Running between the Storms.

Southern California is having a drought...no that is not breaking news and rain seems like something that only happens once or twice a year...so it is was with great hype the announcement of a storm system which would create havoc to the high burn areas here in  our local Foothills......Wet roads..mmm no cycling but running would pique my interest 

Tarrah and I at mile 5

 So when I saw a text message of a runner training for Angeles Crest 100 wanting some running buddies on the trails I said yup, I am slow but I would love to go! Rain or Shine the commitment was made.

Tarrah flies over the water!

I just plod straight though it!

Running after a much needed down pour was a cool experience we slipped and tripped, we saw amazing views we were the only ones on the trail! 

When you go down to the woods today......yup Bear print freshly minted!

Killer Tree ....Killer Runner

The Sun is coming out!

 





























So by the end of the run we had started in rain and ended in Sunshine, I had made a new trail running friend seen a bear print and 3 deers, got soaking wet saw some awesome views and was done and dusted by 8.30am! Good productive start to the day! Thanks Tarrah for the invite and you will be so ready for AC100.
Below is a link to my RC3 GPS Data.

Felt like I was in Hobbit Land!

Recovery after every training effort.

https://www.polarpersonaltrainer.com/user/calendar/item/analyze.ftl?id=251100617&r

Training Versus Racing....

I really believe there is a time and place for every thing, and then there is just common sense. Yesterday I went out for my first long training ride with lots of climbing....and yup was a little disappointed to see 3 different incidents which could have easily changed to fatalities given a different hand of fate.

started my morning right !!!

As soon as I headed out of the door on to the open road I felt happy I was going to challenge myself to an awesome day of climbing my goal was Crystal Lake but I would be happy with the second gate and do plan B the Monrovia loop....

Incident number one. 
As I was headed to the canyons I had a cyclist fly past me at a stop sign, as I started up again I nearly caught him and he blew the second stop sign, then the thing that really got me was when he blew through a red light....angry I shouted what an idiot, he acknowledged that he heard me as he turned his head..and guess what ear phones in both ears...nuff said but he is the reason drivers get angry at cyclists who obey the rules of the road......
NOW in competition, that is different, the road hopefully would have a rolling enclosure or be closed to traffic with law enforcement at these junctions.....but it is a training ride....open road ..rules of the road....


As I was heading up Azusa Canyon road which is a pretty climb with some blind corners which leads me to

INCIDENT Number TWO
As I was going up the climb imagine my surprise to see a runner ..yes a runner running with traffic down the road with NO SHOULDER and blind corners to traffic, I shouted to him to run against the traffic it was suicidal to run with traffic on this road but he looked at me as I was talking hebrew...

IN Competition we do not have to share a road with traffic it would be coned off...this runner could easily have chosen a mountain trail or gone to Bonelli Park, but he chose to play with the cars and motorbikes today totally not smart....

I finally found a new friend to cycle with to Crystal Lake, it is always better to share the pain of this beautiful climb with another cyclist than duke it out alone!

my new cycling friend Alex after gate number two...

The THIRD Incident 

this happened as we were climbing up a rather steep section of this hill.....and very little traffic glorious day and a cyclist is descending and a car over takes the cyclist and the double yellow line and I am now looking at the front of the car approaching my line to ride, I quickly jump into the gutter to avoid being hit....really a DOUBLE yellow line hello I am a cyclist obeying the rules!!!

The rest of the ride was perfect. At some point I thought I am going to turn back this is a long day in the saddle, with only 8 miles to go....then I thought of the last 10 miles of Ultraman Hawaii Day 1, or the last 10 miles of a double century or of the Canadian Mogul superstar Alex Bilodeau who credited his Olympic gold in freestyle skiing to his older brother Frederic, who has cerebral palsy. who said when he did not want to go out and train he thought of his brother who would love the chance to be out doors training! 

Made Crystal Lake with Ocean Potion and Kool n Fit in tow!

All smiles my Cannondale made it and I was well fueled with Hammer Nutrition perpetuem and expresso hammer gel.

Williams Wheels enjoy the view of the San Gabriel chain...

brilliant vistas

No problem refilling by bottles for extra water!

I ended up having an awesome training ride,

•  I had over come my negative thoughts and pushed through to complete my Crystal Lake Ride!
• I had made a new cycling friend on the climb.
• I had stopped to admire the beauty of the climb, and took plenty of photos.
• Fueled correctly and stopped when I wanted to I did my own ride and no one else s.

I had listened to my body and used my Polar RC3 GPS Monitor to keep me in zone 3 of my training.

Racing is different, but in training I always try to have a good time even when suffering on the climb as it is the satisfaction of completing a training ride you know is difficult but have fun doing it!

Please be safe on the roads while training, what I saw on this ride was just total disprespect for the rules of the road it was just an ordinary day no racing or planned event just a day to play safe. 

Back in the saddle...

So on the 8th and 9th of February I would ride my bike 100 miles and run 13.1 miles the day after. I used to do this kind of stuff all the time, but with a year off from any distance cycling and just resuming my cycling two weeks prior to Palm Springs I certainly had my work cut out!

The 100 miler went well, kind of bitter sweet... the first few miles had some serious wind enough for a few cyclists to be blown off their bikes, but not as bad as the winds I have experienced in Hawaii. The aid stations were well stocked with water and lots of snack type food and sport nutrition; I had plenty of Hammer Nutrition Perpetuem, Endurolytes and Fizz with a Hammer Bar to get me through the journey.
 

In front of Marlyn Monroe before the event

 

It is Hammer Time!

Chocolate Recoverite!

Unfortunately as I approached mile 68 I discovered that La Vonne a recreational cyclist with Cycling Connections had been hit, we later discovered that she would not recover and was pronounced dead at 1pm. very tragic and a horrible loss to the cycling community. Put an awful dark cloud over the last 30 miles.

I did the majority of the ride with a new cycling friend Debbie Pearl and felt like a cyclist again. 

Me, Trish Mayo and Debbie Pearl

 

My Brooks Launch and Kool n Fit!

On the Sunday was a 13.1 mile run, I was not too sure how I would do after the bike ride the longest I had done in over 9 months!

The run was mainly flat with rolling hills, all asphalt at Mile 6 I could see the lead runners already on their way back, by mile 8 I had to slow my roll and take a hammer gel I thought to my self it was only 5 more miles!! 
Glad I wore my fuel belt as I was able to have my hammergel in solution and my enrurolytes and just had to grab water when I needed it!
The last 2 miles took forever and just as I was like no more I saw the 13 mile marker! I started to speed up and was clocked at 1 hr 40 minutes and change! Good enough for 25th Female over all and 2 female in the 45-49 age group!

I highly recommend the 13.1 mile run by Greg Kline, well organized, good aid stations great volunteers and just a class event. He even brought in Elvis Presley and Marlyn Monroe to the award ceremony!
 

Rory, Michael, me and Roelh

2nd place female 45-49

Me, Elvis and Greg Kline (RD)

A HUGE THANK YOU to my friend Rory Sandoval who sponsored my weekend and managed to get me out back into the racing scene again! I had a blast! 
And thank you to Hammer Nutrition, Fuel Belt, Rudy Project, Serfas, Williams Wheels, Brooks, Ocean Potion suncare and Kool n Fit !

World Cancer Day

2005 November Press Conference 

The AVON Catalog

 In October 2005 after a chance encounter with the General Manager of AVON of Puerto Rico with my friend Ileana I began to run swim and bike for the Crusade against Breast Cancer. I would do this for 5 years and in that time raise over $93,000 for the American Cancer Society of Puerto Rico with donations from AVON of Puerto Rico for every mile I finished in competition.

All about the Crusade against Breast Cancer

Jose Quinones General Manager of AVON PR>

One of the many checks I was able to present the American Cancer Society

On top of the World at the Mauna Kea Hawaii

The press conference in San Juan Puerto Rico.

Taking 3rd place in a triple Iron race in Austria

Today is World Cancer Day February 4th 2014. Today was for remembering the friends and family we have lost to Cancer, but also hoping for a cure some time soon for this awful disease.

I would like to share a few facts as to why I supported this cause:

1. More than 240,000 women, and 1,000 men, will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. in 2010.
2. More than 40,000 women and 400 men die each year from the disease.
3. There are more than 2 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
4. One person is diagnosed approximately every 3 minutes, and one person dies of breast cancer approximately every 14 minutes.
5. People over the age of 50 accounts for 76% of breast cancer cases; while only 5% of breast cancer diagnoses are in people under the age of 40 and 18% are in their 40s.

It remains the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer worldwide!! At one time or another every household will experience this tragic illness through family friends or someone they know! Breast Cancer needs to be stopped!

Statistics:

•  5 years and 11 months wearing Pink and raising awareness of Breast Cancer through my sports of swimming, cycling and running.
• In total I have swam, cycled and ran a total of 13315.714 miles since Nov.2005
• In total I have raised the grand sum of $93,210.00 for AVON of Puerto Rico for mammograms for the women of Puerto Rico, the money was given to the American Cancer Society of Puerto Rico by AVON of Puerto Rico.
  

Highlights:

• Being able to represent AVON a company for women
• When the new Cancer Facility opens in San Juan Puerto Rico one of the rooms will be named after me for all the miles I have competed in for the AVON cause
• Meeting women with Breast Cancer or friends and families of those affected by Breast Cancer and hoping and knowing I am making a difference in the lives of many people all over the World.
• Wearing PINK PINK PINK