Registration 9000 deep, a lot of cyclists in one place.
Vendors all over the place.
Can I get some free swag.
Crit racing is not for the faint of heart.
Aide stations are like paradise when it’s 90 windy, and humid.
SRAM supports March of Dimes.
The Finish Line
It’s been a light week on 2 wheels, and I hope the inactivity helps the tired legs. I can see it now…”babe, I need a hyperbaric chamber” followed by crickets.
It’s a good week…doing a lot of visualization and practicing my different chants (it’s pain, not death; heroes show up; fail today, you’ll fail tomorrow, etc).
Most of the folks who are riding HHH can’t wait to grab a cold one at the end…I may need to line-up shots Saturday night. Tired legs, congested mind, sore neck…I think I’m ready.
Being lost would be a better option
Hit the wall, and any other term that describes one of the worst physical experiences you can have on the bike. It all started on Wednesday of last week. For a myriad of reasons, I didn’t do an adequate carb load and I tried to cut corners.
Next, I did not have a big breakfast the morning of my ride. But my goals for the day were minor…all I wanted were miles on my legs. No pace goal, no time. BIG mistake #135 on the year. I rode with a group from Lone Star Cyclists. A modest bunch, most a lil’ older but a good mix of abilities and years riding.
I felt comfortable riding with the group, but there were signs early on that this weeks experience would be different than last weeks endeavor with the group.
Outbound, the route was okay…not so much coming back. Hills…steep hills, big hills long hills, and small rolling hills. It was a beautiful day and the temp behaved. I wanted to show the group I was no slacker, so with the legs feeling good I took some nice long pulls, chatted with enthusiasm, and helped another rider out with a dropped chain AND stayed at the groups pace.
The hills for me made the difference. Thinking too much, caring too much, and not paying attention was a recipe for disaster…I bonked 12 miles from the finish. I also discovered there’s a difference between being dropped and being left. I’m okay with any group or individual riding off because I can’t keep pace. But if I’m suffering, sick, and keep falling further behind maybe someone could hang back to make sure there’s a last man standing.
I know I’ll get flack and people will say “hey, that’s cycling”, but no it’s not, and telling a stranger in a car to look out for a big guy on a bike only adds insult to injury. I was delirious enough that I don’t remember the last 3 or 4 miles and I’m fortunate it was a straight shot to get back. All the Tuesday training sessions screaming don’t stop, don’t stop crept into my subconscious and helped me get home.
I created the situation and accept that I didn’t do myself any favors. Cyclists don’t ride with one another to chaperon, babysit, or hold hands. But what if I were a less experienced rider, or had some ailment, or had very poor conditioning. If 8 folks think it’s cool to leave someone who’s in bad shape because they want to “get back”, I’m happy to say I’ll never ride with them again!!!
Five years ago my son, Shiloh Stone Maxwell Adams passed away when he was six months old from complications of being born prematurely. My life changed forever, but the experience led to try and understand premature births…what causes it and if they could be prevented. I discovered that although we may never defeat pre-term births, there are things we could do to give a family the best possible chance to reach a full term. Unfortunately, one of the most prevailing causes can’t be avoided for many folks living in the U.S., which is being born African American.
4 million babies are born in the U.S. each year and of that 4 million, 1 out of 8 will be born premature. For African Americans, it’s 1 out of 4. Truth is, African American women are at the highest risk followed by Hispanic women.
The race factor is troubling, and to be fair, women in general who are obese, suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, or stress are in the cross-hairs. HOWEVER, you don’t have to do a lot of reading these days to realize there’s an obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stress crisis in the African American community, and health issues are as common as a preacher searching for an amen. The fact of the matter is that, WE are killing our babies or at the bare minimum limiting their potential because research shows babies born preterm suffer a higher incidence of mental illness, obesity, heart problems, and diabetes, thus the cycle is not broken for some, and you end up dying nonetheless.
For women of child bearing age, please wake-up and realize your health is bigger than you (pun intended). For everyone else, think of it like this…”you may only need 2 to make a kid, but it takes a community to raise a kid” and you have to be here to be part of the community.
I’m in the home stretch of closing in on my goal. This past weekend was another training ride. Neither Saturday or Sunday went as planned mileage wise. But Saturday was better than Sunday.
It was 86 degrees when we started @ 730 a.m. I tagged along with the Lone Star Cyclists, but the ride leaders were a group of guys I occasionally ride with. In a word, the ride profile was tough. It was a cyclists trifecta for hell…lots of climbing; heat; high winds.
On top of that, we got lost. It’s no fun trying to find your way back, when everything is working against you. The only thing we didn’t encounter on Saturday was rain, and we ran into it on Sunday, a thunderstorm of all things.
Someone once told me “you don’t learn about yourself during adversity, you validate who you are”. I thought about that a lot this past weekend because there were times I wanted to stop riding, pack it up and go home. 70 miles in 100 degree weather is not dun, and I’m certain 100 miles in 100+ degrees is worst.
After spending the week on the west coast, I may have bitten off more than I needed, but I needed to chew on that miserable wood. I kept riding, and I rode on Sunday and today. My legs are cursing me out, my lungs are hungover, and my mind is a little foggy. But I’m inching closer to the end, which ultimately is the beginning.
The plan is to ride tomorrow but right now my focus is a clean meal, followed by some quality sleep, and with any luck, a good recovery.
And there’s so little time to do it. Heading back to Dallas after spending a week in Spokane. The time off the bike was good, but since I’m playing catch-up with my training, I really didn’t need the break.
Oh well, you do what you can with what you have. Spokane was cool, big cycling city, but Washington is a huge cycling state. I loved watching the roadies and drivers share the city street. I didn’t get a chance to drop in an LBS, but perhaps that was a good thing.
Game plan this weekend is to ride 75 & 60 in consecutive days. I’m on target physically, but the mental side needs work. Fighting doubt and pain at the same time simply doesn’t work. I’m seeing a specialist next in hopes of determining what’s wrong and how dangerous it may be to do the century @ my preferred pace.
Heat acclimation has gone well, and although I would not advocate hanging outdoors in 100+ weather …i’ll be better for it @ HHH in 110 degree heat. I’m going to try negative splits this weekend to see if i’ll be able to stay on a 10 mile 30 min pace. I’ll try 15 & 30 before 30 & 60.
Shiloh is on the forefront of my mind and I have to meditate on the words “whatever it takes”. I can’t say this campaign has rolled the way I thought it would, and i never would’ve imagined I’d get sick and then struggle to recover with some strange ailment.
This weekend is about 75 and then 60 anything else can wait. It’s so fresh to be home!!!
The greatest memories in your life are produced. You can awaken with purpose ready to tackle the day with a grand plan and be happy. But to roll out the bed with 1 edict, 1 rule which says “nothing will get in my way”.
It’s a different mindset because you are in essence saying I’m going to ride the rhythm of the day which allows you the best opportunity to stay in the moment. Since the energy you push out is the energy you receive, it’s important to approach the day seeking balance and balance comes best when improvised.
I set out today hell bent on riding hard, painful miles. I wanted to ride solo, but be around other cyclists. So i got up at 4 and drove 2 hours to ride the “tour de paris”. 70 miles, rolling hills, a couple killer climbs, temp 103. There was some suffering, but needed that, it’s like flushing a cerebral line.
After grabbing a bite and chatting it up with folks from all over I head back home for some R&R. Why is there bumper to bumper traffic on a Saturday? After finally getting home, the kiddo is looking for an audience…dad eventually loads his broken down body into the car and me and the baby go looking for adventure. We have a great time and make it home on time for a bath and bedtime.
I’m insanely exhausted, legs and hands hurt (thank you chip seal), 3 shades darker than yesterday, but it was a great day, and I’m thankful that my only goal today was to not let anything get in the way!
I came across a great article and wanted to share…enjoy!
Three weeks ago I picked up a copy of Muscle & Fitness Hers and planned to commit myself to 4 weeks of hard core diet and training. Unfortunately, it’s now three weeks later and I am not even sure where I put the magazine. My goal was to tighten up and take a few pounds off before attending the Arnold as a spectator. This will be my first time attending as a non-competitor. For the past 3 consecutive years, I’ve been on the Arnold stage and committed myself to some pretty brutal training and dieting regimens. People and spectators at the show will see me and possibly not recognize me! I am normally 15 lbs lighter and at my best conditioning ever. So, when I picked up the magazine and checked out the workout and diet, I thought, “This will be an easy fix and get me back on track.” Well…..the reality is, not so much.
Yes, IFBB Fitness Pro Nicole Duncan is admitting to diet failure. That’s right. You heard me. I’ve failed. So many people, especially pros, are afraid to admit failing at something that they are supposed to be a “pro” at doing. Yes, my clients, family and friends all think I look great now as is (thank God for them!) but I know I should do better. For me, being better means having energy throughout the day, feeling agile, keeping up cardio vascular endurance and being of sound mind. I am the happy, energetic, productive me that I want to be when I have all those things in tact.
So, back to the diet failure. If you have tried over and over to diet or have gone through any sort of nutrition change, you may have felt shame or felt the pressure of staying on the diet. The real problem is usually that you haven’t gotten enough sleep, you aren’t getting enough calories or the right nutrients, or that you feel stress on your job or in your home life. It’s difficult to see that this is happening to yourself because you are not usually your main focus or priority. The truth of the matter is that if you don’t start paying attention to the basics you need, such as sleep, food and peace of mind, you will not be around to take care of all the people and/or responsibilities in your life.
As a competitor, I feel the stress and pressure of placing well at the shows. There is so much talk, gossip and ridicule through social media that even I snatch the nearest comfort food thinking that I NEED just one bite and I will miraculously feel so much better. We let outside influences poison our thoughts and then we treat ourselves horribly by stress eating. Instead of loving our bodies with good foods and letting ourselves get excited about the little improvements we are making, we let ourselves believe the negative things. Once you start thinking negative thoughts you start internalizing it. I’m too fat. I’m too tired. I have too much to do. The exercise is too hard. I can’t afford the training. I will never be skinny enough, smart enough, pretty enough or good enough. You of all people should not tell yourself this crap! Some of the richest people in the world came from nothing and some of the fittest people in the world used to be fat. They made a choice to believe in themselves.
I may have failed on THIS diet, but I am NOT a failure! So many of you take it way too far. You say to yourself, “Oh well, I took a bite now my whole week is down the drain” or “I am so fat already what’s another few pounds gonna hurt”. This is a terrible way of thinking!!!! Now you need a counselor and not a trainer or diet program! Until you personally commit to the idea that you ARE worth it and that you DESERVE to look and feel better about yourself, you won’t do it. Mr. Lee Haney, 8X Mr. Olympia always says be careful what you let your eyes see, your ears hear and what you you put in your mouth (or something similar). What he is saying is that you’ve got to protect yourself and be mindful of what you let poison your outlook on life and in particularly yourself. You make the difference.
Well, knowing that you should do better and doing better are two different things. Here are some tips to help you SUCCEED at your NUTRITION (not diet) plan.
1. Acknowledge your stressful times. Figure out the time of the day that you feel most stressed. Set a timer on your cell phone or work computer with a note to remind you to acknowledge this time of day.
2. Set yourself up for success. Besides packing your lunch for the day, you should stash healthy alternatives everywhere! Think of the places you are the most whether it’s your car, work or home and hide healthy snacks like almonds, raisins, apples, protein bars, etc. If you have a gym bag or purse you can always keep a small shaker and a Ziploc back of OhYeah! Total Protein System handy. Just add water and you are set!
3. Take baby steps. I am a trainer and I live an active lifestyle with healthy food choices. I took a break from hard core dieting to give my body a break. By committing myself to a diet due to what others may think of me in public, I was creating a pressured, stressful situation for myself. Now that I am focusing on making healthy choices and effective exercise, I already look and feel better. The next time I pick up a strict diet it’s going to be because of a goal that I have for myself and not what others think of me.
4. Confess your sins while dieting. There have been a couple of times when I have confessed to a fellow competitor and realized that she was doing worse than me. It naturally made me want to do better. I was upset that she was sabotaging herself but somehow felt better about my mishap. I also try to make notes of the times that I allow myself a cheat meal or snack. If you are not careful, you will reward yourself a little too much. I prefer a Sunday meal with family as my reward for doing well throughout the week.
5. Nix the negativity!!!! I train harder and diet better when I am positive and HAPPY! When I am stressed I over-eat and when I am sad or depressed I don’t like to eat at all. Both are BAD! Reading something positive, listening to a great song or saying a quick sincere prayer can help you snap out of it. If you are where you can get some cardio, walk or run it off. The exhaustion will help you push it away. Now matter what you have to do SNAP OUT OF IT!
6. Take a deep breathe and give yourself a moment to clear your head. Sometimes you just need to stop even if it’s only for one minute. With the pressures of life, we find ourselves always on the go. We are thinking various thoughts a mile a minute. Sometimes you just need to stop and clear your head. Some of us are so in our head that we aren’t even aware of our surroundings.
Lastly, commit to changing what’s on the inside and you will automatically improve what you see on the outside. Good luck on your next nutrition efforts!
IFBB Fitness Pro Nicole Duncan
Wonderful outcomes are as likely as tragic ones. So why not escape over thinking and mental paralysis by living what is instead of with should.
Me & the Mrs. took part in the Head for the Hills bike rally this past weekend. It felt great to wake-up and drive 10 mins to roll-out. This by far has always been one of the best rides in N Texas, although someone was asleep at the wheel this year. There was a downpour the night before the ride and Viv was like “hell no” I’m not riding if it’s raining.
Short version: it did not rain at the start, sour note: it rained in the middle, funny moment: Viv on a bike soaking wet. The rain was insane, but not the “damn, james” moment of the day. We basically ate up 8 miles and 20 min when the volunteers pointed the lead group in the wrong direction…the entire peloton got screwed and the confusion that ensued was like a scene out of a movie…hundreds of people stopped pulling out maps. The rain came some 2 hours later.
Oh, I forgot to mention, i almost crashed on rain-soaked roads, (I’ll save it for another day). Head for the Hills reminded me that the amazing thing about living is that every second is special for its own reason. It’s so easy to fast forward life and arbitrarily assign value to something or someone instead of simply appreciating what’s special about the experience. I had fun riding in the rain. It took me back to my childhood when each day centered around simple and innocent fun.
I’ve discovered that it’s the act of getting from one side of the river bank to the other that motivates you to survive. It’s nice to say I’ll figure it out, but you can’t get to step 2 until you attempt step 1.
I once heard that real mindfulness is attention to…a respectful awareness of…it’s crafting the ability to not judge, like, or hate. As crazy as it sounds, you simply roll, which is what we did at Head for the Hills. Why judge the start, weather, or distance when the gift came wrapped in freedom. A lil’ shower, a lil’ lost, a lil’ isolation, a lil’ fellowship…and a damn good day!
iride4shiloh
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