Wet and Windy Weekend

A wet and windy weekend is not so great for training purposes.

The expected "epic" storm that was to hit Northern California on Saturday kept me off my bike and drove me to stick to indoor training at the gym instead. Ever since I joined the JCC in the City, I have neglected my Bay Club Marin membership.

However, Saturday I had errands to run in Marin, so I opted to go to the Bay Club instead of the JCC, since I would be in Marin anyway.

The Bay Club cracks me up as the crowd is incredibly entertaining to watch. It's a meat market for the 40+ crowd and a social gathering for the Marin social types. I always learn of the new gossip while at the gym, even though I have no idea who these subjects are.

I felt badly when I left as while the wind had picked up, it wasn't really raining. I probably should have gone for my ride.

Didn't get my long Sunday run in either -- bad! (However, I did make up for it this morning, so no need to comment on my being a slacker.) While this weekend was someone of a bust on the training front, I did manage to do a serious spring cleaning in my home, months earlier than expected! Anything sounded better than writing a memo I didn't want to write, including cleaning my closet. Homemade pizza? Much more exciting that writing a memo!

It was a restful weekend -- and now it's back to the training grind -- oh, and that memo too.

Cakes and Cupcakes

Lately I have found that I need to do SOMETHING after work that does not include the pool, running or spinning. I found the perfect activity -- a six-week baking class! I love to bake.

My friend Ashli introduced me to the Tante Marie Cooking School in San Francisco and their offering of a series of classes on baking cakes and cupcakes, taught by Meg Ray of the Miette Bakery in the Ferry Building. Miette's treats are considered to be some of the best in the City, so I could not pass up the opportunity to take this class.

The first class this week was so much fun. Week one was pound cake. I must admit I have never before made a pound cake, so that was a new experience. We made two types of pound cakes and madelines (which did not last long after I had departed the class).

I am very much looking forward to the series, particularly the decorating classes, as one of my not-so-secret goals in life is to become a master cake decorator on top of being a world-renowned political law attorney.

China Camp Trail Run

I have been discovering lately that I do not properly fuel for my longer workouts. I need to work on this. Today was a prime example.

I set out for my first long run since the disastrous marathon and was fine until about 55 minutes into my run when I ran out of steam. Not a pain issue, thank goodness, just out of fuel. I used to be able to go go go without eating anything before a long run... not anymore.

The frustrating part was that I until that point it was a great run.

Days like today are the workouts I learn from -- I need to better fuel these longer workouts, particularly as my volumes increase.

I did have one little fun moment during my run. I ran past Dian's wild turkeys. I said hi.

Woodside Ride

My usual weekend warrior cycling mates were down for the count this weekend due to illness, so I opted to join my weekday training mate and some of his friends for a ride down in Woodside.

I was concerned as we set out, as I had heard stories of an insane average speed on a previous ride in the same area. Our ride leader, one of Chris' friends from high school, is currently training for Ironman Arizona and is attempting to qualify for Kona (I think he will). He's quite fast.

The boys were kind and didn't ride too fast. It was a really fun ride and I enjoyed getting out of Marin. While I love riding in Marin, it is fun to ride elsewhere once in a while.

The ride became particularly amazing when I came around a turn and found, headed the opposite direction, a mini-peleton of cyclists who whistled at us -- the Astana cycling team, including Levi Leipheimer and General Manager Johan Bruynee in the team car! I am a huge cycling geek, so I freaked out. It was almost as cool as stumbling out of my hotel last year while staying with my mother on the SF Embarcadero to discover Team Discovery setting up camp directly in front of the hotel.

While out riding, we also saw the Quick Step Team, the Toyota-United Pro Team, Team High Road (the old T-Mobile Team) and the Heath Net Pro Team cycling about, preparing for the prologue time trial in Palo Alto the next day. Too bad we didn't run into the CSC team as well. That would have made my day.

Over Paradise

I had not one, but two long rides this weekend. By Sunday, my second day out on Paradise, I had decided I had had enough of Paradise. I do not plan on riding it anytime in the near future. It's a beautiful ride, however, once you do it over and over and over again you long for some new scenery.

Paul, Di and I rode Paradise on Saturday, and it was quite entertaining because I have never seen three people so badly NOT want to ride. All three of us spent the ride watching every minute pass on our bike computers waiting for the clocks to hit our goal. It was actually quite funny. I think we were just looking forward to lunch.

Sunday was the first GGTC Wildflower HIT workout. While I participated in two HIT training groups last year, I have opted not to partake this year. As much as I would like to see Coach Neil and my GGTC friends on a regular basis, I found last year it was too difficult to balance Torsten's training with the HIT workouts. But, as Coach Neil is a kind man and lets random former athletes drop by his workouts, I went by today to say hello. It was fun to see so many former training mates! Jake beat up on me a bit and Ashli and I cruised around Paradise. It was fun.

Tomorrow the fun begins. I realized how little time is left to prepare for Oceanside, Wildflower and Ironman and have committed to giving every workout 100%. Now I just have to convince my training mate of the same. This could prove to be challenging.

Surf City Marathon

I do not ever want to go through what I went though today again - ever.

It was pouring down rain, it was incredibly windy, and by mile 2 I was soaked to the bone and my shoes were sloshing. At mile 14 my right knee and IT band decided that they had had enough and were done for the day. It was so painful, all I could do was limp along and walk the remainder of the course. I kept trying to run, and would run for about three seconds and then the shooting pain would start again. It was so upsetting.

My frustration must have shown on my face, because when I crossed the finish line the announced said my name, that I was from San Francisco and then looked at me and said, (shaking his head) "Jennie, Jennie, Jennie," right out of Forrest Gump.

My sentiments exactly -- "And that's all I have to say about that."

High School Reunion in Orange County

Being in Orange County for the Surf City Marathon allowed me the opportunity to visit with old and new friends, including my best friend from high school.

Even though my coach had ordered me to stay off my feet the day before the marathon, we snuck in a little shopping - something we do best!

I always love spending time with Cheryl in person, as we don't get to do it often. Even though long periods of time will pass between each visit, it's as though a day hasn't passed since we last saw one another. I love it.

This trip was no exception.