Note: When I say I'm tragically unprepared, I don't really mean it. I'm a bit OCD and extremely type-A when it comes to work/school, so I mean unprepared by my standards.
Anyway, I decided to go for a bike ride this afternoon (a) to clear my head and (b) to keep my muscles working. I know it's an off day for marathon training, but I have trouble going a day without exercise.
I've been bike training at the gym for the last few months, but today I decided to dust my bike off and go for a real ride!
Isn't she precious? I got her off craigslist last fall. I love me a little vintage Raleigh action. :-)
The bike ride was awesome! It was a bit harder than I expected, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I just did a 5-mile loop around the neighborhood, which was a nice little bike "snack," as my darlin' calls them. The only downside? Massive gusts of yellow pollen! Have you heard about our dilemma down here in the South? We're having pollen counts in the 5,000 range. Yikes!
This is what one of my roommates' cars. Holy moly!
I came home to the pleasantest of pleasant surprises. MAIL! I'll be the first to admit that I have a bit of an online shopping problem. However, I maintain that everything I bought in this last binge was necessary!
First, I got my Bondi Bands. Yay! No more sweat in the eyes for me! A wicking headband is exactly what I've been needing.
I also got this Gracie top from Bondi Band.
Good points: It has a pocket in the front for your iPod/phone and a loop on the shoulder to feed your headphones through. It's an awesome fabric and really supportive, too. Bad point: It's a little short for me. I have a long torso, and it barely meets the top of my shorts. I can wear it for running, but I can't wear it for biking because it won't cover my back when I'm bending over my bike.
From Running Warehouse, I got these fantastic Brooks Epiphany Stretch Running Shorts. LOVE them.
Also from Running Warehouse, I got two more toys that I haven't tested yet.
A Nike chip for my shoe with a wristband that records the data...
...and a CamelBak! Woohoo!
I'm going to have to do my long runs outside in the Georgia heat come summer because my gym ceases being open on Sundays. 20-mile runs in the Georgia summer? I'm going to need some hydration! Also, I'm going to need it for long bike rides. I've never been as thirsty as I was out on my bike today!
Must. Drink. More. Water.
What do you guys binge on when you have that itch to do some shopping?
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Hey Ali! Just a suggestion...You should check the height of your saddle. It's hard to tell from the angle of the photo, but it looks a little too low. Riding with a low saddle will make cycling much much harder because most of the power is generated at the bottom of your stroke. To check this, get someone to hold the bike steady and watch you backpedal. At the lowest point in the stroke, your knee should have a 10 degree bend in it and you should be able to reach full extension by dropping your heel off of the back of the pedal while your toes are still on top of it.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm a bike geek.
K
Thank you so much for the advice! I thought something was wrong! I'll have my darlin' come over and help me fix it. :-)
ReplyDeleteNo problem. I <3 efficiency. :)
ReplyDelete