Cat calls, sand dunes, and winds

***Pardon the typos! Writing this in a bit of a flurry and with limited internet access***

Jul 8

I left Tillamook bound for Beverly State Beach. The weather was great and fog had started to lift. The ride was gorgeous! Roads were relatively smooth and traffic wasn’t terrible….until I accidently missed the “Oregon Coastal Bike Route” sign and continued on the portion of the 101 sans shoulder and with high logging traffic. The scenery following Oretown turned from lovely bucolic to coastal views that were unlike anything I’d seen! Oregon is so unique and scenic. I ate lunch in Neskowin with an elderly couple, rehydrated in Lincoln City, and then plowed forward to the beach. I was STARVING when I arrived and ate all of the scraps of food I had in my bag and set up camp. I was exhausted, but decided to take a stroll to the beach, and HOLY COW! 

This is what I saw:

Oregon! 

Absolutely incredible.

At camp, I met a variety of people all delightfully quirky and great conversationalists:

*Jonathon, older guy who had biked the coast several times and knows everything about every pullout and campsite

*A father-and-two-son trio from Texas wearing matching wool jerseys and wind pants (I would die of heat)

*A couple who was hiking the coast (they later clarified they were hitchhiking)

*A woman from Seattle who works with Anika’s friend Jill with two folks from Fort Collins

*Jo biking from ARGENTINA to SEATTLE. Insane not only because of the distance but also because one hits a headwind the entire time.

Some of the coastal views!

Jul 9

The next day, I bid the beach adieu, allowed myself to sleep in a bit, and was bound for Jessie Honeymann State Park as my first option (60mi), but wanted to see if I could go further.  The ride was again beautiful. I left around 9:30am and decided I wanted to stop in Waldport, noticing they had a bike co-op. My disc brakes had been rubbing and making a funny noise. The bike was handling fine, but just wanted to be sure. MISTAKE!

The bike mechanic was incredibly nice and well-meaning, however, the entire stop took over 2 hours and I wasn’t able to get going until 2pm. After noon, the winds in Oregon pick up to crazy levels. I made the mistake of not eating during the break (didn’t realize it was going to be so long), so stopped and grabbed some calories in the next town and hustled. Unfortunately, in the process of identifying the problem, the mechanic changed a few things, and I discovered this as soon as I left. Determined to make progress, I kind of ignored it and pushed forward. My brakes were too touchy for my liking and my shifting, which I would find out on a significant and intense climb up to Seal Rock. Basically, my derailleur had been tweaked and my chain slipped whenever I was in a certain gear, causing me to lurch and lose purchase. I tried to fix it on a pullout at Seal Rock—I’m telling you, the wind must have been whipping easily at 35-40mph! The shoulder was essentially nonexistent, and with my lurching, I was rather tense.  I finished the ride, though, and found a VEGAN RESTAURANT in Freeport!! I felt like celebrating. I cruised into camp, which was about 3 miles away from the outskirts of town.

There were a few parties set up at camp and there was the usual banter between parties talking route, destinations, significant things of note, etc. At camp, a few people gave me advice on my derailleur issue, which seems to have been fixed, based on today’s ride.

Just as it was dark, another solo rider blonde gal came in! Soulmate! We connected instantly, and I’m hopeful we can run into each other again.

Jul 10: This morning, I woke up and explored the sand dunes just outside of camp. They were…. sandy! Cool, but not entirely exciting. Today, I didn’t reeeeaaaally have a destination in mind! I want to bed thinking about Sunset Beach State Park (~50 mi), but thought I could push further…. But also thought about all the work I’ve been neglecting (hello, online class). Ultimately, I didn't want to stress and as I went to bed told myself I’d figure it out as the day went on. I didn’t have a ton of breakfast food and was planning on stopping in the next town (Reedsport) for caffeine and food.

In Reedsport, I was doodling around looking at maps on my iPhone somewhat obsessively and weighing my options, I saw Crater Lake. My eyes perked up and I knew what the day was to hold. I biked another 20 miles to Coos Bay and headed to Enterprise. There was absolutely no WAY I could pass up the chance to go to Crater Lake. It’s one of the most classic and scenic rides in the US (the world, perhaps)? So, off I went, rental keys in hand bound for Roseburg for the night. I got a hotel for the night, which feels surprisingly nice: shower, bed, and a break from the traffic.

Also, to be honest, the traffic on the road has started to get to me. There’s the frightening wind currents generated by semis who also like to hug the shoulder line quite close; there’s the logging trucks with bark flying off unpredictably; there’s the noisy bros and in their respective trucks and motorcycles revving as loud as they can when they drive by; and then… my two least favorite traffic varieties: the cat calls shouted out at 60mph (terrifying) or the HONK-HONK-HONK of people thinking their being supportive (or clever) that scare the CRAP out of me and make me almost topple over each time. Le sigh. Anyway, the escape to Crater will be great, and the respite in this bed is also admittedly quite nice (though overpriced). I’m wondering what the weekend coastal traffic will be like… hope it won’t be terrible J

In any event, I can’t wait to see Crater Lake!

I also cannot express enough how grateful I am for the support everyone has given me on this ride! I’ve met some INCREDIBLY kind and amazing people (also a fair share of rude people, but no need to mention beyond that). THANK YOU for all the positive vibes, words of encouragement, and donations to the Challenged Athletes Foundation. All of this really means so much to me- more than I can express.

Sara

Fireworks, Mileage, and Tillamook!

Holy cannoli! I can’t believe my adventure is well underfoot! Such a beautiful whirlwind over the past few days has brought me here to Tillamook, Oregon. But, allow me to back up a bit and review the past few days.

WASHINGTON

July 4: Steve and I spent a wonderfully relaxed day in Boulder running errands and both preparing for our respective trips (Send Steve some good vibes as he flies out to Peru tonight!). I had a brief bout of nervousness and anxiety about my trip wondering what I was doing, but Steve gave me a great pep talk and I was reminded of how delightful it would be to get away and try something new.

Always hard to say goodbye to this guy! 

A fortuitous twist of fate brought me to a used hard bike case, which worked out excellent for flying. The flight was uneventful and my luggage wasn’t lost or damaged- what more could I ask for? Anika picked me up that evening and we were on our way as of 7:30pm. Good food and brews helped Anika, Dylan (Anika’s boyfriend), and I pack and prepare our bikes and luggage and we got to see some fireworks above the city. The Fourth of July is easily my favorite holiday—one with zero expectations other than laid back fun and food with family and friends.

Slight separation anxiety each time I need to part ways with this little lady

July 5: The next morning, we got going around 8am and Dylan generously dropped us off just outside of town. We followed the Seattle to Portland route (or STP, if you’re in the know). The STP ride takes place mid-July and we thankfully missed it by a week. The organized ride consists of about 10,000 people. Great to see so many getting after it—but nothing I necessarily want to be a part of!

The route is not fully straightforward to begin with, and we focused on navigating and getting used to the balance of our bikes with added weight. My setup is what other bike tourists call austere: I really have a streamlined set of gear with me, and just enough to get by comfortably and safely. 

Welp, here goes nothing....

Anika and I set out with a vague plan of getting to Yelm, WA and seeing how we felt. The ride was scenic and the weather, mellow. We had no issues with the bikes or the route (except for one minor miscalculation)… until we got to the 507. While not physically challenging, this 20-mile stretch provided no change in scenery: a ditch to the right, some trees to the left. No houses, no turns, no change. Mentally, we were going a bit insane. We were unable to chat to pass the time, as the shoulder was just wide enough for one. Eventually, however, we made it to Yelm, our tentative stopping point. In Yelm and uninspired by the Wal-Mart and the prospect of a beastly next 2 days, we decided to push on 30 miles  to Centralia (the halfway point between Seattle and Portland) and stayed at the Motel 6 and ate something at the local country friend restaurant in town. Our day ended up at about 92 miles in total.

AT sporting the yellow jersey. Fitting, as the TDF started July 5, too!

No more 507, yo.

Fried zucchini for all! Almost like eating a vegetable.

That night, we felt pretty good, but neither of us had spent a great deal of time in Portland and decided we’d like to explore the city moderately fresh. We took an Amtrak that morning from Centralia to Kelso/Longview and saved about 40 miles of our journey. The train was fun! We arrived at the station about 30 minutes prior to arrival and waited patiently. All hell broke loose as soon as the train came, for some reason, but we made it on with lots of laughs.

We departed the train and rode for about 4 miles before coming to the Lewis and Clark Bridge- a bridge with a steady climb and subsequent descent with a narrow shoulder. The STP route maps had warned us to take extreme caution and we started to get a little jittery about the bridge prior to crossing. It ultimately was fine, although there was a great deal of logging debris and other random shrapnel on the shoulder. Halfway across the bridge, we were in OREGON! My first time in this state I’ve heard so much about!

After waiting patiently in the quiet Amtrak station, the attendants all of a sudden told us we needed to RUN! and started tossing our luggage all over the place. Did we miss something....? #justmadeit

On cue, the last 100 yards of the Lewis and Clark Bridge traverse were christened with the rumbling closeness and cyclone of wind of a semi truck.

What-what. Getting closer! Hottest 48 miles ever.

OREGON

From here, we took the 30 to Portland. Our ride in total for the day was 60 miles of rolling hills through some serious HEAT! Our Nordic roots rendered us rather dehydrated the entire ride, and we took advantage of the many small town gas stations to refuel with little snacks and some electrolyte drank refills. We made it to Portland and stayed in a charming and inexpensive motel- the Viking- which was conveniently right by a rail station. We were able to do a bit of exploring of downtown, although we were pretty much ravenous and had our sites set on food, more so than any other city sites.

Earned. Cheers!

July 6: The next day, we took a rest day, much to the joy of our tushes, and took a look at what Portland had to offer. The day was filled with yummy food, coffee, and a fun yet rather long walking tour of the city. Our tour guide gave us tons of random tidbits about the city (its Stumptown origins, the rationale behind the layout of the city and its magnetic vs. true north orientation, the smallest city park in the world, info on buildings and statues such as Portlandia, and more). We ate at the smallest brewery in Portland, and I sent Anika off on her bus. It was sad to see my adventure companion leave, but it also marks the next leg of the journey.

Coffee, food, walking, and weirdness. Portland!

Portlandia!

5 steps into a 2hr 45min walking tour, Anika steps in gum. Classic.

Portland waterfront. Look familiar, Duluth friends? :)

In a twist of wonderful fate, I got into contact with an old and wonderful friend, Ben, who offered me a place to stay in Portland, as well as a ride (100+ miles of winding roads, low visibility, and a humongous climb) to the coast! Who could pass that up!? I was planning on taking an Amtrak to the coast to avoid the solo climb to stay safe, but this was a much more pleasant and fun way to travel! Ben and I met in middle school and have connected several times since then, generally in our hometown of Duluth, but now, Oregon! Ben is a PA in Tillamook and I was able to see his clinic and his new life. What a great friend!

Duluth kids in Tillamook! 

What an amazing host! A place to stay, a ride, AND coffee in a Duluth Pack mug! The best.

Ben’s incredibly generous offer for the ride has brought me to Tillamook where I’ll shortly get on the road on the 101 bound for my next destination south to Devil’s Lake State Park (41mi) or potentially Beverly State Beach (63mi), depending on the legs, weather and other factors. Stay tuned, and thanks so much for following my journey!

Pack-pack-pack pack it up!

Took my GRE yesterday, and now I can more fully invest myself into my trip and prep!

Now I'm a bit consumed with packing. I mean, what the heck do I bring on a 1,000-mile bike trip to places I've never been before? Is it going to rain? Snow? Be excruciatingly hot? Will I be able to run and hike when my butt gets too sore? What do I do with my bike + panniers when I'm not riding it?

Too many questions. Let's focus on packing!
I've backpacked tons, and I'm approaching this trip a bit how I would approach a backpacking trip, bringing a mixture of warm things, dry things, sleep things, and lots of spandex.
The great thing about a bike trip is that I have a bit more flexibility in what I bring and how I store it, and, as Steve brought up last night, I can always ride into town and buy what I don't have. Good thing I have an endless supply of cash. Right.

The bike:

The pretty girl at Mt Evans

Speacialized Tri-Cross Sport Disk
I spent a lot of time this spring looking at bikes and fiddled around with brakes, frame, handlebars, fit, price, and other things until I found juuuuust the right ride. This bike swept me off my feet when I first rode her. Here were my deal-breakers:
-Disk-brakes for any type of weather
-Fender mounts for the racks
-Aluminum frame to keep it light
-Comfortable fit and instant spark. She's one suave lady!

The bags:

Practice packing and taking inventory

Ortlieb: Back roller classic panniers
These will be the main cargo storage units. These will carry all my camping gear (MSR Hubba tent, Thermarest NeoAir Lite, Mont-Bell sleeping bag), clothing (rain gear, warm clothes), stove (knock-off JetBoil), computer + charger (I'm taking an online class- don't hate), running shoes, and flip flops

Novara: Gotham rack trunk
For all my bike tools, tire levers, Chamois Butt'r, maps (thanks to Adventure Cycling!), spare tubes, air cartridges, chain lube, and Vitamin I (aka- Ibuprofen).

Timbuk2: Goody Bento Box Top Tube Bag
Basically a snack box/hangry-buster and an iPhone holder keeping Cocogo, Energy Beans, Picky Bars, and Justin's Nut Butters. Yum!

Other randoms:

Nathan women's hydration pack, headphones, notebook and pen, two sundresses (my only change of clothes outside of bike and camp clothes), swimsuit, quick-dry towel, a wind shirt, and some bike layers (leg and arm warmers), and a picture of my man with some motivational phrases that keep me going:

I'll miss this guy tons and tons :)

Off to enjoy my last two days in Boulder!

Life Decisions and Lapidaries

Happy last day of June! When the heck did that happen?!

It's been a whirlwind of a spring, and I'm glad this trip is coming up sooner rather than later! Lots of details, changes, and life decisions to ponder. Interested? Read on!

Life Decision #1:

I delayed my departure by about 2 weeks so I could take the GRE, for which the preparations have been expectedly tedious, albeit secretly fun. I've already taken the test {some 5+ years prior} and am currently in a graduate program at CSU, but in order to get into a grad program I've been eyeing for 2015, I need to un-expire my scores {aka- take it again}.

Studying/exploring graduate programs that are not online has made my heart soar with motivation and inspiration of what my professional future might hold. In any event, I've spent my summer "break" memorizing the most random and underused words in the English language {such as rococo, which is a style unique to the 18th century and recognized by intricately ornate decoration; or my favorite; or jocular, which I assumed related to some unfortunate athletic-based rash in the nether-regions, but really refers to joviality, humor, and playfulness. Awww. Can't wait to use these in any future social context}, as well as re-learning the everyday skill of finding the area of special triangles. Good times.

It's natural to feel cupidity, avarice, or rapacity when you hear about my summer days.
They have been generously sponsored by Kaplan and Starbucks.

{Sidenote: I should also mention that this time has been really wonderful to spend with Steve and my Boulder friends and much less rushed than my intended June 19 departure.}

Life Decision #2: 

In addition to starting it later, I also shortened the end of my bike trip because an awesome opportunity to be a research assistant on a sea turtle project in the Caribbean came up. Hard to say no, eh? More on that in a few weeks.  Anyway, the bike trip will start in Seattle and end in San Francisco. When all is said and done, I will come in at about 1,000 miles-ish for the whole shebang.

I'm starting the trip with my beloved best friend, Anika. We have never had a successful time biking together, or in any endurance-based activity, for that matter, so I'm expecting the first few days to be nothing short of unforgettably fun, life-threatening, and hilarious {don't worry, Mom... I'm 1/2-kidding about life-threatening}.

Anika and I get so enamored with one another that we forget to take care of our basic needs {such as eating} and we end up hitting the wall, starving to the point of blurred vision and slurred speech, stumbling only half-upright into any door that looks like it may have sustenance behind it, clawing for the first available thing that looks edible enough yet typically lacks any real nutritional value {i.e.: lemons, red pepper flakes, oyster crackers, packets of artificial sweetener, gum under the table, etc.}, and shoving it as close to our oral cavities as our impaired dexterity will allow. This scenario seems hyperbolic, but indeed, it's not and has happened more than once. West Coast, stock your condiments. Sara and Anika are coming for you!

If you don't know Anika... here she is! My partner in endurance and unintentional VO2-max.
{From L to R}: Record-shattering 5k • Anika after she got her hair-did • Throwback to age... 18 (?) judging by the facial baby fats.

To Recap:

Trip: Seattle to San Fran

Dates: July 4-25

Anika. Fun.

General Life Reflections: 

With some logistics out of the way, we can move on to the mushy stuff!
I'm pumped to have my bestie with me to send me off, and I'm truthfully equally pumped to be alone for almost 3 weeks. This trip more and more is becoming something I look to as a symbolic ride (cue mushy coming-of-age music; does that exist? Avril Lavigne is probs the closest thing.).

Flyin' solo!?
Just think of all the pensive sky-background selfies I can take in 3 weeks!

I'm not really looking to "find myself," but I am looking to mature and build some confidence into this aging soul of mine. Recently, I've realized I rely on people a lot-- not necessarily for money, drugs, or crap like that, but rather for my own energy. When people around me are happy, I'm excited! When I'm with people who couldn't give two poops, I feel lachrymose and lugubrious (hello, GRE). I'm fairly extroverted, so in some ways, this social energy transfer makes sense. I generally enjoy being around people and find my energy from connecting and learning from others. But, I want to rely on myself for my energy, my happiness, my {fill-in-the-intrinsic-value-blanks}. I want to trust that I can be in charge of how I feel and that my confidence comes from me-- not my students, not my friend, not my manfriend {but gosh, he's wonderful, nonetheless}, not my boss. All of those people are great, sure, but I'm ready to take the reins and balance my emotional spectrum a bit.

And you know what? NOBODY shows the heart and internal drive I'm talking about better than athletes. Outside of my own selfish desires to know thyself, this ride is a fundraiser for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. These are athletes who practice what I'm trying to preach myself: self-confidence, perseverance, and relentless forward progress. Totally inspiring organization, and I would love for you to read about their cause and even donate a few dollars {or a thousand} on behalf of this ride.

I've got a fundraiser page you can check out here: Sara's Fundraising Page!!
Right now, I'm #11 for amount of money raised for CAF's Ride for a Reason campaign. Make me #1?  I'm sending a personalized postcard to every person who donates!

Photo stolen from Challenged Athletes Foundation Website

This trip will rock!
I have close to zero expectations for it, other than what will be will be.
Packing has begun.
Re-packing is my weekend plan.

Packing, taking inventory, testing out the weight, spending money like I have it...
Look at that BEAUTY to the right!! She's going to be in love with the West Coast.

And speaking of preparing, you might be wondering about training?
My training has been.... non-traditional, I would say. I get so excited about Colorado mountains that truthfully, I've spent more time on foot the last couple of weeks hoofing it to scenic high-altitude vistas outside of my daily bike commute. I'm {perhaps foolishly} not worried about the endurance needed for a 3-week ride. But, while perhaps I could have been preparing my {already enormous} calves more, I have spent time with beautiful people in beautiful landscapes, and that's not to be regretted. Here's a smattering of moments from my iPhone:

Colorado summer highlights:
Chautauqua, BOLDERBoulder, Climbing, Biking, Mountains, Trail Running, Piggy-Backs, Jumps for Joy

With respect to my trip, my butt will probably be sore the first few days, but my itinerary, inspired by "Crazy Guy on a Bike," will be manageable.  It will {maybe} look something like this schedule below:

- Days 1-3: Seattle to Portland, OR
- Portland to Seaside, OR {via bus. rest day/recuperate from lack of Anika in my life}
- OR Seaside to Cape Lookout
- OR Cape Lookout to Beverly Beach 57 miles
- OR Beverly Beach to Jesse Honeyman 60 miles
- OR Jesse Honeyman to Sunset 55 miles
- OR Sunset to Humbug 57 miles
- OR - CA Humbug to Harris Beach 56 miles
- CA Harris Beach to Elk Praire 70 miles
- CA Elk Prarie to Eureka 46 miles
- CA Eureka to Marine Club Grove 51 miles
- CA Marine to Standish Hickey 48 miles
- CA Standish to Mackerriker 39 miles
- CA Mackerricker to Manchester 42 miles
- CA Manachester to Bodega Bay 65 miles
- CA Bodega to Golden Gate


I'll update my packing list and some other details. Thanks for taking time to read!!

-S


What's your summer been like?

Will you be anywhere from WA to CA this summer? 

Want to meet up? Let's connect!

What motivates you?

Though it may seem the poor lil' blog has been neglected, the truth is, it's not. I love it and often think about what I could write. Steve recently asked why I hadn't been writing more entries in this, and I told him that truthfully, I'm not sure I have anything important to report with respect to training or trip plans. I also said my training might be boring to write about. Steve, that gem of a man, then asked me what I enjoy reading in others' blogs.

Steve and I on a sunset ride. The perfect date night! This guy always motivates me!

I thought for a second and realized what I love, love reading about is…. others' training plans and progress. Of course!  {What a wise manfriend I have.}

But reading about others' sweaty times-- how is that enticing? Training blogs motivate me and get me excited! Even though I don't know the people I'm reading about personally, their stories pump me up, and I find myself getting excited for them!  Instagram accounts do the same thing for me.


So today, I'd love to share a snippet of my training so far. Maybe you'll be inspired, or maybe you'll just be entertained. Maybe you even have some advice. I'd love to hear it!

Training:
My training might seem a bit different than you'd expect for this bike trip. This is partially intentional… and partially because I live in Boulder amongst many a super-athlete, and outdoor pursuits and endurance events are somewhat of the norm.  Today, I'll talk about my goals in training.

Some of my training goals: 

Yes, Runners World, I do run {and bike} for joy!

• Enjoyment. If I'm not having fun (Type 2 fun is included), something's wrong. If I'm getting too worked up about my training, I can get frustrated and feel defeated. Training is tough, for sure, but if it gets to the point where there is no fun, what's the point?

Running in a bike training plan? But… this is Boulder! Of course it works!

• Balance. As mentioned earlier, I live in Boulder. It's not uncommon for one to ski, run, bike, swim, climb, kayak, stand-up paddle board, practice yoga, strength train, ice climb, mountaineer, etc. all in one season {not a joke!}. I adore my community here. Sometimes I get easily distracted with my goals and just do what I find joy in rather than following a strict training plan. Right now, I've come down with a case of the running bug, as well as the triathlon bug. I'm also a climbing enthusiast. My weekly routine consists of running, climbing, biking, and swimming.  I also love the outdoors and throw in a hike or XC ski here and there as needed (Mother Nature=best therapy).

Keeping afloat: always important.

• Avoid injuries. I'm trying to build a solid foundation athletically, in what I eat, and in my state of mind. Participating in somewhat of a wide spectrum of athletic pursuits can put the body into distress, and injury can become common. Because I'm not really willing to give up an activity for another, I'm training as smart as I can within each realm. With running, I stick to the trails and make sure to stretch and foam roll. With biking, I train on roads and on the trainer at the gym and mix up distance with sprints, hills, and intervals. With swimming, I push myself. With climbing, I make sure I have a great attitude. I'm also working on some strength training for the "sideways" parts of my body (i.e.: obliques, IT band, quads, hip flexors, core, lower back, etc.). Since my ride will consist of a lot of forward motion, I'm trying to build a strong foundation to support it. {If any physiologists are reading this, I apologize for the rudimentary explanation.}

Test your mental limits: climb some walls!

• Mental training. What? Who cares? I do! And you might like to care, too. Mental stamina is key for me to push myself to my limits. In spin class the other day, the instructor took us on 15-minute hill climb repeats with low RPMs and high wattage. It was painful physically, for sure, but mentally it was just as hard if not harder. She was incredibly motivational and talked about how training your mind is just as important as training your body during endurance events. I wholeheartedly believe this, and I know that in addition to the physical benefits I get from biking, running, swimming, and climbing, the mental parts are even more valuable. With biking, I get a rush from crushing a hard workout and making it to the top of a climb. Running provides me with mental stamina and helps me avoid getting bored with a repetitive activity. Swimming is all me-- no music, no conversation-- and it helps me practice my positive internal dialogue. Climbing allows me to practice my reaction to stress and helps me foster a calm demeanor amongst scary times.

My training regime: 

Right now, I'm balancing my activities and trying to keep everything fun. I'll certainly bump up the riding and hard training days in the weeks to come. This is a snapshot from the past few weeks of my training.

My typical week looks a bit like this, give or take a workout here and there (or a hike or a ski or hike or social event):

The great outdoors: the best combo for mental and physical training

Monday & Wednesday
(AM): Core work
(PM): Master's Swim workout at my gym (somewhere between 1500-2200m with a variety of intervals, sprints, and drills)
Strength Train

Tuesday & Thursday
(AM): Spin Class 
(PM): Run or Climb

Friday  
(AM): Sleep in or core
(PM): Spin Class

Saturday 
(AM): Master's Swim workout at my gym
(PM): Long Run and/or Climb

Sunday (AM or PM): Long Ride

Home Sweet Home! Love where I live.

---------

There aren't any rest days necessarily that I've included, but this is not an exact recording of my workouts. I should also note that this is my training plan I developed and that I'm not a doctor, health professional, personal trainer, or any other fancy title. If you want to start a training plan, find one that works for you {read: please don't sue me if you get hurt doing what I do}.

There you have it! Some routines, some dreams, and some things in between.

I'd love hear from you:
What gets you out the door?

What motivates you?


Please visit my personal fundraising page for the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF). I'm working towards raising $5 per mile I bike! Help a fantastic organization. All donors will receive a personalized postcard from me along the way, as well as s special shout-out on Facebook and on my blog!

1,852 miles on grass? Plant-based nutrition part 1 (of an indefinite series)

Feeling in the zone around mile 7 of 26.2!
Photo courtesy of Glen Delman photography and Gemini Adventures.

Last year, I ran my first marathon, the Desert R.A.T.S.marathon in Fruita, Colorado. Until then, the marathon was probably the most physically demanding event I had ever participated in. I learned tons during this race, mainly due to an inappropriate training plan I concocted, which incorporated a ton of distance but not a great deal of speedwork or hill workouts {a regret my quads and calves came to recognize around Mile 6}. 

Scott Jurek- Minnesotan, ultrarunner, vegan... how amazing could one man be?
He also writes a book that reads like a dream and makes you feel like his best friend.
Photo courtesy of Jurek's website.

While my training plan left something to be desired {mainly the ability to walk upright}, one part of my training plan lent itself to fantastic return on investment: reading some incredibly influential books, including Eat and Run by Scott Jurek.

Photo courtesy of you-run.com

I was initially turned onto this book because I recognized Scott from Christopher McDougall’s book Born to Run. I somehow stumbled across Eat and Run in a Barnes and Noble and figured it was worth a shot. One sitting later, I had read the whole thing cover to cover and obsessively told everyone I knew that they absolutely must read this book. To put it hyperbolically simple, I loved Eat and Run. Here’s why:

Jurek's book made me nostalgic for my roots and where I learned to love running:
Home sweet home in Duluth, Minnesota.

My initial intrigue was Jurek’s personal story, which seemed so familiar that I'm convinced we lived parallel lives just a few years apart {minus that detail of me being one of the most amazing ultrarunners of all time}. Jurek grew up in Proctor, Minnesota and in his book, spoke extensively about my rival high school, Duluth East HighSchool {Go, Greyhounds!} and all of the accompanying idiosyncrasies that characterize the cake-eaters, especially in running and skiing races.  Jurek’s journey and exploration of Duluth through his young adulthood were reminiscent of my own: running taught him discipline and helped shape his values. From a Northlander's perspective, his book was especially relatable with his mentions of many a local Duluth staple, most notably Positively 3^rd Street Bakery, the NordicTrack store at the Miller Hill Mall {{rest in peace}}, and the June race that has an equal chance of snow or 100-degree temps, Grandma's Marathon. I was captivated by his life story I swore I had also lived myself.

{Sidenote: Besides our parallel lives in the Northland, Jurek now finds himself calling Boulder home; as do I—total coincidence. Our paths have crossed but once in Leadville just before the 100. I was mountain biking and timidly making my way downhill. I saw Jurek and accidentally cut him off on the trail because I was starstruck. All I could muster was a, “Uhhhh, sorry!” as he nimbly ran by, unphased but possibly a little annoyed by the pigtailed junkshow he had to step over in order to continue his run}.

Food is beautiful fuel!

Beyond the conjured nostalgia, I was also intrigued by Jurek’s personal health story. Jurek went into great depth about his journey into plant-based nutrition. Once a junk food junkie, Jurek extensively researched and personally experimented with plant-based nutrition and its effects on his own athletic performance as he became a rising ultrarunner. Jurek’s story is inspirational on a variety of levels, and his experience, while perhaps superhuman, is actually quite relatable. Jurek credits his success in ultrarunning to his body’s ability to endure and recover efficiently, thanks to his plant-based diet. His emphasis on the recovery process and making deliberate choices about nutrition and viewing fuel as a long-term investment was inspiring.

Some favorite green concoctions!

From a scientific perspective, I knew a plant-based diet made the most sense for the human body in order to maximize nutritional intake, athletic performance, and recovery {a physiological hat trick!}. After reading the book, I conducted a bit of research on my own in this realm and started to make basic substitutions. Slowly and perhaps unconsciously, I moved in a direction of eating a fully plant-based diet. I never had it in my head that I must become a vegan {and in fact, I just prefer to say “plant-based”; it removes the stigma and focuses on what you are eating—real food, not substitutes, derived from plants}. If anything, I resisted the call of the vegan, or plant-based, realm thinking it wasn't for me... at least not yet. But, I started to make simple and deliberate changes in my own cooking and thought critically about what I was eating and more importantly, why. Really, I started to listen to my body’s needs and started prioritizing the investment of food.

The more I learned about food, the more I fell in love with it.
Blogs like Chocolate Covered Katie, Oh She Glows, and Tone It Up gave me recipe inspiration and made food fun!

For example, I never really cared for milk to begin with. It’s kind of a Russell thing—no one in my family drinks milk except for with cereal {actually, I'm pretty sure my brother and mom just eat it dry}. Swapping skim for almond or soy in all coffee, cereal, and any other baking endeavors? No problem. When it came time for meals, I started making simple choices. Do I need cheese or sour cream? Not really, and in fact, avacado rocks the socks off of these flavor-wise! Do you really need to cook with eggs? Actually, bananas, flaxseed, black beans, avocado, and coconut do pretty much all of that. An amazingly influential blog {Chocolate Covered Katie} introduced me to these simple and delicious substitutions. Subbing healthier plant-based items helped me dive into plant-based lifestyle with ease. I found myself more energized, happier, and less sore despite more exercise. I was hooked!

Some of my favorite home-run plant-based meals.
(Left): Black bean, sweet potato, wild rice, and collard green burrito with pineapple mango salsa and guac
(Right): Curried lentil soup with tofu, chives, and brown rice

Noticing positive results in my overall well-being, I opted to start eating more whole foods {not the store, although that seems to be where the bulk of my paycheck goes each month...}. Rather than pasta or heavy sandwiches, I ate whole grains as my “base” and found that if I had these midday versus for dinner, I could maximize my energy and focus. Eat great, feel great- a winning combo!  For mid-day meals, I started to meal prep for the week and combined dark leafy greens, seeds or nuts, some type of fruit, and a boatload of veggies. Along this transition from omnivore to plant-based, I still indulged in smoked fish or goat cheese or even {gasp} butter from time to time, and didn’t really think about it. It was never a “goal” to become fully plant-based and I never thought of myself as a vegan. Like Jurek, I just listened to my body and did what gave me the most energy… and when I wasn’t in charge of making food choices, I was flexible.

Take a number, ladies! This plant-based fella is all mine :)

What really pushed me from 90% plant-based to full-blown vegan was meeting Steve. Steve is wonderful for so many reasons, but one thing I admire about him most is his scientific and artful approach to eating. Steve loves food, and he is also very calculated about his eating habits. Steve has been fully plant-based for about 4 years and made the choice initially in part for his personal well-being, specifically to maximize his health and maximize his performance as an athlete. Steve is good at literally everything, but would probably identify himself as a climber, mountaineer, and triathlete.  Nowadays, he would say that eating vegan is also a way of living his commitment to the environment as well as animals.

You're vegans? So... you eat flowers and stuff...?

Together, Steve and I have so much fun with food! We love experimenting with new flavor combinations, ways to make sauces or spreads, as well fun aesthetics in every dish. Plant-based diets afford so much in the realm of creativity and making truly beautiful dishes. Being plant-based need not be limiting! 

While this blog will be primarily about my ride, fuel is an important part of my journey everyday and I wanted to give a bit of background on my own food style. Plant-based is my own choice, and probably isn't for everyone {just like My Little Pony probably isn't for everyone}-- and that's just fine! I love, love, love food and will be posting lots of fun recipes as they relate to nutrition in training and on my ride. Let me know what you think!

What are some of your favorite foods? 

What's your food story?