Well, I knew this was going to happen. Things at work finally got "fixed" and I no longer have Fridays off. This means less time to bike, but in addition, more money earned and less crazy at the job when I can't get everything finished in 32 hours. I've been wishing this for a long time.
I do have some flexibility, but until I figure it out, I will only be biking on Saturdays and Sundays. Today as I biked I wondered how I could cram another hour's worth of biking into those two days. I will miss doing it three times a week, and my body will too. In another few weeks, it will be cool enough to ride in the evenings, but that will only work until daylight savings time goes away and I lose the evening light. I am still committed to exercise at least three times a week. Serious exercise, not just sitting on a stationary bike at the gym.
My daughter is looking into Zumba classes for us. If I could do that once or twice a week, that would help. I don't want to lose what I've worked for since last year, and certainly not all the hard work I've put in since March when I could finally get back on a bike.
Not sure how this will play out, but I will see what I can work out over the next few weeks to give myself the riding time I need and deserve. This coming week will be difficult, not only because I'm putting in 40 hours when I haven't done that in about 18 months, but because I have family coming to visit for the weekend, which may make my bike rides not happen. I will definitely be hurting if I don't get my bike rides in this coming weekend!
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Treading Water
This has been a tough two weeks for my biking schedule. Last week the car broke down on Saturday, so there went my Saturday and Sunday rides, and this week our Saturday schedule did not permit a bike ride.
Well, it did, if I don't mind riding in the late afternoon heat, which I most definitely do mind.
But as fall begins to approach, I know that I won't have to limit myself to early morning rides to avoid the heat. This will give me a lot more flexibility, and I might even be able to get rides in during the week as well. In order to have a decent ride, I need at least 1 hour of riding time, as 10-11 miles takes me right at an hour or a few minutes over. Then I need time to shower and drive from my house to the bike path and back, which adds another half-hour to my workout time. This summer other things have taken up my time - gardening, my mother visiting, keeping my school child occupied. Fall means the gardening falls off, the daughter is back in school, and we don't have a lot of visitors stopping by.
But it also means that the weather will be turning toward the chilly, and as winter comes on, getting three rides a week in may be difficult. Last winter, I was riding up to the weekend before I fell and broke my leg. If I waited until late enough in the day, when the temp could get up to at least the mid-40's, I was able to ride. While I was laid up for the 12 weeks I could not bike, there were days that would have been perfect for a bike ride. People think of Colorado as being this bitterly cold, snowy place, but it is not necessarily. If I lived in the mountains, then yes, that would be winter. But here, on the high, semi-arid plains, snow happens but it doesn't last, and many days end up in the 50's and 60's. Mid-40's is all I need to ride. If you dress right, you can ride in many different types of weather. I've ridden in a wet snow, and rain, and hot sun.
This morning's bike ride got me a pretty close look at a turkey buzzard. I knew they were around but I was less than 30 feet from this one so got a good view of him. Also saw some of my "regulars" including the cute young guy who roller-blades the entire train (I do only half). He always gives me this huge grin and a wave. Also had a short conversation with a fisherman just headed out to catch some trout on the river. He and I both agreed that the sleek little animals we'd been seeing around were not mink, but otter. I feel validated!
Well, it did, if I don't mind riding in the late afternoon heat, which I most definitely do mind.
But as fall begins to approach, I know that I won't have to limit myself to early morning rides to avoid the heat. This will give me a lot more flexibility, and I might even be able to get rides in during the week as well. In order to have a decent ride, I need at least 1 hour of riding time, as 10-11 miles takes me right at an hour or a few minutes over. Then I need time to shower and drive from my house to the bike path and back, which adds another half-hour to my workout time. This summer other things have taken up my time - gardening, my mother visiting, keeping my school child occupied. Fall means the gardening falls off, the daughter is back in school, and we don't have a lot of visitors stopping by.
But it also means that the weather will be turning toward the chilly, and as winter comes on, getting three rides a week in may be difficult. Last winter, I was riding up to the weekend before I fell and broke my leg. If I waited until late enough in the day, when the temp could get up to at least the mid-40's, I was able to ride. While I was laid up for the 12 weeks I could not bike, there were days that would have been perfect for a bike ride. People think of Colorado as being this bitterly cold, snowy place, but it is not necessarily. If I lived in the mountains, then yes, that would be winter. But here, on the high, semi-arid plains, snow happens but it doesn't last, and many days end up in the 50's and 60's. Mid-40's is all I need to ride. If you dress right, you can ride in many different types of weather. I've ridden in a wet snow, and rain, and hot sun.
This morning's bike ride got me a pretty close look at a turkey buzzard. I knew they were around but I was less than 30 feet from this one so got a good view of him. Also saw some of my "regulars" including the cute young guy who roller-blades the entire train (I do only half). He always gives me this huge grin and a wave. Also had a short conversation with a fisherman just headed out to catch some trout on the river. He and I both agreed that the sleek little animals we'd been seeing around were not mink, but otter. I feel validated!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Not a Good Week for Biking
I biked 11 miles on Saturday, but that's it. Yesterday the Boulder County Fair opened with a parade and there wasn't going to be time in the morning to go, and then, the car decided not to start. Without the car, I can't get from my house to the biking path that is safest for me to ride. So I didn't get to ride yesterday, or today, other than to downtown to do a little shopping and watch the parade yesterday, and biked about 20 blocks to meet the tow truck to take the car to the mechanic so it can be repaired on Monday.
I hate setbacks like this, that are completely out of my control. Really annoying.
I also had another problem earlier this week. I had not seen the payments for my workouts appear on my paycheck stub, so I sent off an email to find out what was going on. Turns out I was only receiving credit for half or less of my workouts. I'm sure this information was in the fine print somewhere, but basically, I can only count one workout per day. I need 12 workouts to get the incentive ($25), but they need to be on 12 separate days. Since I cannot bike except on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, I can not ever make those 12 days. Well, technically I could, if nothing got in the way of those weekend rides. I would need perfect weather and no family events, and then I would barely get the 12 workouts in. Workouts that are non-cardio do not count, so any weight training I do at the gym doesn't count.
Understandably, I'm upset by this. Since April 1st, I've put 412 miles on my bike in 67 workouts, burned over 50,000 calories, and lost 10 pounds. Obviously I'm getting my workouts in. The fact that I'm doing it all should be enough. It almost feels like the program is designed to not pay out the incentive. It's a lousy $25, I shouldn't be upset, but I am.
It will not change my bike rides. I just won't bother syncing the bike rides to the program anymore, since there's no real reason for me to do so. I'll just keep the ride information for my own purposes.
And I may be adding something else to work on. Yesterday at the parade, my 20 year old daughter and I watched a Zumba class doing the parade. There were girls of all sizes, dancing their hineys off to the music, looking like they were having so much fun! Yes, they were also sweating like crazy, which is not my favorite thing in the world, but if it helps me get thinner, and more in shape, I will do it. I sweat plenty when I bike, too, so what's the difference? So my daughter and I will be looking into classes in the area. We didn't get the name of the group that was doing these, but I'm sure we can find something. I have asked friends if they've tried it or what they know about it. They say it is fun, it is hard, but that I can do it.
So, why not? *gets out the Yellow Pages*
I hate setbacks like this, that are completely out of my control. Really annoying.
I also had another problem earlier this week. I had not seen the payments for my workouts appear on my paycheck stub, so I sent off an email to find out what was going on. Turns out I was only receiving credit for half or less of my workouts. I'm sure this information was in the fine print somewhere, but basically, I can only count one workout per day. I need 12 workouts to get the incentive ($25), but they need to be on 12 separate days. Since I cannot bike except on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, I can not ever make those 12 days. Well, technically I could, if nothing got in the way of those weekend rides. I would need perfect weather and no family events, and then I would barely get the 12 workouts in. Workouts that are non-cardio do not count, so any weight training I do at the gym doesn't count.
Understandably, I'm upset by this. Since April 1st, I've put 412 miles on my bike in 67 workouts, burned over 50,000 calories, and lost 10 pounds. Obviously I'm getting my workouts in. The fact that I'm doing it all should be enough. It almost feels like the program is designed to not pay out the incentive. It's a lousy $25, I shouldn't be upset, but I am.
It will not change my bike rides. I just won't bother syncing the bike rides to the program anymore, since there's no real reason for me to do so. I'll just keep the ride information for my own purposes.
And I may be adding something else to work on. Yesterday at the parade, my 20 year old daughter and I watched a Zumba class doing the parade. There were girls of all sizes, dancing their hineys off to the music, looking like they were having so much fun! Yes, they were also sweating like crazy, which is not my favorite thing in the world, but if it helps me get thinner, and more in shape, I will do it. I sweat plenty when I bike, too, so what's the difference? So my daughter and I will be looking into classes in the area. We didn't get the name of the group that was doing these, but I'm sure we can find something. I have asked friends if they've tried it or what they know about it. They say it is fun, it is hard, but that I can do it.
So, why not? *gets out the Yellow Pages*
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