I know my recent blogs have not been laugh a minute what with all the intense dieting, grueling miles and hills I’ve had to endure and not to mention the copious amounts of tears and vomit but I’m happy to say most of you have hung in there with me (I hope). Given that y’all are still here I thought I would share a couple of funny things that happened this week.
As you know if you read my blog last week my parents arrived here on holiday now I could fill a blog just about them but given that I only have 2 or 3 MS150 blogs left I think I will save that wee chestnut till after the ride. Plus they can read it from a safe distance away from me, 4000 miles being a safe enough distance away! But to get you in the mood here is a wee taster of a blog to come to a computer screen near you.
Monday was my 48th birthday so I thought I would invite a couple of our Scottish friends over (to make my mum and dad feel at home) for a wee bite to eat. I got up really early to start preparing food AND to make my own birthday cake. I have made so many cakes this year and up to now have not eaten any so I was going to make my own and enjoy it! About 2 o’clock Amanda and her husband Alan arrive and Amanda gives my mother a gift, wait is it not my birthday?
My mother opens the gift and lets out this little scream.
Mother “Oh my god! This is the BEST gift I have ever got!
I look over.
Me “What?”
Mother “Oh this is the best gift I ever got!”
Me “Seriously, that’s the BEST gift you ever got?”
Mother just laughs
Me “No seriously BEST gift ever?”
Mother laughs again
Me “Wait, we flew you and my dad over here and that’s the BEST gift ever”
Mother “What? It’s a John Wayne mug?”
Me “eh… can somebody pour me a large drink!”
And that ladies and gentlemen is just a taster there’s plenty more where that came from.
So far this week I have done a little bit of riding and a big bit of eating. I’m putting it down to emotional eating and believe me I’m an emotional wreck but again that’s for another blog. I’ve been trying to catch up on some well needed sleep but try as I might I cannot sleep in late in the morning which brings me nicely on to the second funny thing that happened this week.
The damaged cat – I know y’all have seen the Facebook picture about the dog’s great life and the poor, poor cat who is being held in captivity well the damaged cat (who obviously has Stockholm syndrome because he is allowed out but keeps returning to captivity every morning) is meowing to get in at 6:00am the other morning, I open the door but he’s nowhere to be seen but I can hear him. I look around and he’s there lying on the other side of the gate, obviously can’t be arsed to jump over the gate and just meowing till I open it. When I open it he just looks at me and walks straight past me to the laundry room where his food is and starts eating. A wee while later he starts meowing again, so again I get up to let him out but instead of walking to the back door he goes towards the laundry room. I’m thinking that’s funny maybe there’s no water and he need a drink. I get to the laundry room and he’s just standing there looking at a big pile of cat vomit like ok lady clean that up! I can just hear him thinking (lady look I’d do this myself but I have no opposable thumbs) so I clean up the vomit and then he just heads to the back door where I can resume my duties as cat captor although I wonder who owns who?
I hope that has put a smile on your faces and made this blog a bit funnier than my recent ones. Now back to the serious bike riding stuff. After my great bike ride last week I was thinking that would be my last long ride before the big day however there is one ride left in the training series but it is back where I had my horrible ride I now feel like it’s my nemesis and as the week has gone on while I really don’t want to ride it, I feel like if I don’t I will have not completed the whole training and what if I could not complete the MS150? Would I always think… if only I had done that last ride? I don’t think I could cope with that so with all that in mind I’m going to do the penultimate ride tomorrow morning. 43 miles with apparently 3 big hills, the weather forecast is for a lovely but windy day and I’ll fill you all in on how it went on Sunday.
Well folks it is Sunday morning and the last of the training rides is done! It was a bloody hard ride and I’ll give you “just 3 hills”! Well I guess there were 3 hard hill but lots of wee rolling hills and the wind was not good. I’ve ridden in the wind before but this was not head on it was blowing at the sides and at about 20 miles an hour so depending on what part of the ride you were on it was hitting you at every angle. After the second and final rest stop of the day I could see the final hill coming in the distance and I knew this was going to be a tough one but just as I start to climb this truck just ahead of me coming in the other direction drops a cooler and everything falls out ice, sodas and BEER! What the hell! That was just enough to throw me off my stride (obviously the thought of all those beers going to waste) and then I could not recover and I had to get off the bike and walk up the rest of the hill but not before I have a wee bit of an argument with one of the ride marshals. Well actually it wasn’t an argument as much as a me shouting at her for stating the obvious. Ok let me explain, after the beer rolled past me and I was horrified I was sort of wobbling all over the road and I veered close to the center yellow line. She starts to yell at me to get back from the yellow line and I start screaming back at her that I was not doing it on purpose (did she not see the beer?). Then when I get off the bike she yells at me again to stay to the far right! Duh! That’s what I was doing, oh she was so lucky I could not get up that hill! Stupid tart! Anyway I get to the top of the hill, get back on the bike and head to the finish. That was one tough ride so glad it’s done now. There is nothing left for me to do but doubt myself for the next week and feel sick every time I think of the ride but apart from that I think I’m good to go….
Serious Bit
It’s not really serious just filling you all in on the leg well actually the hip I’m still in pain but the good news it’s not arthritis bad news still don’t know what it is I’m scheduled for a MRI on Monday afternoon so I will keep you posted on any news.
And it’s still not too late if you want to donate.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
Thanks for reading see y’all next week… love Iz
Oh just to let y’all know I might be a wee bit busy next week but I’ll post something then be ready for a biggy the following week!
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
My Inner Geek
Ok 13 days to go and I have to tell you every time I think about the ride I feel a tad sick and I don’t expect that feeling to go away any time soon. As you know I’ve been off work this week and my mum and dad have come over for a holiday from Scotland so let’s just say the diet has gone to hell in a hand basket. Try as I might the allure of chocolate from Scotland keeps pulling me towards the cooler that arrived with them full to the gunnels of all our favorite sweets. I hasten to add it is no longer full to the gunnels and my bathroom scales have started to move in the wrong direction. I’m actually thinking of having a marathon binging session just so it’s all eaten and gone! Seriously I can’t stop! Every time I walk past that damn cooler I have to look in and open another bar or packet of something.
I have however managed to go out on my bike every day and I’ve been doing around 15 miles and I’ve started the couch to 5K training program so in my mind I can justify at least some of the candy. I have to tell you the couch to 5K is way harder than I thought it was going to be and after the first day my legs are killing me. I stupidly thought I was kind of fit! Well that was a lesson well learnt but as in biking I think every time I go out it should get a little easier (well I hope). I was thinking running is the way to go after the MS150 to keep up the weight loss. Maybe I’ll have to blog about my running or jogging escapades next, only I don’t know how funny that will be running is not exactly a laugh a minute. Mind you I never expected biking to be and we all know how funny that ended up.
This week I have tried to eat better… I mean besides the chocolate… and I have tried this drink called Nuun to restore the electrolytes because Smug Git thinks that that’s what made me sick last week, I was not replacing the electrolytes during the ride so what I will do on this week’s ride is drink water as usual and when I get to the rest stops drink the nasty Nuun and let me tell you it tastes nasty but if it does its job right I’ll just have to grin and bear it.
Friday – I’m not riding today, I’m going out for some pasta and I’ll eat half for lunch and the other half for my dinner. I’m determined to get it right this week the ride is too close to mess anything up. Tomorrows ride is in Katy and it’s a 7:30 start. I’m planning on riding 50 miles so it’s early to bed and let’s see what drama tomorrow brings. You know the best laid plans etc… I did what I said I would, ate half the pasta for lunch and the other half for dinner only something did not go down right and I spent the rest of the evening in the loo so I sent myself to bed at 7:30 feeling awful again. I’m not sure if the pasta did not agree with me or if I’m real nervous about the prospects of another bad ride but I’ll see how I feel in the morning.
Saturday morning and I feel great! Tummy is still a wee bit dodgy but all in all I think I can manage to eat my bacon and fried egg roll or as it’s known in our house “The Breakfast of Champions” (I didn’t have this last week and I’m sure that’s why it all went wrong) I also made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for during the ride so I pack them up and put them in my back pocket for a little snack later yum! And so we set off to Katy.
There were lots of riders out today the weather was fantastic and I met up with a good friend of mine Helena. You might remember I rode with Helena once before when I left her behind because she had a flat tire (that’s the kind of good friend I am). Well today we are going to ride together so Smug Git got the chance to go ride at his own speed with Steve (the Don) oh I have never seen him so happy I had no sooner said “sure honey you can go ride with Steve today” and whoosh….he was off. Well ok then I’ll see you at the end.
Helena and I set off at a nice pace but I had learnt something new this week here is where I turn into a bit of a bike geek but bear with me I promise I’ll not stay geekish for long. This week I learned about cadence (and I spelt it right first time!) cadence is the number of times your peddles go round in a minute and mine go round between 75 and 79 the idea is to maintain this all the time you ride using your gears to help, ok geek bit over. I have been doing this all week when I’ve been riding so today was a great day to practice because Katy is real flat, and as I said we set off at a nice pace but I was not really working to keep up the cadence. We got to the first rest stop and I had my first PB&J sandwich and some yucky electrolyte drink and was raring to go. We set off and I was going to go for it! I can actually say I got into the zone and it was amazing! It was flat with no wind and I felt great and I got to the next rest stop in no time. Helena was just a little way behind but we met up again and set off together. I felt great and just got in the groove again but at this point the wind had picked up. Here is where it got harder to keep up the same pace but with a few gear changes I did not too bad. I got to the last rest stop with some energy to spare but Helena was nowhere to be seen. I did meet up with Smug Git there and being the great guy he is (oops! I just threw up a wee bit) just kidding! Sorry where was I? oh that’s right - being the great guy that he is he waited with me to ride into the end but there was no Helena. I have to say I was a bit worried about her but figured she had either missed the rest stop or SAGed into the end. We headed off to the finish and about 4 miles up the road there was Miss Helena cycling along! She had completely missed the rest stop - poor Helena, I know I could never do that I’d just cry like a baby all the way to the end! She would have to ride close on 25 miles without a break. She must have been shattered but again being the kind of friend I am I just rode right passed her (you know it’s not a race right?) but she made it to the end ok thankfully. I doubt she will ever want to ride with me again and who would blame her?
At the end of the ride today I felt great I could have at the very least did another 10 miles so I’m feeling a wee bit happier about the MS150 still nervous bit a little happier.
Serious bit…
I think I will just take this time to thank all of you who have donated to this very worthwhile cause I have raised just over $1500 dollars and I’m just 13 days away from the ride itself and I could not do this without y’all I have such great family and friends. It’s still not too late if you would like to donate even a small amount to help in the fight against Multiple Sclerosis.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
Thanks for reading see y’all next week… love Iz
I have however managed to go out on my bike every day and I’ve been doing around 15 miles and I’ve started the couch to 5K training program so in my mind I can justify at least some of the candy. I have to tell you the couch to 5K is way harder than I thought it was going to be and after the first day my legs are killing me. I stupidly thought I was kind of fit! Well that was a lesson well learnt but as in biking I think every time I go out it should get a little easier (well I hope). I was thinking running is the way to go after the MS150 to keep up the weight loss. Maybe I’ll have to blog about my running or jogging escapades next, only I don’t know how funny that will be running is not exactly a laugh a minute. Mind you I never expected biking to be and we all know how funny that ended up.
This week I have tried to eat better… I mean besides the chocolate… and I have tried this drink called Nuun to restore the electrolytes because Smug Git thinks that that’s what made me sick last week, I was not replacing the electrolytes during the ride so what I will do on this week’s ride is drink water as usual and when I get to the rest stops drink the nasty Nuun and let me tell you it tastes nasty but if it does its job right I’ll just have to grin and bear it.
Friday – I’m not riding today, I’m going out for some pasta and I’ll eat half for lunch and the other half for my dinner. I’m determined to get it right this week the ride is too close to mess anything up. Tomorrows ride is in Katy and it’s a 7:30 start. I’m planning on riding 50 miles so it’s early to bed and let’s see what drama tomorrow brings. You know the best laid plans etc… I did what I said I would, ate half the pasta for lunch and the other half for dinner only something did not go down right and I spent the rest of the evening in the loo so I sent myself to bed at 7:30 feeling awful again. I’m not sure if the pasta did not agree with me or if I’m real nervous about the prospects of another bad ride but I’ll see how I feel in the morning.
Saturday morning and I feel great! Tummy is still a wee bit dodgy but all in all I think I can manage to eat my bacon and fried egg roll or as it’s known in our house “The Breakfast of Champions” (I didn’t have this last week and I’m sure that’s why it all went wrong) I also made some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for during the ride so I pack them up and put them in my back pocket for a little snack later yum! And so we set off to Katy.
There were lots of riders out today the weather was fantastic and I met up with a good friend of mine Helena. You might remember I rode with Helena once before when I left her behind because she had a flat tire (that’s the kind of good friend I am). Well today we are going to ride together so Smug Git got the chance to go ride at his own speed with Steve (the Don) oh I have never seen him so happy I had no sooner said “sure honey you can go ride with Steve today” and whoosh….he was off. Well ok then I’ll see you at the end.
Helena and I set off at a nice pace but I had learnt something new this week here is where I turn into a bit of a bike geek but bear with me I promise I’ll not stay geekish for long. This week I learned about cadence (and I spelt it right first time!) cadence is the number of times your peddles go round in a minute and mine go round between 75 and 79 the idea is to maintain this all the time you ride using your gears to help, ok geek bit over. I have been doing this all week when I’ve been riding so today was a great day to practice because Katy is real flat, and as I said we set off at a nice pace but I was not really working to keep up the cadence. We got to the first rest stop and I had my first PB&J sandwich and some yucky electrolyte drink and was raring to go. We set off and I was going to go for it! I can actually say I got into the zone and it was amazing! It was flat with no wind and I felt great and I got to the next rest stop in no time. Helena was just a little way behind but we met up again and set off together. I felt great and just got in the groove again but at this point the wind had picked up. Here is where it got harder to keep up the same pace but with a few gear changes I did not too bad. I got to the last rest stop with some energy to spare but Helena was nowhere to be seen. I did meet up with Smug Git there and being the great guy he is (oops! I just threw up a wee bit) just kidding! Sorry where was I? oh that’s right - being the great guy that he is he waited with me to ride into the end but there was no Helena. I have to say I was a bit worried about her but figured she had either missed the rest stop or SAGed into the end. We headed off to the finish and about 4 miles up the road there was Miss Helena cycling along! She had completely missed the rest stop - poor Helena, I know I could never do that I’d just cry like a baby all the way to the end! She would have to ride close on 25 miles without a break. She must have been shattered but again being the kind of friend I am I just rode right passed her (you know it’s not a race right?) but she made it to the end ok thankfully. I doubt she will ever want to ride with me again and who would blame her?
At the end of the ride today I felt great I could have at the very least did another 10 miles so I’m feeling a wee bit happier about the MS150 still nervous bit a little happier.
Serious bit…
I think I will just take this time to thank all of you who have donated to this very worthwhile cause I have raised just over $1500 dollars and I’m just 13 days away from the ride itself and I could not do this without y’all I have such great family and friends. It’s still not too late if you would like to donate even a small amount to help in the fight against Multiple Sclerosis.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
Thanks for reading see y’all next week… love Iz
Sunday, April 1, 2012
For Sale: 1 Shiny New Bike
20 days to go! 1st of April today I can’t quite believe it. During the week I got word back from the doctors about my x-ray it came back with arthritis so now I have go see orthopedic guy so at least I know what is going on there and hopefully I’ll be able to get it sorted and shut the hell up about it I’m starting to annoy even myself with it.
On Thursday evening I had a wee bit of a sore throat going on but I had to just make it through school on Friday and then it was two weeks off for the Easter holiday!! Yeeha! After work Lesley, Beth and I decided to go out for one glass of wine. I thought it would help my sore throat so really it was medicinal (mistake number 1) we went to our now regular Friday haunt Brix wine bar nice place and we could sit outside and the wine is only $5 a glass for happy hour (the rest of the time it’s overpriced but happy hour is great) well you won’t be surprised when I tell you we did not just have one but you will be surprised when I tell you we did just have two. Sorry correction - I just had two I’m not even going to bother telling y’all about Lesley and Beth. Well let’s just say they left Brix and had fun! Wait what the hell just happened there? When did I become the sensible one? I went home and made myself some dinner a tiny we smart one from weight watchers (mistake number 2.)
Now I know y’all are wondering about all these mistakes just hang in there with me it will all become very clear soon enough.
After my two glasses of wine and my minuscule dinner I was still not feeling 100%, Smug Git had been away all week and had just arrived back, when I decided I should have an early night. I knew tomorrows ride would be a hard one because the weather forecast was for hot, humid but cloudy weather so off I went for an unusually early Friday night bed.
4:30am Saturday the alarm went off. Today’s ride was in Columbus, Texas about an hour and a half drive away. Gus (the perfect son) and Beth were both coming along to volunteer. Gus was, well, let’s just say a tad grumpy when he saw the time. I think he had just about 3 hours sleep by this point, he got dressed went to the car and did not say another word till about 7:30. Beth on the other hand was bright and breezy and raring to go, well at least one of us was!
I was not feeling great at all, throat still sore and I had a headache but I know once I have breakfast and set off I would be good and it would be so nice to see Gus and Beth at rest stop 2. I did not have my usual breakfast of bacon, eggs on a toasted roll given that it was still the middle of the night when we got up so I would just have to make do with a bagel and cream cheese when we got there, not the best breakfast in the world but it would just have to do.
About 8:15 the ride started and we were at the very back of the ride today but that was ok since I hate the bunched up bit at the start. My stomach is always in knots at this part but once we set off I’m good to go. As you all know or at least I think I’ve mentioned a few times the first 10 miles are kinda hard for me. I struggle to get into a good pace but usually around the ten mile mark I hit my rhythm. But not today I just can’t get it together plus there are more rolling hills but to be honest not half as bad as Chappell Hill last week but to me I feel like I’m cycling up Mount Everest. I can see them in the distance and I can see they are not too bad and I can get up them half way because of the downhill before but it takes every ounce of energy I have to get over them. I’m not quite sure how, but I make it to the first rest stop and try to eat, one good thing is I’ve drank lots of water so I’m at least not dehydrated. I look around and to my surprise lots of others are looking as bad if not worse than me I hear one guy tell his wife that he’s done, he’s going to the next rest stop and SAGing it. I am NOT going to take SAG!
We head off again and I feel a wee bit better after some food. Well if you call half a banana and some craisins food. (Another mistake!) It does not take long before I start to feel like shite again and about 500 yards from the second rest stop, half way up the hill I change gears to help me but I totally get the wrong gear and my peddles won’t turn and I just know I’m about to fall off so with a wee bit of quick thinking I head for the grass verge and jut fall over! As Smug Git says later “oh I particularly like the way you fell in the fetal position” ha bloody ha. Luckily no damage done to me or the bike but I was a bit winded and would not let SG touch me I told him to just get the bike off me and I lay on the grass for about 10 minutes. I got back on, made it to the rest stop to Gus running over to me with a big hug (god I love that boy) then of course that made me cry. It was so good to see Beth she got me a seat and brought me some food over. She really took good care of me – THANKS Beth!!! Just before we left the rest stop SG asked if I wanted to just stop there and call it a day? Oh I so wanted to but being the stubborn me I said no (last and I’m guessing biggest mistake).
Now we have 17 or 18 mile left to go to complete the 50. I have no clue where I’m going to find the energy so I decide that I’ll ride to mile 40 and make my own rest stop. Find a nice shady tree and take a break and that is exactly what we do and as we’re getting close to 40 I notice that I’m for sure not the only one that’s having a hard time. Riders I’ve seen on other rides are all having breaks. It was so hot and humid with almost no wind at some points everyone seemed to be suffering. I have never seen so many riders take SAG - every SAG wagon had riders in them. We had a rest and set off again but I know I will have to stop again and then it will be on to the end to meet up with Gus and Beth. I’ve never been so glad to get to the end of a bike ride. When we got to the park Gus came running over, took my bike and gave me another huge hug and a kiss, hug from Beth and big hug from Smug Git who told me how proud he was of me. Aww shucks so much love…….
OK I need to go home I am exhausted we get in the car and go about 5 miles.
Me “I need a plastic bag I’m going to throw up”
Everyone is scrambling to find one Gus finds it and hands it to me. Then all hell breaks loose! Everything for me goes white (I mean follow the light white) I can’t see a thing. I vomit into the bag and that is the last thing I remember until I hear Beth telling SG to pull over. I come round and there is vomit everywhere. Then to make matters worse I have to get out the car at the side of the road and strip off. Poor Gus, I think he may be scarred for life we did tell him to shut his eyes and believe me he did. As soon as I threw up I felt immediately better and to make me even better two beers and some chicken tenders and fries! Yum!
I’m thinking possibly one of the more memorable rides. Not at all sure how I’m going to do the actual MS150 now! Anyone want to buy a shiny new bike?
Serious bit…
If you have not sponsored me yet I nearly DIED! I saw the bright light!! Give me some money!!!
Thanks for reading it means the word to me that you all care.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
See y’all next week… love Iz
On Thursday evening I had a wee bit of a sore throat going on but I had to just make it through school on Friday and then it was two weeks off for the Easter holiday!! Yeeha! After work Lesley, Beth and I decided to go out for one glass of wine. I thought it would help my sore throat so really it was medicinal (mistake number 1) we went to our now regular Friday haunt Brix wine bar nice place and we could sit outside and the wine is only $5 a glass for happy hour (the rest of the time it’s overpriced but happy hour is great) well you won’t be surprised when I tell you we did not just have one but you will be surprised when I tell you we did just have two. Sorry correction - I just had two I’m not even going to bother telling y’all about Lesley and Beth. Well let’s just say they left Brix and had fun! Wait what the hell just happened there? When did I become the sensible one? I went home and made myself some dinner a tiny we smart one from weight watchers (mistake number 2.)
Now I know y’all are wondering about all these mistakes just hang in there with me it will all become very clear soon enough.
After my two glasses of wine and my minuscule dinner I was still not feeling 100%, Smug Git had been away all week and had just arrived back, when I decided I should have an early night. I knew tomorrows ride would be a hard one because the weather forecast was for hot, humid but cloudy weather so off I went for an unusually early Friday night bed.
4:30am Saturday the alarm went off. Today’s ride was in Columbus, Texas about an hour and a half drive away. Gus (the perfect son) and Beth were both coming along to volunteer. Gus was, well, let’s just say a tad grumpy when he saw the time. I think he had just about 3 hours sleep by this point, he got dressed went to the car and did not say another word till about 7:30. Beth on the other hand was bright and breezy and raring to go, well at least one of us was!
I was not feeling great at all, throat still sore and I had a headache but I know once I have breakfast and set off I would be good and it would be so nice to see Gus and Beth at rest stop 2. I did not have my usual breakfast of bacon, eggs on a toasted roll given that it was still the middle of the night when we got up so I would just have to make do with a bagel and cream cheese when we got there, not the best breakfast in the world but it would just have to do.
About 8:15 the ride started and we were at the very back of the ride today but that was ok since I hate the bunched up bit at the start. My stomach is always in knots at this part but once we set off I’m good to go. As you all know or at least I think I’ve mentioned a few times the first 10 miles are kinda hard for me. I struggle to get into a good pace but usually around the ten mile mark I hit my rhythm. But not today I just can’t get it together plus there are more rolling hills but to be honest not half as bad as Chappell Hill last week but to me I feel like I’m cycling up Mount Everest. I can see them in the distance and I can see they are not too bad and I can get up them half way because of the downhill before but it takes every ounce of energy I have to get over them. I’m not quite sure how, but I make it to the first rest stop and try to eat, one good thing is I’ve drank lots of water so I’m at least not dehydrated. I look around and to my surprise lots of others are looking as bad if not worse than me I hear one guy tell his wife that he’s done, he’s going to the next rest stop and SAGing it. I am NOT going to take SAG! 
We head off again and I feel a wee bit better after some food. Well if you call half a banana and some craisins food. (Another mistake!) It does not take long before I start to feel like shite again and about 500 yards from the second rest stop, half way up the hill I change gears to help me but I totally get the wrong gear and my peddles won’t turn and I just know I’m about to fall off so with a wee bit of quick thinking I head for the grass verge and jut fall over! As Smug Git says later “oh I particularly like the way you fell in the fetal position” ha bloody ha. Luckily no damage done to me or the bike but I was a bit winded and would not let SG touch me I told him to just get the bike off me and I lay on the grass for about 10 minutes. I got back on, made it to the rest stop to Gus running over to me with a big hug (god I love that boy) then of course that made me cry. It was so good to see Beth she got me a seat and brought me some food over. She really took good care of me – THANKS Beth!!! Just before we left the rest stop SG asked if I wanted to just stop there and call it a day? Oh I so wanted to but being the stubborn me I said no (last and I’m guessing biggest mistake).Now we have 17 or 18 mile left to go to complete the 50. I have no clue where I’m going to find the energy so I decide that I’ll ride to mile 40 and make my own rest stop. Find a nice shady tree and take a break and that is exactly what we do and as we’re getting close to 40 I notice that I’m for sure not the only one that’s having a hard time. Riders I’ve seen on other rides are all having breaks. It was so hot and humid with almost no wind at some points everyone seemed to be suffering. I have never seen so many riders take SAG - every SAG wagon had riders in them. We had a rest and set off again but I know I will have to stop again and then it will be on to the end to meet up with Gus and Beth. I’ve never been so glad to get to the end of a bike ride. When we got to the park Gus came running over, took my bike and gave me another huge hug and a kiss, hug from Beth and big hug from Smug Git who told me how proud he was of me. Aww shucks so much love…….
OK I need to go home I am exhausted we get in the car and go about 5 miles.
Me “I need a plastic bag I’m going to throw up”
Everyone is scrambling to find one Gus finds it and hands it to me. Then all hell breaks loose! Everything for me goes white (I mean follow the light white) I can’t see a thing. I vomit into the bag and that is the last thing I remember until I hear Beth telling SG to pull over. I come round and there is vomit everywhere. Then to make matters worse I have to get out the car at the side of the road and strip off. Poor Gus, I think he may be scarred for life we did tell him to shut his eyes and believe me he did. As soon as I threw up I felt immediately better and to make me even better two beers and some chicken tenders and fries! Yum!
I’m thinking possibly one of the more memorable rides. Not at all sure how I’m going to do the actual MS150 now! Anyone want to buy a shiny new bike?
Serious bit…
If you have not sponsored me yet I nearly DIED! I saw the bright light!! Give me some money!!!
Thanks for reading it means the word to me that you all care.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
See y’all next week… love Iz
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Wake up and smell the bluebonnets
Rather an uneventful week so I’m thinking I should fill you all in on the leg drama but first I have to tell you about another wee boy at school. He has literally just turned three and is super cute. We were out on the playground and he comes over to me and started to throw his ball at me and being the nice lady that I am I threw it back this went on for a while (it felt like an eternity for me) but he was having a great time. He stops throwing the ball, looks at me and says “Mrs. Weatherly you’re not fat” well I was killing myself laughing. Where did that come from? so I asked him “Do you read my blog?” he just looked at me and started throwing the ball again. Too funny! I guess three year olds don’t know when you’ve been on a diet and they don’t know to say your losing weight but you know what, that really made my day.
Back to the leg. Well, I’m still in pain but down to one muscle relaxant and one anti-inflammatory at night and the odd pain killer during the day so I think I’m on the mend, but by Thursday I was fed up with it and almost out of drugs (these drugs are seriously interfering with my drinking!) so I called the doctor and ended up with another appointment on Friday. However I took reinforcements with me - Smug Git came for backup. Once again she checks out the leg and writes me a prescription for my drugs then SG asks her about getting some exercises to do but no she decides to get me an x-ray and puts me on a course of steroids and then depending on the x-ray physio. So all in all a good visit to the doctor hopefully after this it will be better.
Day one of my two rides this weekend was Chappell Hill and believe me when I tell you it has the perfect name. Oh my God this was by far the hardest ride I have done to date. 44 miles of one hill after the other. They were rolling hills, up and down, up and down. It was exhausting but I’m extremely happy to say I made all the hills. But there was one part of the ride that was a gravel road for about a mile (felt like it was about 5 miles) again it was another hill! Lots of smart people got off their bikes and walked up the hill. I however did not get off my bike. Why not? I hear you all say, Well I’m clipped in and I was going too slow to clip out (I have to be coasting to clip out) so I had to struggle very slowly up and very scarily down. I can honestly say I was terrified I was going to fall it was so slippery but I did it!
The weather on Saturday was fantastic, a beautiful 82 degrees with no wind. The perfect weather for a bike ride and the wild flowers and bluebonnets were spectacular, you must really try and go see them and they smell so, so nice.
It was a huge relief to get to the end of that ride and when we got back the lovely firemen (see told you putting my lippy, perfume and earrings in would be worth it) were there and had the burgers cooked but y’all will be happy to note I stayed away from the chips this time. By the time I got home I was exhausted and fit for nothing so I lazed about on the sofa. Smug Git offered me a beer and - wait for it… I said no! Now that is how tired I was! At precisely 10:03pm I was ready for my bed and could not imagine where I was going to find the energy to do 55 more miles tomorrow. I said to SG just as I was getting ready I think I’ll be sleeping by 10:25pm. I had just nodded off when I had a dream that I was falling off my bike because you guessed it I didn’t clip out on time and I jumped and woke myself up. SG was laughing because you know what time it was? Yup 10:25pm funny!
Day two Sunday I could not believe it when the alarm went off I had slept all night with no pain. Well unless you call getting up at 3:15am to let the damaged cat out pain (pain in the ass more like) it was great I felt really rested but I was still not looking forward to the ride and the worst thing is you don’t really need to make up your mind how far you want to go till you’ve cycled for a bit. But I had decided 55 at the start of the week so 55 it was! Again the weather was fantastic and it was a rolling start which means you don’t all have to bunch up at the start, you just go to the start line and set off when you are ready. Very civilized, oh I could get used to this. The first rest stop was 17 miles out but we set off at a great pace and the roads were flat and we made it there in no time. It was great, oh my god I think I can do this. The rest of the ride was pretty much the same but I have to say the last 11 miles were tough, I was beginning to wilt again but I gave it all I had and we finished the ride with a weekend record of 100 miles and my pace today was 13mph, another record. So all in all a rather good biking weekend!
This week I’ve included some more pictures so you can see how beautiful Texas really is and hopefully it might encourage some of you to think about doing this with me next year.
Serious Bit…
I can’t believe I’m saying this but it’s only 4 more weekends till the ride and there is still time if you would like to donate to this very worthwhile cause it’s very easy just follow the link at the bottom and it will take you to my page.
A big thank you to all of my family and friends who have done this already I could not do this with out you.
And I know that money is tight for everyone and if you can’t give money please look on the MS150 web site and think about maybe giving some time that weekend to volunteer. I think you’d have a great time and without the volunteers the ride could not go ahead.
Thanks for reading it means the word to me that you all care.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
See y’all next week… love Iz
Back to the leg. Well, I’m still in pain but down to one muscle relaxant and one anti-inflammatory at night and the odd pain killer during the day so I think I’m on the mend, but by Thursday I was fed up with it and almost out of drugs (these drugs are seriously interfering with my drinking!) so I called the doctor and ended up with another appointment on Friday. However I took reinforcements with me - Smug Git came for backup. Once again she checks out the leg and writes me a prescription for my drugs then SG asks her about getting some exercises to do but no she decides to get me an x-ray and puts me on a course of steroids and then depending on the x-ray physio. So all in all a good visit to the doctor hopefully after this it will be better.
Day one of my two rides this weekend was Chappell Hill and believe me when I tell you it has the perfect name. Oh my God this was by far the hardest ride I have done to date. 44 miles of one hill after the other. They were rolling hills, up and down, up and down. It was exhausting but I’m extremely happy to say I made all the hills. But there was one part of the ride that was a gravel road for about a mile (felt like it was about 5 miles) again it was another hill! Lots of smart people got off their bikes and walked up the hill. I however did not get off my bike. Why not? I hear you all say, Well I’m clipped in and I was going too slow to clip out (I have to be coasting to clip out) so I had to struggle very slowly up and very scarily down. I can honestly say I was terrified I was going to fall it was so slippery but I did it!
The weather on Saturday was fantastic, a beautiful 82 degrees with no wind. The perfect weather for a bike ride and the wild flowers and bluebonnets were spectacular, you must really try and go see them and they smell so, so nice. It was a huge relief to get to the end of that ride and when we got back the lovely firemen (see told you putting my lippy, perfume and earrings in would be worth it) were there and had the burgers cooked but y’all will be happy to note I stayed away from the chips this time. By the time I got home I was exhausted and fit for nothing so I lazed about on the sofa. Smug Git offered me a beer and - wait for it… I said no! Now that is how tired I was! At precisely 10:03pm I was ready for my bed and could not imagine where I was going to find the energy to do 55 more miles tomorrow. I said to SG just as I was getting ready I think I’ll be sleeping by 10:25pm. I had just nodded off when I had a dream that I was falling off my bike because you guessed it I didn’t clip out on time and I jumped and woke myself up. SG was laughing because you know what time it was? Yup 10:25pm funny!
Day two Sunday I could not believe it when the alarm went off I had slept all night with no pain. Well unless you call getting up at 3:15am to let the damaged cat out pain (pain in the ass more like) it was great I felt really rested but I was still not looking forward to the ride and the worst thing is you don’t really need to make up your mind how far you want to go till you’ve cycled for a bit. But I had decided 55 at the start of the week so 55 it was! Again the weather was fantastic and it was a rolling start which means you don’t all have to bunch up at the start, you just go to the start line and set off when you are ready. Very civilized, oh I could get used to this. The first rest stop was 17 miles out but we set off at a great pace and the roads were flat and we made it there in no time. It was great, oh my god I think I can do this. The rest of the ride was pretty much the same but I have to say the last 11 miles were tough, I was beginning to wilt again but I gave it all I had and we finished the ride with a weekend record of 100 miles and my pace today was 13mph, another record. So all in all a rather good biking weekend!
This week I’ve included some more pictures so you can see how beautiful Texas really is and hopefully it might encourage some of you to think about doing this with me next year. Serious Bit…
I can’t believe I’m saying this but it’s only 4 more weekends till the ride and there is still time if you would like to donate to this very worthwhile cause it’s very easy just follow the link at the bottom and it will take you to my page.
A big thank you to all of my family and friends who have done this already I could not do this with out you.
And I know that money is tight for everyone and if you can’t give money please look on the MS150 web site and think about maybe giving some time that weekend to volunteer. I think you’d have a great time and without the volunteers the ride could not go ahead.
Thanks for reading it means the word to me that you all care.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
See y’all next week… love Iz
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Sh!t was that an earthquake?
Monday, I’m happy to report I had no pain all day and did not need any pain relief. We went to the rodeo on Monday evening so I had to do a fair bit of walking but again no pain it might be too soon to say but hopefully my leg may be on the mend, fingers crossed. On the diet front I ate the best burger (and fries) ever. I put the fries in brackets so it looked like I just had a couple but no I ate a whole portion. I did say it was the best burger (and fries) ever but that could just be because I was starving it did come with one extra-large bit of lettuce but thankfully I got rid of that before I started eating - that would have really spoiled it. Yuck! I did not feel at all guilty but that might have had more to do with the fact that I had a huge gin and tonic and 2 beers. I’m sure I’ll feel guilty enough tomorrow. After the rodeo we had to walk miles to our car so I’m thinking my leg might hurt like hell tomorrow but I’ll take some drugs before I go to bed and one thing’s for sure the drugs and alcohol will help with the pain and sleep.
Tuesday, At work again, no pain all day I’m starting to breathe a little sigh of relief. I did feel a tad - well more like a lot - guilty when I got up this morning. Still it was a great night and the burger (and fries) were great but I had to make it up by having just fruit for lunch hopefully that will cancel out the burger.
Later on that evening, as every good girl should, I’m happily flossing my teeth - See that’s how good I am I floss regularly and then I hear this wee “pop” and one of my veneers just fell right off! I can’t quite believe it - I’m so mad right now! WTF can anything else go wrong with me? You know I think if I was to get a nose job MY nose would probably fall off! I got 4 veneers in Scotland 15 years ago and never once did I have a problem. I get these stupid veneers done, it feels like about 15 minutes ago, and this is the second time one has fallen off and and it’s not even as if I was eating a big fat toffee - Arggggg! Now I’m in pain and can’t eat! Oh well I guess it’s good for the diet I suppose.
OMG! I’m seriously pissed off right now. I called the dentist and guess what? They can’t take me today! Seriously! And do you want to know the reason? There's no dentist in it's Fucking spring break! What, do people not need dentists on a holiday? I don’t know what’s going to change tomorrow it’s still spring break! But the dentist can see me then. So it’s off to work with 65 children under 5, no food and tooth ache. Happy days! Well actually what I did was call back up the dentist and rant and rave for a few more minutes then demand a sick note for work. Apparently they don’t do this, it’s normally just to say you’ve been to the dentist during work time but you know what? This time they made an exception (funny that.)
Well another day of no food will help my diet no end. However did you know that you don’t have to actually chew chocolate? So I could manage that just fine. A little chocolate dinner won’t be too bad, right?
Thursday morning off to the dentist and they were super nice to me but so they bloody well should be. Do you know what the dentist said to me?
Dentist “Were you eating something when it came out?”
Me, rather indignantly “No actually I was flossing when it happened”
Dentist “Really?”
Me “Really” Cheeky swine just because I’m fat does not mean I’m always eating obviously occasionally I floss!
Anyway back to work and I hate to say this but the leg was in agony all day I’m thinking delayed reaction from the rodeo. I called the doc looking for a referral for the physio I almost got one but the nurse called me to say that the doc wants me to see the orthopedic guy first -But wait for it my appointment is not till April 10th. Twelve days before the ride. Fat lot of good that is so I guess it’s just grin and bear it.
Ok onto more important matters. This week’s ride in Cat Springs, Texas really the middle of nowhere but beautiful nowhere. The wild flowers were in bloom and the weather was perfect, cloudy for the most part and 80⁰. Thank God it was cloudy because I got some sun today and it could have been a whole lot worse if there was no cloud cover (I must remember the sun cream). I started off a wee bit slow I think that’s because I’ve done nothing for the last 13 days but once I warmed up I was good to go. After about 13 miles we were coming up to the first rest stop. Smug Git was behind me but just as he sees the rest stop he speeds off, obviously does not want to let any of the manly men see him behind me. Whatever! I remember I’m clipped in and quite far back I clip out my right foot (that’s the foot I stop with) then closer to the stop I clip out the left, only just as I’m about to stop the left foot decides all by itself to clip back in! Oh shit! I just slowly fall to the side, I swear I feel like I’m falling from a huge height and I’m mortified I’m not quite sure if I was embarrassed that I fell off or that I just pee’d a wee bit (ladies with children you know what I’m talking about) when I hit the pavement either way it’s not good, and who came to my rescue? Well it wasn’t SG, he was too busy stuffing his face with M&M’s, it was the poor wee skinny SAG driver. There was no way she could get me up - she just helped get the bike off me. I had to get on my knees and get myself up. I seriously think I must have had a mini stroke in the last few week and didn’t know it coz my left side is a mess. But that’s it - 3 things - I’m done! Everything is now on the up! Please God - and God I mean it - if you can watch reality TV and help film stars get Oscars I better be able to ride this ride. I’m doing a good thing, do you hear me God? Enough already Amen. The rest of the ride went really well, I picked up my speed and thoroughly enjoyed it. Next week I’m riding on both days woo-hoo!
I was sent this really funny joke and I can’t resist telling y’all it.
My wife found out that our dog (a Schnauzer) could hardly hear, so she took it to the veterinarian. The vet found that the problem was hair in the dog's ears. He cleaned both ears, and the dog could then hear fine. The vet then proceeded to tell Andrea that, if she wanted to keep this from recurring, she should go to the store and get some "Nair" hair remover and rub it in the dog's ears once a month. Andrea went to the store and bought some "Nair" hair remover. At the register, the pharmacist told her, "If you're going to use this under your arms, don't use deodorant for a few days." Andrea said, "I'm not using it under my arms." The pharmacist said, "If you're using it on your legs, don't use body lotion for a couple of days." Andrea replied, "I'm not using it on my legs either. If you must know, I'm using it on my Schnauzer." The pharmacist says, "Well, stay off your bicycle for about a week."
Serious bit…
A good friend of mine has just found out her son has MS. He was diagnosed just about 2 weeks ago he lives here in the Champions area so please keep them in your thoughts and in your prayers this week.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
See y’all next week… love Iz
Tuesday, At work again, no pain all day I’m starting to breathe a little sigh of relief. I did feel a tad - well more like a lot - guilty when I got up this morning. Still it was a great night and the burger (and fries) were great but I had to make it up by having just fruit for lunch hopefully that will cancel out the burger.
Later on that evening, as every good girl should, I’m happily flossing my teeth - See that’s how good I am I floss regularly and then I hear this wee “pop” and one of my veneers just fell right off! I can’t quite believe it - I’m so mad right now! WTF can anything else go wrong with me? You know I think if I was to get a nose job MY nose would probably fall off! I got 4 veneers in Scotland 15 years ago and never once did I have a problem. I get these stupid veneers done, it feels like about 15 minutes ago, and this is the second time one has fallen off and and it’s not even as if I was eating a big fat toffee - Arggggg! Now I’m in pain and can’t eat! Oh well I guess it’s good for the diet I suppose.
OMG! I’m seriously pissed off right now. I called the dentist and guess what? They can’t take me today! Seriously! And do you want to know the reason? There's no dentist in it's Fucking spring break! What, do people not need dentists on a holiday? I don’t know what’s going to change tomorrow it’s still spring break! But the dentist can see me then. So it’s off to work with 65 children under 5, no food and tooth ache. Happy days! Well actually what I did was call back up the dentist and rant and rave for a few more minutes then demand a sick note for work. Apparently they don’t do this, it’s normally just to say you’ve been to the dentist during work time but you know what? This time they made an exception (funny that.)
Well another day of no food will help my diet no end. However did you know that you don’t have to actually chew chocolate? So I could manage that just fine. A little chocolate dinner won’t be too bad, right?
Thursday morning off to the dentist and they were super nice to me but so they bloody well should be. Do you know what the dentist said to me?
Dentist “Were you eating something when it came out?”
Me, rather indignantly “No actually I was flossing when it happened”
Dentist “Really?”
Me “Really” Cheeky swine just because I’m fat does not mean I’m always eating obviously occasionally I floss!
Anyway back to work and I hate to say this but the leg was in agony all day I’m thinking delayed reaction from the rodeo. I called the doc looking for a referral for the physio I almost got one but the nurse called me to say that the doc wants me to see the orthopedic guy first -But wait for it my appointment is not till April 10th. Twelve days before the ride. Fat lot of good that is so I guess it’s just grin and bear it.
Ok onto more important matters. This week’s ride in Cat Springs, Texas really the middle of nowhere but beautiful nowhere. The wild flowers were in bloom and the weather was perfect, cloudy for the most part and 80⁰. Thank God it was cloudy because I got some sun today and it could have been a whole lot worse if there was no cloud cover (I must remember the sun cream). I started off a wee bit slow I think that’s because I’ve done nothing for the last 13 days but once I warmed up I was good to go. After about 13 miles we were coming up to the first rest stop. Smug Git was behind me but just as he sees the rest stop he speeds off, obviously does not want to let any of the manly men see him behind me. Whatever! I remember I’m clipped in and quite far back I clip out my right foot (that’s the foot I stop with) then closer to the stop I clip out the left, only just as I’m about to stop the left foot decides all by itself to clip back in! Oh shit! I just slowly fall to the side, I swear I feel like I’m falling from a huge height and I’m mortified I’m not quite sure if I was embarrassed that I fell off or that I just pee’d a wee bit (ladies with children you know what I’m talking about) when I hit the pavement either way it’s not good, and who came to my rescue? Well it wasn’t SG, he was too busy stuffing his face with M&M’s, it was the poor wee skinny SAG driver. There was no way she could get me up - she just helped get the bike off me. I had to get on my knees and get myself up. I seriously think I must have had a mini stroke in the last few week and didn’t know it coz my left side is a mess. But that’s it - 3 things - I’m done! Everything is now on the up! Please God - and God I mean it - if you can watch reality TV and help film stars get Oscars I better be able to ride this ride. I’m doing a good thing, do you hear me God? Enough already Amen. The rest of the ride went really well, I picked up my speed and thoroughly enjoyed it. Next week I’m riding on both days woo-hoo!
I was sent this really funny joke and I can’t resist telling y’all it.
My wife found out that our dog (a Schnauzer) could hardly hear, so she took it to the veterinarian. The vet found that the problem was hair in the dog's ears. He cleaned both ears, and the dog could then hear fine. The vet then proceeded to tell Andrea that, if she wanted to keep this from recurring, she should go to the store and get some "Nair" hair remover and rub it in the dog's ears once a month. Andrea went to the store and bought some "Nair" hair remover. At the register, the pharmacist told her, "If you're going to use this under your arms, don't use deodorant for a few days." Andrea said, "I'm not using it under my arms." The pharmacist said, "If you're using it on your legs, don't use body lotion for a couple of days." Andrea replied, "I'm not using it on my legs either. If you must know, I'm using it on my Schnauzer." The pharmacist says, "Well, stay off your bicycle for about a week."
Serious bit…
A good friend of mine has just found out her son has MS. He was diagnosed just about 2 weeks ago he lives here in the Champions area so please keep them in your thoughts and in your prayers this week.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
See y’all next week… love Iz
Sunday, March 11, 2012
No pain no gain
Rain, rain go away and don’t come back till the 25th of April please, thank you very much. Oh my god it has not stopped raining for days. Under normal circumstances I’d be champing at the bit to get out there on my bike but this week it could not have come at a better time given that the doctor told me to rest up my leg. So the rain has meant I have had a guilt free weekend of not riding and resting the leg. I have to tell you Smug Git has been brilliant he made me lie on the sofa all day Saturday and he did the shopping and brought me home a trashy magazine and a tub of Ben and Jerry’s phish food Ice cream my favorite.
So last week was a very emotional week for me I felt as if every time anyone looked at me I was crying. You only had to say something nice and I was off bubbling again. Lesley thinks it’s the drugs, I think I’m just a mess. I really want to be on the bike but I’m so worried that my leg won’t get better and I’ll not be able to ride in the MS150. And I know what you’re all thinking “there’s plenty of time” and I know that but it’s not like I’m in the best shape right? I need every week of riding I can get. I’ve gone through the week thinking “ok I’ll take the time, get the leg better” but right now I don’t care I’ll ride through the pain and worry about it after the ride. But as I said the rain has helped so I’ve had nothing to do but relax and stay off my leg.
Smug Git has made me promise to go to the sports medicine clinic on Monday so that should be fun I can’t wait to see the doctors face when this athlete walks, or should I say limps, into his office. I think he may be thinking a sumo accident! So now y’all have a heads up on next week’s blog it should be a fun one. Oh and he better not ask me when my last period was or how much I weigh or I will be sumo tackling him!
On the brighter side of things I did go to Weight Watchers and lost another 2 pounds so I’m feeling pretty good about that. I have 5 pounds to go to my next target. I’ve been setting myself smaller targets to make it a bit easier and SG gives be $100 every time I lose 10 pounds so I’m a pound away from another $100. What to buy and this time I’m not buying anything for the bike. I think last time I bought a jacket for the rain, how sad am I?
OK so this week as you can see I don’t really have much to say because I’m really depressed about not being able to ride. So I thought I’d give you all a challenge, I don’t know if you realize this but I’ve been writing this blog for 22 weeks and there are only 6 weeks left. So 6, possibly 7 blogs left and then I hang up my bike and my blogging gear unless you can find something else for me to do. I will give all your suggestions some thought and then I’ll pick one. Word of warning I WILL NOT bungee jump or jump out of an airplane and I will not run a marathon but everything else will be considered (but keep it clean I know what you lot are like)
To end my blog today a few more rules for the woman cyclist of yonder year.
And finally…
Serious bit…
As you can tell by reading this I’m a tad down, hopefully normal services will resume as soon as possible but in the meantime to cheer me up you could make a small donation to my ride. It would put a wee smile on this very sad, depressed and rather overweight athlete so go on you know you want to! No amount is too small and I’m only $75 to my goal - Pleasssse!
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
See y’all next week… love Iz and I promise it will be funny even if I have to make shit up!
So last week was a very emotional week for me I felt as if every time anyone looked at me I was crying. You only had to say something nice and I was off bubbling again. Lesley thinks it’s the drugs, I think I’m just a mess. I really want to be on the bike but I’m so worried that my leg won’t get better and I’ll not be able to ride in the MS150. And I know what you’re all thinking “there’s plenty of time” and I know that but it’s not like I’m in the best shape right? I need every week of riding I can get. I’ve gone through the week thinking “ok I’ll take the time, get the leg better” but right now I don’t care I’ll ride through the pain and worry about it after the ride. But as I said the rain has helped so I’ve had nothing to do but relax and stay off my leg.
Smug Git has made me promise to go to the sports medicine clinic on Monday so that should be fun I can’t wait to see the doctors face when this athlete walks, or should I say limps, into his office. I think he may be thinking a sumo accident! So now y’all have a heads up on next week’s blog it should be a fun one. Oh and he better not ask me when my last period was or how much I weigh or I will be sumo tackling him!
On the brighter side of things I did go to Weight Watchers and lost another 2 pounds so I’m feeling pretty good about that. I have 5 pounds to go to my next target. I’ve been setting myself smaller targets to make it a bit easier and SG gives be $100 every time I lose 10 pounds so I’m a pound away from another $100. What to buy and this time I’m not buying anything for the bike. I think last time I bought a jacket for the rain, how sad am I?
OK so this week as you can see I don’t really have much to say because I’m really depressed about not being able to ride. So I thought I’d give you all a challenge, I don’t know if you realize this but I’ve been writing this blog for 22 weeks and there are only 6 weeks left. So 6, possibly 7 blogs left and then I hang up my bike and my blogging gear unless you can find something else for me to do. I will give all your suggestions some thought and then I’ll pick one. Word of warning I WILL NOT bungee jump or jump out of an airplane and I will not run a marathon but everything else will be considered (but keep it clean I know what you lot are like)
To end my blog today a few more rules for the woman cyclist of yonder year.
- Don’t try to have every article of your attire “match.” (leave that to the men to look like dicks)
- Don’t refuse assistance up a hill. (I wish I had read this one last week. Next time!)
- Don’t overdo things, let cycling be a recreation not a labor. (oops to late)
And finally…
- Don’t go out without a needle, thread and thimble. (OK…but why?)
Serious bit…
As you can tell by reading this I’m a tad down, hopefully normal services will resume as soon as possible but in the meantime to cheer me up you could make a small donation to my ride. It would put a wee smile on this very sad, depressed and rather overweight athlete so go on you know you want to! No amount is too small and I’m only $75 to my goal - Pleasssse!
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
See y’all next week… love Iz and I promise it will be funny even if I have to make shit up!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Slow and Steady
Most weeks I worry that I won’t have anything to write in this blog luckily when I sit down at the computer there’s something there but not this week, this week I’ve plenty to tell y’all.
First things first I stuck my to weight watchers diet. I’ve been trying a new thing where I don’t eat carbs at lunch, I have a little bit of carbs in the morning non the rest of the day and a little in the evening and I
have to say so far it has been working a treat and it’s not been too hard, this week another 2 pounds off!
Ok now that is out of the way back to the drama. So you know I had two good rides last weekend, a 33 and a 47 miler (I thank you all for your comments they keep me going every week!), you know I fell off my bike (no damage - no worries) and I vaguely mentioned I had a sore leg. Well the sore leg had not gotten any better and by Friday morning when I got up at my usual 5:00am to get on my bike, for the first time I felt it hurt while I was riding. It didn’t hurt much but there was a wee twinge there. When I got off the bike I went straight to my phone and called for an appointment with the doctor and thankfully I got one for later that afternoon. I know I’ve told you all about the doctors here but seriously why does she need to know what I weigh and when my last period was “come on people I have a sore leg how is knowing that going to help” Oh and I’m still not telling y’all how much I weigh!
The doctor comes in and starts asking me all the usual questions you know was I doing anything different?
Me: “What? Like going from a couch potato to riding my bike every day?”
Doc: “Well that might do it”
But seriously you all know I’ve did this gradually so she continues to examine me and then tells me I sprained my hip flexor or something. I was in shock at this point then she tells me to stop riding and to ice and rest it and that she needs to give me a shot for the pain and to relax the muscle. At this point I start crying like a baby. Now I’m not sure if I’m crying because I have to stop riding or because I have to have a shot. Either way she is just looking at me and I tell her through my sobs that it doesn't hurt when I ride and can I please ride tomorrow morning and I promise her I won’t ride all week and she says that will be fine but no riding the rest of the week. I now think I was crying at the thought of not being able to ride I really feel as if I’ve worked so hard for this and I’m scared if I stop I won’t start again but I have to say Smug Git and my friends Lesley and Amanda have talked me through, better to have a week off now than not be able to ride on the day and that I’m only half way through the training series and I know they are all right. My plan for next week because I can’t ride is to go to the gym every night and use the weights and get some abs work done because I need the abs work big time, oh god I may have some other kind of pain next week.
Remember last week I told you I’d be clipping in, well I did! I’ve been practicing all week on the trainer so tonight it’s off to the school parking lot to have a go outside and low and behold I did it! I’m feeling a bit more confident about doing it tomorrow I just have to remember to clip out when someone shouts that they are slowing so fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Saturday morning ride day I get out of my bed and SG looks at me and says “you do know you have a Mickey Mouse Band-Aid on your ass? Well actually no I didn’t so I just left it right there. I was fooled into a false sense of security on Saturday morning because Friday was such a beautiful day I was sure it was going to be warm so I put on my cycling shorts (I know I said I’d never wear them but well you know what happens) and a short sleeved t-shirt and my usual sweatshirt but when I got out of the car at the ride it was bloody freezing it had dropped 5 degrees since leaving Houston. Have I told y’all how much I hate the cold? Well it’s a lot. After I get back to the car from signing it there is Smug Git with his shirt off
Me: “WTF! Please I need some warning if you’re going to do that when I’m about”
Oh god all that white fleshy man boobs then I turn to look away and the guy at the next car is doing the exact same thing! What is it with you flabby men and taking your tops off? You can’t do that before you leave the house in the morning? Really!! Then I look up at the sky because it’s the only place left to look and I see the big black clouds fast approaching and I know it’s going to rain. Now I’m really worried, I am shit scared to ride in the rain and I’m clipped in. We head up to the start line and I can feel the first drops of rain, I’m not happy at all, then the announcer tells us that we are going to start about 30 minutes late to let the rain blow through, because our car is too far away we just try and find some shelter. So there we are freezing our butts off but relatively dry just waiting for the rain to stop when just then I see all these guys that are all kitted out looking like, well not quite Lance Armstrong but you get the idea, with all the gear on packing up their cars and leaving! What the hell! You wimps get back here! Then SG says to me “you know if you want we can do the 32 miles today”
Me: “Nope we’re doing 51”
Yay! The rain has just stopped and we go back to the start and then I see this guy come up and I kid you not he looked like Jimmy Buffet. He was wearing Khakis’, a Hawaii shirt and sunglasses. He looked like he was going on vacation. I mean really, I worry about what I look like - I have a wee bit of make up on, my hair combed, my earrings in, a dab of perfume and some lippy on (well you never know if I fall off I might need help from a big burly first responder) Honestly you see some sights.
The ride starts and we set off. It’s still cold but at least we are on the move and so far I’m clipped in and all is well. About a three quarters of an hour later the sun came out and it is a glorious day to be riding my bike most of the ride was in Sam Houston national forest so some of the scenery is amazing.
Texas really is a beautiful place to ride in spring time. If you don’t ride, you don’t know what you missing. I was under the impression that Texas was flat, oh no we had plenty of hills and at one point SG told me he thought I was going to give birth with all the panting and puffing but I did not get off my bike and walk once so big pat on the back for me. When we got to the first rest stop we were dead last the volunteers were just waiting for us and then they were packing up to go home so big shout out to all the volunteers who fed us, made us feel great and sent us on our way. Thanks guys we could not do these ride without you. Second rest stop we were second to last but you know what? I don’t really care. 
For me it’s not a race, I just want to finish (but really before those two losers at the end) anyway we did it! 51 miles up hills both ways and my longest single day ride so far. Hopefully I’ll be back on my bike next week.
Serious bit…
As you all know I’m riding for Multiple Sclerosis and would really appreciate it if you could donate something towards this very worthwhile cause. I thank everyone who has already donated to me you don’t know how much it means to me I’m very thankful to be able to call you all my friends. I also have another wee favor to ask. Smug Git and I have to volunteer at one of the rides but I really don’t want to miss a ride. If any of you out there would like to volunteer for us I would be forever in your debt and there will be a great reward for helping us out. The volunteer jobs are SAG wagon or rest stop if you would like to do this let me know.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
See y’all next week… love Iz
First things first I stuck my to weight watchers diet. I’ve been trying a new thing where I don’t eat carbs at lunch, I have a little bit of carbs in the morning non the rest of the day and a little in the evening and I
have to say so far it has been working a treat and it’s not been too hard, this week another 2 pounds off!
Ok now that is out of the way back to the drama. So you know I had two good rides last weekend, a 33 and a 47 miler (I thank you all for your comments they keep me going every week!), you know I fell off my bike (no damage - no worries) and I vaguely mentioned I had a sore leg. Well the sore leg had not gotten any better and by Friday morning when I got up at my usual 5:00am to get on my bike, for the first time I felt it hurt while I was riding. It didn’t hurt much but there was a wee twinge there. When I got off the bike I went straight to my phone and called for an appointment with the doctor and thankfully I got one for later that afternoon. I know I’ve told you all about the doctors here but seriously why does she need to know what I weigh and when my last period was “come on people I have a sore leg how is knowing that going to help” Oh and I’m still not telling y’all how much I weigh!
The doctor comes in and starts asking me all the usual questions you know was I doing anything different?
Me: “What? Like going from a couch potato to riding my bike every day?”
Doc: “Well that might do it”
But seriously you all know I’ve did this gradually so she continues to examine me and then tells me I sprained my hip flexor or something. I was in shock at this point then she tells me to stop riding and to ice and rest it and that she needs to give me a shot for the pain and to relax the muscle. At this point I start crying like a baby. Now I’m not sure if I’m crying because I have to stop riding or because I have to have a shot. Either way she is just looking at me and I tell her through my sobs that it doesn't hurt when I ride and can I please ride tomorrow morning and I promise her I won’t ride all week and she says that will be fine but no riding the rest of the week. I now think I was crying at the thought of not being able to ride I really feel as if I’ve worked so hard for this and I’m scared if I stop I won’t start again but I have to say Smug Git and my friends Lesley and Amanda have talked me through, better to have a week off now than not be able to ride on the day and that I’m only half way through the training series and I know they are all right. My plan for next week because I can’t ride is to go to the gym every night and use the weights and get some abs work done because I need the abs work big time, oh god I may have some other kind of pain next week.
Remember last week I told you I’d be clipping in, well I did! I’ve been practicing all week on the trainer so tonight it’s off to the school parking lot to have a go outside and low and behold I did it! I’m feeling a bit more confident about doing it tomorrow I just have to remember to clip out when someone shouts that they are slowing so fingers crossed for tomorrow.
Saturday morning ride day I get out of my bed and SG looks at me and says “you do know you have a Mickey Mouse Band-Aid on your ass? Well actually no I didn’t so I just left it right there. I was fooled into a false sense of security on Saturday morning because Friday was such a beautiful day I was sure it was going to be warm so I put on my cycling shorts (I know I said I’d never wear them but well you know what happens) and a short sleeved t-shirt and my usual sweatshirt but when I got out of the car at the ride it was bloody freezing it had dropped 5 degrees since leaving Houston. Have I told y’all how much I hate the cold? Well it’s a lot. After I get back to the car from signing it there is Smug Git with his shirt off
Me: “WTF! Please I need some warning if you’re going to do that when I’m about”
Oh god all that white fleshy man boobs then I turn to look away and the guy at the next car is doing the exact same thing! What is it with you flabby men and taking your tops off? You can’t do that before you leave the house in the morning? Really!! Then I look up at the sky because it’s the only place left to look and I see the big black clouds fast approaching and I know it’s going to rain. Now I’m really worried, I am shit scared to ride in the rain and I’m clipped in. We head up to the start line and I can feel the first drops of rain, I’m not happy at all, then the announcer tells us that we are going to start about 30 minutes late to let the rain blow through, because our car is too far away we just try and find some shelter. So there we are freezing our butts off but relatively dry just waiting for the rain to stop when just then I see all these guys that are all kitted out looking like, well not quite Lance Armstrong but you get the idea, with all the gear on packing up their cars and leaving! What the hell! You wimps get back here! Then SG says to me “you know if you want we can do the 32 miles today”
Me: “Nope we’re doing 51”
Yay! The rain has just stopped and we go back to the start and then I see this guy come up and I kid you not he looked like Jimmy Buffet. He was wearing Khakis’, a Hawaii shirt and sunglasses. He looked like he was going on vacation. I mean really, I worry about what I look like - I have a wee bit of make up on, my hair combed, my earrings in, a dab of perfume and some lippy on (well you never know if I fall off I might need help from a big burly first responder) Honestly you see some sights.
The ride starts and we set off. It’s still cold but at least we are on the move and so far I’m clipped in and all is well. About a three quarters of an hour later the sun came out and it is a glorious day to be riding my bike most of the ride was in Sam Houston national forest so some of the scenery is amazing.
Texas really is a beautiful place to ride in spring time. If you don’t ride, you don’t know what you missing. I was under the impression that Texas was flat, oh no we had plenty of hills and at one point SG told me he thought I was going to give birth with all the panting and puffing but I did not get off my bike and walk once so big pat on the back for me. When we got to the first rest stop we were dead last the volunteers were just waiting for us and then they were packing up to go home so big shout out to all the volunteers who fed us, made us feel great and sent us on our way. Thanks guys we could not do these ride without you. Second rest stop we were second to last but you know what? I don’t really care. 
For me it’s not a race, I just want to finish (but really before those two losers at the end) anyway we did it! 51 miles up hills both ways and my longest single day ride so far. Hopefully I’ll be back on my bike next week.Serious bit…
As you all know I’m riding for Multiple Sclerosis and would really appreciate it if you could donate something towards this very worthwhile cause. I thank everyone who has already donated to me you don’t know how much it means to me I’m very thankful to be able to call you all my friends. I also have another wee favor to ask. Smug Git and I have to volunteer at one of the rides but I really don’t want to miss a ride. If any of you out there would like to volunteer for us I would be forever in your debt and there will be a great reward for helping us out. The volunteer jobs are SAG wagon or rest stop if you would like to do this let me know.
Here is my link http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/izzi
See y’all next week… love Iz
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