Snow Workout!

I should have worn the heart rate monitor for this... or Owen should have, he worked hard on this. We will get a little more skiing in after all!

Birkie People

What an adventure!! We went to Cable, WI this weekend with hopes of doing the Birkie. It did not snow Friday night so we gave up on it until we saw the thousands of people willing to ski over the marginal conditions. Birkie People are unique! Everyone was happy, absolutely no complaining... They had to change and modify all kinds of things and everyone simply goes with the flow with a smile on their face. I hate to say it but skiers have it on cyclists in the pleasant department. I was so bummed out when Michael T. wanted to do it... but he is a Birkie person and he got me to do it and we had a GREAT ski. What a wonderful experience and then he drove us home through the snow. No complaints, no blaming... just loving sport and outdoors. Skiers just need a trail and they love what ever they get. They simply ski. They get it. Thanks Michael for getting me to ski and getting me home in one piece. What an adventure!

Oh and the workout was great Zone 1- 3 minutes, Zone 2- 15 minutes, Zone 3- 1:40... WOW! Those hills will do it everytime!

Birkie shortened and not timed

Thanks to Dr. Dan for last nights testing... Any you tube videos you see of the session have been doctored. The Birkie has been shortened and will not be timed for most... bummer but we are going up in search of adventure and I am sure we will get it. Being I have lost some body fat in the last two months I figure I will celebrate a little this weekend and then get back to the plan... I just want to get home safe!!

BONUS Weekend!

I took Rose, my daughter, to a birthday party at Elm Creek yesterday and got to ski for an hour and a half. I did hill repeats and felt great! And then today Andy C. and I rode tar and gravel for two hours. Super Prime was part of the circut! Good climbing repeats on my 3 speed! Super Prime is the local finish line for all of the group rides and it is a great one at that. 700 meters from the finish the road goes to 10% for about a block and then false flats for the last 500 meters! Totally awesome and now we have a loop that finishes with it every seven miles! YEE HAW!

TMJ and a 5 hour day!

That is what I have... it was a crazy process to find out... but at least I am not dying! Great day yesterday! I got in 40K skiing getting ready for the Birkie and then rode snowmobile trails with Bernie for 2 hours. Bernie is STRONG! Pretty impressive and makes me want to turn up the fire a little. His dedication has paid off! The snowmobile trails are fun and it was a very good ride. I am fascinated by how hard it is to get the HR up inside and then it just magically happens outside... with riding and skiing. My average heart rate was a good ten beats higher outside than it is inside when I am tearing myself apart. Why is this? I am not even thinking about it outside, it just happens!

Sick Again

I have not had a winter like this for a long time... in and out of illness. The most recent is very weird and very painful. I have swollen glands in my face and the pressure is concerning... even more concerning is that the doctors don't know what it is. I have been in two times this week and the simply punt when looking at it. I got to ski Tuesday but it was followed by a new gland with all kinds of pain. To be healthy!! I hope they can figure this out or that it will simply go away soon.

Weekend At Bernie's

We mocked up a day of RAAM at Bernie's this weekend. Thanks to Bernie for opening up his basement! Bill N. and John R. joined us for sessions of our 24 hour challenge. Go to www.thbackdoor.blogspot.com to get a write up on this weekend that is very funny. Am I tired? Sure, but the strategy of 30 minutes on 30 off was very good. Got through the first 6 hours without a problem. Then we took a nap and I was able to get 4.5 hours of sleep. Then we were back on for another 3. I felt the best in the 3 hour section. I am a morning person and I could tell that I was feeling good. I was tired from the week on Friday night. I went home on the break and played Sorry with the kids and then went back for the final 6 hours. They were fun and having other riders there helped too. Bill and John got a lot of riding in with us. Only felt bad on the last 30 minute set. I don't know if it was in my head or what but I had a hard time keeping my heart rate up. Then we relaxed with beers and surprise burgers brought in by Laurel... how cool is that. They open up their home for us and then offer everything they have in their house to us... very cool! Thanks to the Kaeferleins!!! I learned a lot and feel that little bit closer to doing this thing!!

Crazy Week

Short on hours but with the heart rate monitor I still got in some good work. Really pushing it this week but with conferences not as much as I would have liked. I did get 5 hours this morning. My daughter took the picture. Bernie and I are talking about some crazy training next week. I have to ski at some point... Birkie is coming up!