runfest 10 Mile, 10K, 5K, 1 Mile and Trot Trot
in Marion SC (Race Site: Marion Opera House -100 Northeast Court Street)
For more information and pricing click here and look for "Historic Marion Race".

2/26
ON ON TRI Group Run @ 7am, 400 E. McBee Ave. Ste. 104 Greenville SC
60 to 90 minutes at a moderate pace
if you want to find out what a "moderate" pace is for them call 864-232-9400

3/12
Peacock Strides for Babies 5K Run/Walk and 1 mile Family Fun Walk
in Mauldin SC
Race benefits CJ Foundation for SIDS in memory of Emily Ware
Click here to register and for more information.

3/14
Rachel Toor will present at Furman University Physical Activities Center at 7 p.m.

3/25
Moonlight & Magnolias 5K Run/Walk
in Greer, 1020 Anderson Ridge Road (CESA's MESA Complex)
Click here to register and for more information.

3/28
Amby Burfoot will present in the Furman University Center's Burgiss Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

4/9
12th Annual Assault on the Carolinas - Brevard, NC
Ready to roll at 9 a.m. and features three ride options (100k, 60k and 40k).
Register here.

6/4 (tentative date)
4th Annual 100 Miles of Nowhere organized by the FatCyclist

9/10
Setting the Pace at Whitten Center 10K and 5K Run/Walk at 8:30 a.m.
Clinton, SC
Entry $25 before August 26th. Late entry is $30.

********************

The Y Tri Series:

DISCOUNT: The 4 race special has been extended.  Register for 4 races and get $20 off per race! Use the discount code of "earlybird" when you register for each race. Remember you MUST register for 4 races before March 1 to receive this pricing.

04/10 – Rock Hill, SC
05/07 – Rock Hill, SC
06/18 – Ft Mill, SC
07/16 – Columbia, SC
07/31 –Blacksburg, SC
08/27 – Toccoa, GA
09/10 – Surf City Beach, NC
09/17 – Hartsville, SC
For more information (pricing, distances, if duathlon event is available etc) check the website.

Other YMCA Tri/Du Events:

4/16 Greenwood YMCA
6/4 Middle Tyger YMCA
8/ 6 Union County YMCA
8/ 13 Laurens Family YMCA
9/ 24 Tri the Ridge Pickens County YMCA


2011 XTERRA South Carolina Trail Run Series

3/12 Doug Harris Memorial 10K/5K (Clemson Issaqueena Forest)
7/10 Harbison Half Marathon (Columbia)
8/? Table Rock 15K