Yesterday I had an incredibly relaxed day and just tried to let my shoulder/neck heal.
I walked from Ft. Greene where I live, to Brooklyn Heights and then back through Cobble Hill and Park Slope. I didn’t have a whole lot of destination in my walking, I just wanted to enjoy the beautiful day without any further injury.
The neighborhoods of Brooklyn never cease to amaze me with their diversity, design and beauty. Ever want to take a trip around the world without the passport and airfare complications? Come to Brooklyn and take a daylong stroll. Seriously, the weave of cultures, foods and languages will make you feel transported. And if you wander too far the train is never far away.
I’m happy to report that my neck feels a LOT better than it did yesterday at this time. My goal is to make it through today without any ibuprofen and to hopefully be ready to ride tomorrow. I don’t think a bike ride in this stage of healing is a good idea so for today I’ll be taking it easy once again.
I’ve been so focused on training that I’ve been forgoing the more gentle aspects of my routine like yoga and breathing. Its so easy for me to get crazy focused on a goal and leave important details out of my picture. As always, a work in progress!
Here’s some more pictures from yesterday’s journey. Fort Greene park hosts a green market each Saturday and although it’s not a huge as the Prospect Park green market it has all the essentials and it’s a perfect excuse to take a stroll through this beautiful historic park.
It seems I’ve done something to strain my neck and I really can’t do much of anything at all at the moment. I’m mobile and everything so it’s not too bad but there is definately no bike riding on the agenda for today.
I saw a chiropractor yesterday but I don’t think he really helped much. I walked out feeling a little worse than when I walked in, plus he isn’t covered by insurance so I’m thinking it’s back to the basics for me.
I’ll take it easy today, switch my purse to the other shoulder and stretch gently. It’s a bummer not getting my ride in but with any luck I’ll be up for one in the morning. In the meantime it is sunny and brisk out there. I think I’ll head over to the farmers market and pick up some fresh food stuff for the week. Gotta make the best of it!
Crazy week at work and a long and wonderful ride on my fixie all evening tonight. I need to get to bed but felt I would be remiss not to share this with everyone. So freakin cool!
Have a great night, I’ll have much to share this weekend – lots more donations coming in! Thanks so much!!
This morning I woke up in serious pain from the long ride yesterday. I was thinking I might call it a rest day until my friend Greg came to my sanity’s rescue. We met up in Prospect Park and even though I could only muster a few meager loops I feel so much better for just getting up and getting out. Thanks Greg!
Prospect Park is one of my favorite places in all of NYC. It was designed by Frederick Olmsted (same dude that designed Central Park and dozens of other awesome urban parks around the country). I was introduced to him in the book Devil in the White City (which is an amazing read). It discusses his work on the Chicago World’s Fair and it takes you so far into to actual design process that when I was done I felt kind of like I’d met the guy. When I’m riding down Eastern Parkway (the world’s first parkway, also designed by Olmsted) or exploring Prospect Park I always try to give a little thanks to him, and to the people with enough foresight to provide us with such incredible respites from our busy city lives.
Here’s a flick of one of my favorite trees in the park. I run, bike and walk past it all the time and love watching it as the seasons change. Anyone know what kind of tree this is?
Well, off to Sunday brunch with the ladies and afterward it looks like another bike ride! This one will be on the fixie though and much more relaxed. I don’t think my legs can take much more hardcore riding this weekend. So glad I’m getting out there though, and getting my training on!
This morning when I stepped outside for my long ride it seemed warm around 9am. I made a not so wise decision at that point to leave my windbreaker at home.
Oh man, was it chilly. I knew it was gonna be rough when Wendy and I reached the Ocean Parkway/Neptune turn and louds rolled in while winds picked up. Big time. We buckled down and did what we always do – kept on pedaling. When we crossed the Marine Parkway bridge the fog got crazy dense and we were basically riding through a damp and chilly cloud.
There was something kind of serene and cool about the whole thing and even through my chattering teeth I found myself smiling. After the bridge we ran into about a thousand ducks just chilling in the fog and so I stopped to take a few pictures.
We picked it right back up and rode a fairly quick pace all the way out to far Rockaway. I couldn’t believe that people were surfing. Brave, brave souls.
On the way home we stopped at a cute little bagel shop to refuel and warm up.
I grabbed a mini whole wheat, toasted with peanut butter. Yum.
It was such a relief to climb back across that bridge and get back to the regular New York, where the sun was shining and the temperature was nearly 20 degrees higher. We both agreed that we felt pretty badass after the ride though.
I don’t think my feet completely defrosted until about an hour after I got home. For our ride next weekend I’ll follow Wendy’s advice and check the weather in Rockaway before we ride and not in Brooklyn. Whoops. Ah well, it was still an awesome 40+miles and I had a blast.
Timo, please try not to slobber on the guests, these people are donating for my Century ride! (By the way thank you so much to those who have donated!!)
Timo is my little sis and her husband’s new pup. I think he’s pretty much made of cute. Maybe a little ridiculously adorable thrown in for good measure. Let’s hope he stays that way for at least a few months?
So… It’s around 2pm on a Friday afternoon and it’s around 65 degrees outside and sunny and beautiful.
Guess who got out of work early today?
I’m about to hop on my track bike and head over to my very favorite sandwich shop in the slope and then ride around all afternoon and take pictures. Tomorrow I have my planned long road ride with Wendy but this is just a surprise ‘icing on my spring weather cake’ of a ride!
And with just one bit of further ado, I leave you with more puppy pics. Cause seriously, you know you love ‘em.
Timo says “Peace out!” and I say have an awesome Friday!
It’s hard to get back into the groove of city life after a week of relaxation and delicious mom cooking but, I’m doing my best.
Last night I went for a 5 mile run right after work. It was the perfect weather and I had one of those runs where I actually started feeling stronger toward the end of it. I have a feeling this could mean longer runs in my near future, perhaps 10 miles? We shall see. In the meantime I am still super focused on my Century ride and can’t wait to get on my bike this weekend and ride. I have two 40+ mile rides lined up!
On that note I received my 3rd donation yesterday! A very sincere thank you for this as I’m now well on my way to my goal!
If you would like to contribute to my Gran Fondo Century ride 100% of your contribution goes to cancer research. Just click below to help me make this happen.
Tonight I’m having dinner with an old friend and then I get to see his friends band, live – for free! A bunch of my friends are coming to check them out and I’ve been told the evening could involve some serious dancing and getting down. I can’t wait!
I think dancing to live music has to be one of the best non workout workouts there is. How do you get your exercise on non workout days?
We’ll it’s been a weekend of travel and old friends and even older friends as well as lots of walking and enjoying the beautiful weather down in Virginia. I was only able to get in one 5 mile run on Thursday so far, but the plan is to hit the gym this afternoon and again tomorrow morning.
Driving to visit my godson was a reminder in why I no longer own a car.
oy. It took a hot minute to get down 95 South.
But it was so worth it!
I love this time off of work and out of the city for a bit. It feels like I can really breathe for a moment, focus and spend some time on the things that really matter to me.
And on that note I am off to do some yoga and spend some quality time with the family! Have a great Sunday!
Thank you so much to my new sponsors, I will ride with my heart in every pedal stroke this May, what an amazing motivator this is!
Sometimes, when I feel like I’m working out all the time it becomes difficult to keep in mind where my purpose really is. In the past I’ve forced motivation through self critique and guilt and a sense of obligation. In the end these factors never really pay off.
If I tell myself I’m cycling to make eating a big dinner ok or to make up for the snacks I had at work I never really feel good about exercising. It’s only when I get out there for the sheer love of it that I feel great, inside and out. I don’t think there is any coincidence at all that my workouts based on love yeild much better results overall.
It can be really difficult for me in the colder and darker months to find this passion. I think yoga and working out with friends helps some but in the end we have to find those positive forces within us.
Duty and obligation are two words that I find less and less space for in my life as I get older. I don’t work hard because of duty. I do it because I love my work. I don’t write because of obligation, I write because I am inspired to do so and because it makes me feel more whole when I create.
Why should excersise be any different? I don’t want to be held to a standard that makes me feel like I have to work out. I want to love it, and to have those around me love it too.
I’m getting out there to ride and run and play, and I am doing it all for a very simple reason.
My ride with Wendy on Sunday was every bit as glorious as I’d hoped it would be. Though it was a bit chilly I think neither of us much minded as it was that awesome to just get back out there and ride!
I am so committed to this Century now it’s amazing. And speaking of, I’ve got to figure out a way to raise some money! I’m thinking about a raffle, or maybe some kind of contest? The jury is stil out but the bottom line is, I gotta come up with 300 bucks by May.
If you feel so inclined you can donate to my ride HERE and help the LIVESTRONG cause in doing so.
Tonight I’m packing up my things for a much needed vacation back home in Virginia with my family. I can’t wait! There’s a lot to be done before I begin the big schlep by way of Amtrak (bagels, authentic Brooklyn Shmurah matzoh, etc.).
