Back in the Saddle

today's weigh-in: 170.8lbs
up almost 2lbs from last week.

yep, there it is.  evidence of my binges.  sigh.  bad choices, bad outcome.
all I can do is pick myself, brush myself off & get back in the saddle again.  That's exactly what I did this weekend....got back on my bike saddle.

We had an old friend visit us this weekend.  He was here to do the Denver Century - a 100 mile bike ride around Denver - with my husband.  Although he's only 42, he was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of last year.  Somewhere in the middle of the ravaging chemo/surgery/more chemo routine, he made a list of all things he wanted to do after cancer.  One year later & he's beat it!  I'm so happy for him & I was so glad he came to see us on his "Back to Health" tour 2011.  He looks good & is obviously really strong.  The guys did the ride in about 6 hours.  So proud :)  You should've seen him at the finish line..tired, covered in road dust & sunburned but glowing.  He'd just completed an amazing physical feat AFTER cancer.

It was a good reminder for me & a slap upside the head that health is a key reason for this journey.  I'm feeling inspired which means (drum roll, please!)....I just signed up for the Venus de Miles ride.  This is a women's only ride around Boulder at the end of August & I've decided to do the 67-mile course. OMG!  what am I thinking?  I've heard that the ride is a lot of fun, not stressful & they have chocolate at every aid station.  How can you not love it???  I chose the 67-miler b/c I think it'll be a challenge & a stretch goal for me.  Guess I need to start training now, eh?

Our friend lives in Portland, OR & is not used to our altitude so on Saturday we all went on a pre-race 30-mile ride so he could acclimatize.  I was in the lead for this ride until my hubs griped that I was going too fast.   hahahaha!  And why was I going that fast?  to get my heartrate up!  Cruising with the boys, my heartrate was only about 65% of max but my pace was 75-80% of max.  that's more like it!  We did a ride that I've done many times in the past and, in the past, I always remember being beat at the halfway point & struggling to make it home.  This time was totally different.  It felt...enjoyable.  I felt the joy of my blood pumping, my legs moving & the wind in my face.  wow!  that's new!  And when we got home?   I worked in the garden for a few hours before heading out for dinner.  Rather than crashing on the couch completed exhausted; this time I still had plenty of energy for moving pots around, digging holes, hauling bags of potting soil, etc.

Back in the saddle.

cheers,
chloe