What a day! I was fortunate enough to get my butt out of the house yesterday and today and get on my bike and ride! What gorgeous weather we had here in the badger state. I will admit today was a bit chilly but not enough for me to wear a jacket while riding. Yesterday I was lying in bed thing, "I feel like a bike ride." So I texted my friend Damara and asked if she was feeling it too. She was!!!! So I packed me up and she packed her kids up and we met for a last minute rendezvous in Reedsburg to do some of the 400 Trail. It was a great day! I had more stamina than a seven year-old. Any parent knows they have a lot of energy! We are cutting her a lot of slack because it was also her first ride of the season. It made me feel good not to be the first one to peter out for once. We rode five miles in and five back. Not bad for a fun-filled day. We saw beautiful graceful cranes and one was even nesting. The best part was when we were back to the vehicles just sitting around and Damara looks up and spots a big bald eagle circling above us. It is amazing to think they can see mice from that far up.
Today we ditched the kids and headded out for our first time on the Glacial Drumlin Trail out of Cottage Grove. I have to admit I have never realized that trail was there. I even remember parking in that lot to go to the fireman's festival and had to drive past it to get to my friend Cathy's house. Kind of feeling like an idiot for all the times I wanted to ride but was too lazy to head out to the west side of Madison or "up north." It is just over 15 miles from my house so I think I will be headed there a lot more often. Today we rode ten miles in and went through Deerfield and made it to London. No we never did find the queen. But they had the cleanest port-a-potties I have ever seen. We even saw the company picking them up. I sure hope they replace them. It was a benefit that the 400 Trail and Elroy-Sparta Trail are lacking. Maybe someday we will go all the way to Waukesha where the trail ends. It sure was a scenic trail. Saw more cranes, geese, a ton of butterflies and horse farms. The last five miles back were the hardest. I wanted to be done at about mile seventeen. So I had to ask myself, "Do you want to be a quitter or a finisher?" I decided to be a finisher because I doubt Damara would bring the car back to get me. Really what choice did I have?
As far as my running goes, I haven't been doing it. There I said it. I plan on restarting tomorrow evening. I would start tonight but I rode my bike twenty miles today! Ten miles killed my right knee lastnight so I am waiting to see what tonight brings. Fortunately, I awoke this morning with no pain. I popped a couple ibuprofen before and after todays ride just in case. So far so good. Back to the running...I started this blog to hold myself accountable to myself. I thought it would keep me on track if I had to admit to my family and friends when I was not keeping up with my goals. It has helped because otherwise I probably would not have stuck with it this long or felt the need to get back on this horse. So tomorrow without fail I will begin training for my half marathon...again. I also have to train for my weekend overnight bike ride with Damara later this summer or early fall. We want to do the whole Elroy-Sparta trail both ways. It's about 32 miles in and another 32 back. I am really looking forward to it. We thought about camping but then decided on a hotel with a hot tub for overnight muscle recuperation. If you would like more information regarding bicycle trails in Wisconsin please google Wisconsin State Parks or go to www.dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/findapark. They have a great interactive map of all the trails and state parks. Clicking each one takes you to that parks/trail page where you can find directions, maps, what each offers, and even nearby restaurants and shopping. I use this site all the time.
I am still on the paleo diet. Mostly. I tried eating chicken fried rice Saturday night. Within a half hour I felt all bloated and basically yucky. I had pasta at my Mom's Sunday and that fared a little better. I think I will stick with lean proteins, vegetables and fruits for a little while longer. I even subscribed to the blog paleotable.com for more recipes. I like a lot of variety and this site even had a recipe for chocolate chip scones made with blanched almond flour. So if anyone could direct where the easiest place to buy that is I would appreciate it. Definitely not at Target and doubtful if Pick'n Save carries it. Also tried my first coconut water today. I paid three dollars for a carton of pineapple coconut water and it was gross. I made myself drink it because I paid for it. I will admit the taste did grow on me a little but not eneough to pay another three dollars.
So folks send me some encouragement to get my but moving. Lord knows I need it right about now. Hopefully the sunshine I absorbed the past two days will keep me moving too! Also does anyone know of a great free graphics software I can upload my phots to so you can actually read the words of inspiration I am putting on them? My daughter told me about Picnic but they were bought out by google so I have just been using my Microsoft Paint. I would like something a little more versatile.
Way to get on the bike and ride! I hear ya about the lack of porta potties on the 400 trail. There were many a times I wish I were a man. Now go out there and jump back into running!
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