MENTAL TRAINING

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Sometimes I have to play a mental game with myself especially when I am stuck on the trainer. I don't like to watch videos so I try to visualize all kinds of stuff when I ride but sooner or later you run out of things to think about. The music is blaring but the mind wonders so easily and I am trying to learn how to stay focused. I actually have thought about learning how to chant. I know you think this sounds silly but it works! Any of you have any comments I would love to hear them. Im running out of fun ideas.

Happy Birthday Sonia!

Sonia had a BIG Birthday this past week and here are some of the highlights.

Look OUT! Everyone DUCK YOUR HEAD!

Carlos was serving up his speciality drink of the night and he was not taking NO for an answerThe picture did not capture the huge hot flames

How fast can you suck it down? In the meantime...Ron has plans to invite everyone back for a mudding party, drinks included.





More pics here

Super Fly pic's of the weekend

A little partay!

Finally, a heat wave!

Ty and I were out doing errands on Sunday morning. We were sitting by a window at Whole Foods down on the fashionable east side having a sandwich for lunch. The sun was beaming and the sky was a beautiful blue. As we sat there looking out the window we said to each other why are we sitting here when we can go for a bike ride. Screw the errands, LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Adaptation

Cycling training forces your body to make both central and peripheral adaptations to the physical demands. What does this mean ?

Fun without the sun

Wisconsin weather can go from minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit one day and semi blizzard the next. I headed to the dentist earlier today on my break from work and the roads at 1:30 PM were starting to get powdery. Well 5:00PM came around and it was time to go home. As I walked out on the sky walk from the hospital, I could see grid lock in all directions leaving this complex. NICE! I thought, now I get to spend my night off of riding driving in the car for an hour for a 2.5 mile commute. Yes, I know I should ride my bike to work and I am actually thinking about a plan for this coming season. So instead of being pissed off at the dam traffic, I managed to slither out the back way around the hospital and onto the main road. A bit of grid lock for about 30 minutes, but once I hit the TOSA bridge I turned right instead of left and took the side streets instead of the main that everyone else was waiting to take. AS I turned off and then headed off the beaten path, I got stuck behind a FORD Truck going up this little hill so I road along side of him since there was no oncoming traffic on this side street. The bastard did not even turn on his blinker to turn right just at the crest of the top of the hill climb and it would of been a close call if I was behind him. He turned and looked at me and smiled like he thought that was funny. I laughed cause I have the ELEMENT and kicked his ass up that hill and did not have to wait for his sorry ass. Then I was free to roam the streets with no obstacles now. The ELEMENT handles extremely well in the snowy conditions and it is a blast to drive, almost like mountain bike racing. This is the most fun I had in awhile. I can't wait to hit the trails soon! I miss it!

TAKE THE 24 HOUR NATURAL FOOD CHALLENGE

I went to an interesting talk the other night sponsored by Harry W. Schwartz Book Store at Alverno College here in Milwaukee. The guest speaker was Michael Pollan the author of previous books, The Omnivore's Dilemma and The Botany of Desire. He is a graduate of Berkley's school of journalism and is also Knight professor of Journalism at Berkley. Critically acclaimed, Pollan brings forth interesting topics of discussion, how food gets to our table and how we have transitioned from real food to "edible food like substances" no longer the product of nature but of food science. He talked about his new book, In Defense of Food "

I read his last book and got 3/4 of the way through it and had to put it down. Each chapter was an eye-opening learning adventure that was brutally honest, and at times disturbing. In which I started to think I would have to become a pure vegetarian. The book undoubtedly raised awareness of my eating habits, albeit I think I eat quite healthy according to my own education and cultural practices handed down by my European ancestors as well as grandmother. Pollan has spiked a curiosity in me as well as some close friends to investigate further our own practices.

He encourages his audience to explore their own eating habits and gives some simple suggestions on how to start.

Eat things that have five or less ingredients. If it has more, is it really food?

Avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup at all costs.

Take your time eating, enjoy your food! Relax.

Never eat Gas Station Food.

Pollan has certainly sparked a good challenge and many argue against his political claims. I am certainly willing to take the challenge and see how easy or what barriers there are in obtaining a more natural food diet here in America.

I would love to hear from all of you and hope you try this challenge too. Take just one day and try to find foods that have five or less ingredients to eat. I think it would be an eye opening experience for all of my 50 + viewers:)

Things I would like to hear about...

* Let me know how much of it you had to eat before becoming satisfied.

* What barriers or obstacles did you face in obtaining your natural food.

* What was the cost?

* Were you able to obtain it in your place of employment?

* How about at your Doctor's office?

* Is it too much work for you to think of cooking?

* Do you even like to cook or know how?

* Do you even care about what ingredients are in the food you eat?

* BONUS POINTS what kind of sports drink did you find that would sustain you through a race or tough workout.

Better stock up now!

For those of you heading out to Lambeau Field on Sunday you may need to wear something warm.

I long for Summer

Add this along with my massage

Take once daily and then tell everyone to GFY!

This is what I need

Don't Cry Hillary

AMERICAN GLADIATORS

Thank goodness it's 2008!

Now that the holidays are gone it is time to get organized. The last two weekends were spent hibernating and it felt great! The bathroom remodel project is coming along just nicely. Captain of course is doing all the hard labor as I iron out the decorating details. I can't wait to have this project behind us. I also managed to clean 3/4 of the basement and organize all kinds of things. I managed to have a stock pile of goodies to sell this summer. Our neighborhood rummage sale always lands on a race weekend and I keep saying every year I am going to join in. I have so much IKEA stuff brand new, never used that it is a shame it is sitting here in the basement collecting dust. We also have tons of bike stuff, new and used piling up and I would like to rent a table at the Madison Bike Swap or what ever you call it to sell this stuff. If any of you have any info on this I would appreciate it. Anyway, getting organized is good for the mind, now I can relax.

The only other thing going on is this ridiculous cold that is irritating the piss out of me. It started Wednesday and then it was gone on Thursday and then back on Friday and all day Saturday. I had no energy and a bit of a stuffy nose and sneezing. I hate getting sick because I hate sitting around doing nothing. There is only so much TV surfing, reading, flipping through magazines and lying on the sofa I can handle before I get stirr crazy. What really makes me mad is just when you think your feeling better and you get up and move around and want to do something constructive and then you feel like shit again and have to rest. I finally feel good today and was able to get in a ride. I sure hope this is gone for good.

later