Why I hate coffee in the morning...

Tuesday morning was an amazing ride. The air was a little heavy with humidity and there was a mist hovering over the fields as I coasted along. Jon Bon Jovi literally music in my ears...have I mentioned how much I am totally into the new album...highly recommend it!!!
My mind organizing my day, working out the details, sometimes wandering off track. Heading around the curve that is the exit to Commissioners Rd -the home stretch-, I'm feeling free and ready to take on the day. Suddenly a large pick-up truck flies past me and a Tim Horton's cup is bouncing off my helmet and covering me with the stinky, sticky remnants of some one's morning joe. NICE. I hate coffee-the smell, the taste, now I can add-the feel. I need to believe that this was just a thoughtless idiot not realizing the implications of their careless toss of garbage. I can't believe my friends Pieter and Karen who are convinced it was some malicious act of target practice. And to John and Mike, gentlemen, yes..I'm glad I had my helmet on.
This small event could have ruined my day( little did she know that there would be bigger issues to deal with later!) but as icky as it was, I decided not to let it over-shadow the beautiful moments that had happened before it. But it was my choice about what impact it would have.
It's like the analogy of the clean paper. Take a piece of plain white unlined paper and somewhere on it draw a black circle or dot- any size. Then show it to some people and ask what they see. Most people will say" I see a black dot/circle". Focusing on the small "flaw". There will be a few who say"A piece of white paper with a black mark" They are the ones who see the big picture. That see beyond the black "flaw" and notice that there is a significantly larger amount of white than there is of black.
We do this in life too, whether it is with things or people. I am notoriously bad about this when it comes to my creative outlets, cooking, photography, sewing etc. I will do something and will get compliments on it but in my mind I'm thinking "Thanks but I need to do better next time." I try not to do that with people in my life. I want to see all the white of them even though I know of the black spots. I'm thankful for the gift of my friends who continue to see the white in my life despite all the black spots that dot my existence. I choose to minimize the people who only see my flaws and not to treat them or others the same way. As Jon Bon Jovi says on the new album "Everybody's Broken"( Have I mentioned how much I love this man??!?!?!)
And so, a little coffee doesn't take the joy out of cycling. A mean-spirited rumour doesn't negate the great people in my life. Bitterness will not harden my heart.
But I'm never going to drink coffee!

Weekend victory!!!!

It's Saturday morning. The alarm goes off just before 6am. REALLY want to hit the snooze but the phone rings. Ride still a go? Absolutely! I pull myself together grab my coke and meet these these 2 characters on my front yard.( George on left, Rob on right)

Uh-oh they look serious...like they know what they are doing. Right clothes, slick bikes, camel packs and no baskets to be seen! Me...Well? not so much.

But off we go. It's definitely a challenge to be with these 2. But a good one, I up my pace but I know they are still holding back. They are patient and encouraging...even as I walk that hill just outside of Byron. And soon we are at Komoka PP. 45mins..my best time and feeling great!

The guys take to the trails on their bikes, I head off on the hike. I'm surprised at how good I feel. Not too tired...ready to continue. 1/3 of the way through I meet up with Rob and George. Rob compliments me on my pace. He had just told George that they might wait 10mins before I got there. I complete my hike at my regular pace-50mins-Jon Bon Jovi rocking on my Pod! Still feeling fine and ready to head home...But time to share a coke with friends.

Back on the bikes. No more walking hills and home by 9:10 am....Fantastic!!!!

Thanks to George and Rob....You guys are awesome! I was so pleased and energized, I did the whole thing again on Sunday morning by myself. Still it is not killing me. Which I must admit is surprising more than a little. This week I will be doing the +30kms biking part each morning. As I think of the goal for July.

Thanks everyone for blessing me with your support, encouragement and friendship.

The Day has come!

Well....Tomorrow is the day...can I do my challenge...15 km on the bike, 5km through the woods, 15kms home. 3hr time limit. We're heading off from my place at 6 am! My friends George and Rob are my support crew/coaches/comrades for the trek. They are much better cyclists than I am...MUCH better-that is more than a little intimidating. But they are also VERY cool and supportive so if there is anyone who can push me through this, cheer me on if I am successful or comfort me if I don't, these are the guys. George has said that he is using his mountain bike so that he is slower...I think I might attach a cement block just to really make it even. Think I'm ready. I guess we'll see.

On another note, after a consultation with my ortho surgeon on Wednesday, the plate that I have in my leg is scheduled to be removed on October 15, 2007. This will allow me to cycle right up to the fall, have really good muscle tone to recover with and be ready to ride again in the spring. Oh- I will also be able to wear pretty shoes to my nephew's wedding the Saturday before. It's all about quality of life! There may be some problems with the anaesthetic..whether to general or local and concerns about whether the bone will completely fill. I'm taking it as it comes and trusting the amazing team of doctors that are looking after me. One other note that George says is "blog-worthy" Dr. Chess my Ortho surgeon, commented on what great legs I have and that my vitals are those of an athlete(At least the inside of my body is getting ready for the sea to sea adventure)

Switching up the routine.....

You've probably heard me say...Change is BAD! Oh I love adventure and spontaneity but generally I'm a creature of habit...I like things to have routine and structure.
This week I changed my training time. For the past 6 weeks, I have been doing my rides mid morning-going into work, dealing with the first round of emails and messages then taking off, coming back re-energized to finish the work day. This heat wave was becoming a problem though so I decided that change was in order.
Last Saturday, I started heading out on my ride first thing-6am. It's hard to role out of bed so much earlier when my circadian rhythms are pretty set and the snooze alarm just a hand swat away. But this change has been really good. I have been reminded of one of my favourite camping moments...the first step out of the tent into the cool quiet of the fresh summer morning. The city has a peacefulness to it that even has me turning down the volume on my iPod. There is a sense of beginning....a newness...an awakening. I like that my first event of the day is not doing my hair and make-up and donning a great outfit- making myself presentable to the world at large. There is a ease to venturing out into my community with only bed/helmet head and a smile-Take me as I am. And I love seeing the city come to life....people walking their dogs...the traffic increasing....the sun rising higher...the geese still asleep in the grass. This is my Father's world. Good Morning indeed!

Getting ready...sort of

Last night, my friend George mentioned that he would be going for a ride the next morning. I asked what his plan was...thinking it might be good to start pacing with another cyclist. He was biking to Strathroy and back about 60km. Panic....I don't think I'm ready for that!!! Of course then my head took off...What am I thinking? Am I ever going to be ready for 100-120 kms a day? Everyday for 9 weeks? The emotional toll of 24/7 people for 9 weeks? I'm a social being but those who are closest to me will tell you that I only tolerate people for so long...and then I become intolerable. There is a reason I haven't had a roommate for over 19yrs!!!
It's often overwhelming to think about what I am committing to.( And I don't want any posts about my commitment issues-Tracy..Eric...George..) I am hoping and praying that more confidence will come with each small step of progress and even some in regaining ground when progress is lost.
I'm definitely outside my comfort zone. I don't think that's a bad thing. I really feel God's presence in this...that this is right and sure. So I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

Lookin' good, Billy Ray...

Feelin' good, Louis! (just for you Richard)
Well, I'm back on track with the training. The weather has been great and looks like I have my head in the right place again. Only 11 days to the Komoka goal- I think I can do it.
One of the obstacles that has been on my training runs are the Canada geese along the Thames trail. They are obnoxious and bold. Expecting cyclists to stop on a dime so that they can leisurely cross the path, often just to come back again. Whole families waddling down the middle of the path. Snapping and honking at you. These geese think they own the place.
There is one interesting thing about them though, they are fiercely loyal and protective of their own and each other. When geese are flying in formation, you can hear them honking away. There is a purpose to it- they are actually encouraging and supporting the lead goose. Letting the lead know they are there even though they can't be seen, encouraging them on the journey. I have felt the same support from my friends and community the last week as I struggled. And I am touched and grateful to have such a great "flock" around me. And next summer, when I will be thousands of miles from you, I will still hold your voices and encouragement in my head, and more importantly, in my heart.
I will be taking my iPod on the adventure( no surprise!). If there is anyone who wants to give me a playlist of their favourite songs, I would love to have you on the trip. You can either post your list, or email it, or throw it on a CD. No limit to the number of songs( gotta love an iPod) and you can add new songs until my departure date-approximately 378 days from today!. I will upload it and listen to it while training and next year on the road....and think of you...and Thank God that you are a part of my life.

This SUCKS....

OK...second day in a row with bad training runs. What was I thinking!?!?!? I just can't seem to get my gearing right, my cadence is pathetic, both days were really slow(more than an hour),today I barely could make it through the rolling hills on Springbank Dr., the wind was always in my face( how does that happen when you are doing a loop?), the geese in the park were especially obnoxious and I think I swallowed enough dandelion fluff to count as one of my daily servings of vegetables under the Canada Food Guide. Have I plateaued already? Am I just becoming complacent after a really good start? Is this as good as it gets? Is this as much as I can expect from my body? What if I'm one of those cyclists that Heather(support worker on the last Sea To Sea) had to go pick up at end of day because they couldn't complete the day's ride? What am I doing wrong? This can't just be about the bike.

Intentional Kindness

I am notorious for being in my own little world. As I walk and bike around the city heading for a destination or just out on my own, I put on my iPod and slip away into my head. Random thoughts churning through my mind, being analysed and processed, as I am oblivious to everything around me. And I mean everything. I have had treasured long-term friends come right up to me as I was walking and I seem to look right through them. I often wonder what else I am missing. Maybe I'm not missing stuff but instead it is captured by my mind until some other moment when it come back to me as a random thought. I may never understand how my head works. I hope I am not missing important moments. The movie Stranger Than Fiction has a line it in that I constantly refer to- Life is full of moments. Some mundane, some significant, never knowing which are which.
I am thankful not to be surrounded by people like myself self-centered and blind. Instead, I am bless to have people who are infinitely aware of opportunities and moments around them. Their acts of kindness are not random but ready and intentional.
On Friday night, our baseball team played a double header. I had biked out to the games and it was after 10pm when the games finished. My friends Rob & Kristie-also teammates-always bring their vehicle with a bike rack to ensure I have a safe ride home. Thanks Rob & Kristie. But this pass Friday, as we were chatting and getting ready to leave, Rick Dykstra- who plays on another team- came over to ensure that I wasn't biking home in the dark, through construction, on the busy streets. He said it was no problem to throw the bike in his van and take me home- despite that it was late, not on his way and holding off getting home to the family a little bit earlier. Thanks, Rick.
Last night, after a long meeting, I again was getting ready to bike home(this time just a few blocks) but it was around 10:30pm and dark downtown. Sharon DeVries kindly walked over and checked with me, offering to put my bike in the van and give me a ride home. Also out of her way and delaying returning to her family. Thanks Sharon.
I'm glad I didn't miss these small but significant moments- this intentional kindness. I am thankful to be supported by such a great community. I need to be more aware.

You can't have it all...

Just a few sound bites from the masses,

The other day I stopped at Hanford tires to get my wheels pumped up before hitting the trails. The guy who was manning the pump check my pressure and told me that the tire could be in the range from 45-60 psi, did I want a comfortable ride or a fast one? I asked, "Can't I have both?" No, Soft tires give a smoother ride, hard will give less friction and speed. I told him, my body is built for comfort so let's go with speed on the bike....I want it all.


John V is happy that I'm converting to clips and getting a new bike. "Then you can get rid of the basket" Get rid of the basket???? I don't think so. New bike-new basket. My friend Steve has given me the best reason to keep it- I can put the oxygen tank in there for the ride into Denver, the mile high city!

My friend Kristie is not so worried about me being able to bike the trip, she's worried about me spending that much time with people. She may be right. For the last few days, as I do my practice runs, I've been thinking of something I could do that MIGHT annoy some people but would be a lot of fun AND a little funny. I'm thinking each day of a new way to ask people(who are already there) to join me. You know....we get out of the tents in the morning, sun shining, turning to whoever's there and saying "What a great day! Want to go for a bike ride?" or "In the mood for a bike ride?" or "So what do you want to do today? I think I'll go for a bike ride." I think this could go 2 ways...Either people will get so annoyed that there will be a mutiny and an intervention OR I hope everyone starts doing it. Anyone want to start a pool? On which way it will go and on which day? HEY! Great fund-raising idea!

Timeline change

Just an update for anyone who is interested in the Komoka PP morning ride. We are doing it SATURDAY, JUNE 23, 2007. Leaving my place at 8am( that's leaving so if you have to gear up...arrive early.) We will do breafast at the Park entrance and then hike. All going well, we will be back to my place by noon. Also, I think this will be a rain or shine event. Post or email if you want to join in so that we know who to expect and at what point(whether you want to cycle or just bring your breakfast to the park for the hike).
YIKES! Only 3 weeks to prepare myself!!!

A new month...A new goal

The beginng of June. If all goes as planned I will be starting the Sea To Sea ride in 392 days. That's the long-term goal but for now I need to focus on preparation. It was exactly a month ago that I submitted my intent to ride. My goal for May was to see if I could get up to 20kms a day..Done and exceeded.
My next goal is this- Bike out to Komoka Provincial Park(15kms), do my regular 3-5km hike, then bike home(15kms). I'm thinking that it is reasonable to do in 3-4 hours and I want the bike out to be at the same pace as the ride home. I don't usually like to announce my plan. If it doesn't work out, it's harder to fail publicly. But I want to be accountable and encouraged and this is the only way to do that. George has already offered to do it with me( I'm not in this alone) And I will send out the invitation to anyone else who wants to trek along. The date-Saturday, June 30. Leaving my place at 8am. Let's see how we do. If you want to drive out and just join us for the hiking part...that's great. Go to the entrance off of Gideon drive. We should be there before 9am.