28 May 2011

I even shaved my legs...

that's how into this whole cycling thing I am getting!

Well, actually... since the weather is getting warmer, my legs would be too hot with all that growth... so I grabbed the machete and took care of a little business. Niiiiiice and smooooooth now :)

And that way if I do fall off the bike, it's supposed to be better with shaved skin, right? What is the logic behind that please? I know it isn't like swimming where it makes you less friction-y... something about the hair and the gravel that embeds itself into your flesh...

Not only did I shave my legs last night, but we hosted my daughter's 9th birthday party... over a month after her actual birthday, but she was cool with that 'cuz we were in Paris, France on her birthday :)

She invited a whole mess of girls over for a slumber party...


There was lots of screaming. I got to see some "mean girl" crap in action... and squelch it as best I could. Swimming, scootering and bike-riding. Pizza and ice cream cake. Harry Potter and Grimm's Fairy Tales. All in all, they had a great time. 

I was even able to get things settled enough to go work out. I rode my bike again.

I did run the night before... 3 gentle miles that felt really great. But you don't get to call it a 'brick' if it's on different days, right? Can you call it a 'lego'?

I really didn't want to get attacked by a bat this time, so I opted for a non-spider helmet (thinking those are insectivorous bats... and yes, I know spiders are not insects and I know that they can't see... but not taking any chances). Instead, I chose the...

GuitarHero helmet.
 see guitar on either side... and the word "rock"?
you can click to biggify
It is so lucky I have such a small head... this one had that little fitted insert business to keep it from moving around... kind of hurt. Maybe I should get my own helmet...

Anyway, my plan worked ... no bat attacks.

I've shifted my thinking on this cycling thing... from now on, I will ride for a minimum of 30 minutes... anything less is a waste of laundry generated. Last night, I ended up doing 30 minutes of steady state around my awesome, seemingly-unpopulated development... a little over 10 laps that are 0.6 miles each... so a little over 6 miles... Math. Great stuff.

I had the gear thing on the biggest one in front and the biggest one in back the whole time. The street is super flat, and this felt like a good resistance-level for humming along. When I got off that bike, I was kind of surprised that my legs felt like jelly. I have missed that feeling.

Was not enjoying the sore butt though. I have a hard time believing that the padding in the shorts does jack... but I have been assured that it does. I might try some shorts without for the sake of comparison. Honestly, I think that the padding is just there to camouflage the appearance of camel-toe. But does it look better or worse?

Dynamic stretching and core work is on tap for tonight and a longish run for tomorrow. And I am seriously considering digging my rowing machine out of the garage. Trying to figure out if it will be worth the truly Herculean effort... that place is madness!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend thus far!

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If you find yourself bored and in need of a really quick pick-me-up activity, consider doing a little extra mousework. That pink button is getting dusty and lonely. It wants you to push it. Just a little mousework can go a long way :) And the excitement your votes generate ... well, you have no idea... ;-)


16 comments:

  1. Cycling, eh? That's an intense sport. I'm afraid of all the elements of a triathlon, except the running....not sure why.

    East Bay you say!?! awesome! GREAT areas for biking in our parts, or so I'm told. Not sure where you live, but I know Calaveras road in Sunol is popular, and lake Chabot (for trail biking), etc.

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  2. Supposedly, according to my neighbor who has some National Championship thing for going in circles on a bike in a velodrome, the shaving of the legs makes it easier to take the bandages off when you wipe out and they take a stiff bristled brush to your skin to get the gravel out. Yeah, I'll stick to running.

    8 girls, HAH! Beginner! We had a sleep over last summer that had 10 in my basement at once, that didn't include the 4 that were too young to spend the night and had to go home, or the one that at 11:00 decided she was too scared and needed to be taken home. There are my 4, two directly across the street, 5 down the street of similar age, and then a handful within walking distance from school. I dread Summer.

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  3. "camel toe camo"...you're gonna be riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiich!

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  4. I look forward to when I only go to PT once/week instead of twice like I currently do - thus, I'll only have to shave my legs once/week. I just would be motified if I went to PT with hairy legs and PT man sits down to dinner at night with his wife and says, "Man, I have this chick that comes in to get her leg worked on and it's hairy as hell..." Of course, half the time in a mad rush to shave before PT and I cut my shin bone and he thinks I'm in idiot for taking half my skin off. Whatever, at least my legs are shaven! As for falling with hair...I've done both, hair and hairless, and I can attest it makes no difference - it hurts.


    Oh my do I remember the pre-teen sleep-over drama. Once, we had girls actually leave the sleep-over, it was so bad. Funny, my now 20-year old doesn't even like any of those girls - none of them.

    My cycling friend, Bill (http://www.coloradobikeaholics.com/) told me that he prefers to wear his thin tri shorts - right after I paid a ridiculous amount of money on some uber padded shorts....which, btw, do really no good. I have biked to PT, which is 13.55 miles and back home in my Nike Tempo running shorts (God, no way I'd wear form fitting bike sorts for PT man) and I feel absolutely zero difference.

    Ok, off to bed...that was a LONG comment...trying to beat NattyB.

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  5. Oooooh...slumber parties are the BEST! I have five daughter's and slumber parties are very popular when birthdays roll around :)

    I'm a new follower via GFC. Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

    Katrina
    They All Call Me Mom

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  6. I couldn't believe it when I saw "mean girl" stuff going down in 1st grade this year. SERIOUS mean girl stuff. Grrrrr.

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  7. cycling, no. shaving, maybe. girls' sleepover, no...only had boys! But the mean girl thing is becoming more common in the elementary school...hard to reteach young ladies to be kinder;)
    I am a new follower from the hop, hope you will visit:
    http://childhoodmyths.net.blog

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  8. I'm not real keen on shaving my legs. Since getting the gym membership I force myself to do it about once a week.

    Andrew just loves that ;)

    Spending a birthday in Paris certainly rocks!!!!!

    I think I'd have a coronary if I had that many little girls at my place...... I freak out when my two nieces visit!!!!!

    Camel-toe sucks ass!!

    Have a great weekend.

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  9. I'm actually glad I ride a tri bike.. no drafting or crashing in a group ride! LOL!!!!!! Great helmet!

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  10. You are a brave brave woman. We don't do sleepovers, a fact for which I was insanely glad when my 9yr old had her bday party last year and I had a dozen 9yr old girls shrieking for 4 hours. Wow.

    time for a brick!!! Love the jelly feeling, and it's so flippin' fun to go run on those legs! lol Your challenge this week is to ride your loopty loops and then go run a couple. Good good times.

    I am jealous that you have a rowing machine. Although it would make a lot more sense for you to have one than anyone else I know. That was hands down my absolute favorite piece of equipment at the gym back in the gym rat days.

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  11. Enjoyed your posts - I'm your newest follower.
    Getting the word out.. still and again for Haley - today she is in the hospital receiving yet again another blood transfusion - She needs a bone marrow transplant - Please go to her Facebook page and like it - if you can donate - Please say "I want to donate" and I will contact you with all you need. thank you - Kelly
    Sunday Post
    Haley's Facebook Page
    I've Become My Mother
    I've Become My Mother facebook

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  12. WOW!!! I just looked over your blog! Stepmom to 6, Mom to 4! OMG! You must REALLY be fit to be able to keep up with all those kids! I certainly did vote for you and will continue to do so until the deadline. Thank you for asking. If you want to like me on Facebook I don't mind if you post your vote request on my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Twice-Blessed-Life-Raising-Twins-Heartistically/206298462716032

    Good Luck!

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  13. Super cute pic of the slumber party. My daughter is 16 and I very much remember those days. Miss them.

    I'm not biker, but I gotta believe the ol bum will get less sore in time.

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  14. Butt will be fine. All will be fine. I don't like a super thick chamois pad either. The discomfort caused by and between a thick chamois and my skin can be worse than a thinner pad and the seat. Plus having the right size saddle for you behind is critical. Plus you just get used to it. I rarely have any issues anymore.

    In fact I had more chaffing issues from running than from cycling early on.

    Yeah the shaving thing is for treating injury and also massage. But you have to admit that it also looks better. If you are going to commit to wearing skin tight lycra for hours at a time you might as well go all the way and lose the wheat field that starts just above the knee.

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  15. I agree with everyone else, shaving is for cleani9ng yourself up after a crash.

    You need to develop saddle butt, which is done by riding more and you will get use to it. There are a ton of cremes on the market that can help with chafing

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  16. I am not having chafing issues... it is the pressure. I have a really skinny butt and am just pretty bony. Not so sure I am too keen on a callused booty ... I kind of like having some sensitivity in that part of my body ;-)

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