Training Log 5/18 and Miscellaneous Adventures

This past week, I was preparing for my first road race on Sunday. I was originally planning to do two training rides with the cycling club, but we had some sketchy weather this week. I didn't want to get caught in the afternoon thunderstorms, so I rode on my own earlier in the day. On Thursday, I cut my ride short, which was luckily a smart decision because it started raining right when I got back home!

My road race on Sunday was in Richmond, Virginia, which is about 2 hours away from where I live. Thankfully, the women's race didn't start until 12:20, so I didn't have to get up at a ridiculously early hour. It was 44 miles (actually a bit shorter) through the Virginia countryside. We had perfect race conditions, and the course was beautiful. I had a great time, and I'll post a more detailed race recap in a bit.

Other adventures I had this week was going mountain biking with a friend on Wednesday. I used to MTB, but haven't been in more than 4 years. I love it, but I only have an old, not so great MTB. Both me and my bike survived the trails, and I had a blast! On Saturday, I also went stand up paddleboarding for the first time. I bought a Livingsocial coupon for a three-hour lesson. Check out the GoPro video that I made!

Monday- 75 mins vinyasa yoga

Tuesday- cycling 21 mi, avg 18.1 mph

Wednesday- cycling 25 mi, avg 17.9 mph
                      MTB 6ish miles on singletrack

Thursday- cycling 12 mi, avg 18.3 mph

Friday- 75 mins vinyasa yoga

Saturday- stand up paddleboarding, 3-hr lesson
                 7.3 mi shakeout ride, avg 18.2 mph

Sunday- 43.5 mi road race, avg 20.8 mph

Totals

Cycling- 108.2 mi + 6 mi MTB
Running- 0

What a week! And now I am exhausted and ready to pass out. Got to get to yoga this week to stretch out those tight muscles.

Read More

SUP at Valley Mill Kayaks

A couple of months ago, I saw a Living Social coupon for a 3-hour stand up paddleboard (SUP) lesson. It was a pretty good price and I had always wanted to try SUP, so I sprung for it. My friend also got one, so we decided to try it together. We booked our lesson for this Saturday and had a great time! After this week of thunderstorms and rain, we got lucky with clear blue skies and mild temperatures. It was a bit chilly at first, but quickly warmed up.

We had our SUP lessons at Valley Mill Kayak on a (very) small lake. The water was completely flat, so it was easy to learn. We had a choice between two different boards: a wider, rigid and more stable board, or a narrower, inflatable board. I decided to start with the wider board to get the hang of the thing first.

What's great about the wider Jackson boards was that they have built-in GoPro mounts. I had brought my GoPro, but wasn't sure where to mount it, so it worked perfectly! I got some great footage and made a little video. Mounting my GoPro on a paddleboard is much more stable than on my MTB!

We had an instructor teach our small group of four. He taught us different paddle strokes, how to stand and shift our weight, and fun things like jumping around and switching our stance. I even tried a few yoga poses on my board. Haha I did crow pose for about three seconds. At the end of the lesson, we played some games on the boards, including sharks and minnows.

Since it was a bit chilly, I made it my goal to not fall into the water! I dislike being wet and cold, so I was extra motivated to not fall in. I have pretty good balance, and didn't fall in once :)

Here's a video I made with the footage I got from the SUP lessons

I had a great time, and hope I can do this again some time soon!

Have you ever tried SUP?

Read More

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Curd and Butter Cream

I had some leftover frosting and lemon curd from the lemon chiffon cake that I made for Mother's Day, so of course I couldn't let it go to waste. I made vanilla cupcakes that I filled with the lemon curd. Then I put both the pink and white butter cream frosting into a pastry bag and topped each one with a multi-colored swirl. So pretty :)

Vanilla Cupcakes with Lemon Curd Filling and Butter cream

For the cupcakes:

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a small mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Start adding the flour mixture little by little, alternating with the milk. When all the flour and milk is added, beat until just combined to avoid over mixing.

Divide the batter among a cupcake tin prepared with cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cakes feel springy when lightly touched or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out cleanly. 

Cool completely and prepare the lemon curd and frosting in the meantime.

For the Lemon Curd:

2 large eggs

1/3 cup sugar

juice and zest of 1 large lemon

4 Tbsp butter

pinch of salt

In a small saucepan, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon juice, zest, and salt. Turn the heat onto medium, and add the butter. When the butter melts, turn heat to medium-low and continue to whisk until mixture thickens and briefly holds the lines when a whisk is drawn through. Chill the mixture completely before filling the cupcakes.

For the Lemon Buttercream:

1 stick butter, softened

3 cups confectioner's sugar (more or less might be needed)

2 Tbsp lemon curd

pinch of salt

Beat all the ingredients together until a thick frosting consistency is reached. Adjust with more or less confectioner's sugar if needed. Continue whipping the frosting for about 3 minutes until it is very fluffy. Color with food coloring if desired. 

To fill and frost the cupcakes

Fill a pastry bag or Ziploc bag fitted with a plain round tip with the lemon curd. Poke the tip into the middle of the cupcake and apply gentle pressure until the cupcake is filled to the top of the hole. Repeat with all the cupcakes. If you have leftover curd, you can add more to the buttercream for a more lemony flavor.

Fill a pastry bag (I used a gallon Ziploc) fitted with a large star tip with the buttercream. Fill it half and half with two colors if you want a swirl effect. Frost each cupcake with your desired amount of frosting. Eat the leftover frosting with your fingers :P

Enjoy life and eat a cupcake! <3

Read More

LYFT Clean Caffeine Review

As a Sweat Pink ambassador, I had the opportunity to sample the LYFT Energy Stir Stick.

I don't know about you, but energy drinks usually have a funky taste full of funky ingredients and sugar. I used to drink Red Bull in middle school even though it kind of grossed me out. Yea... not a wise choice.

LYFT Energy Stir Sticks are a different concept than your typical energy drink because you can transform any beverage into an energy drink. The caffeine is derived from green coffee bean extract and there are some added vitamins that are typically found in conventional energy drinks, such as B12 and B6. The sticks also contain zero calories and are lightly sweetened with stevia. There is 125 mg of caffeine per stick, which is the amount in a small coffee. A Starbucks tall (12 oz) has about 260 mg of caffeine, for comparison.

On the LYFT website, they suggest stirring it into different beverages any time of the day, from your morning orange juice to an evening cocktail.

I am no stranger to caffeine consumption, and I usually have some caffeine (in coffee form) before my workouts. I also consume caffeinated gels during longer efforts because I think that it really helps to keep my energy levels up. Earlier this week, I was feeling lethargic one morning, even after my massive cup of coffee. I was planning on going out for a training ride, though my body was kind of protesting. I decided to give LYFT a try and stirred it into a small glass of my sports drink.

The packaging is pretty cool. You peel the label down the side, which exposes the perforated part of the stick so the caffeine can dissolve in your drink when you stir. The stick also did double duty by stirring in my powdered sports drink.

Even though there's a small amount of sweetener in the stick, I didn't taste any difference in my drink. I headed out for a 21 mile ride afterwards. At first, I was still feeling a bit fatigued, probably due to the humidity and heat, but my legs really woke up in the middle of the ride. It was still a hard effort, but I think I got a little boost from the caffeine since I was feeling pretty shitty before the ride.

This product makes caffeine consumption convenient, especially if you're not a fan of coffee or tea. I wouldn't say that I am so dependent on caffeine that I need to carry it with my for a little "boost" during the day, but it is sometimes nice to have when I'm really struggling.

Pick your poison: coffee, tea, energy drinks, caffeine supplements (like LYFT)

Read More

I (Finally) Went Mountain Biking!

Although I have only been road cycling for almost a year, I basically grew up on a bike. My parents tell me that I learned how to ride a bike, without training wheels, when I was 2 1/2 years old. Ever since I can remember, I knew how to ride a bike. In first grade, my dad bought me a mountain bike for my birthday that was too big for me. I eventually grew into it, and started taking it on the trails. My dad, brother, and I would ride a trail around a lake at a local park. When I moved to another neighborhood, there was a park called Schaeffer Farms just down the road with some really great single track and I started riding there. My brother and I both got Mongoose MTBs, which at the time I thought were pretty sweet bikes. Little did I know what a good MTB was... Anyway, it served its purpose and I loved riding it in the forested trails.  

source

In those early years, the park was kind of an undiscovered gem, but lately, it has become super popular. On the weekends, I see so many vehicles loaded with MTBs going down the road past my house that lead to the park. It's a shame that I live so close to such great trails and I rarely ride there. I used to spend my summers riding the single track back in middle and high school. 

Recently, a friend that I cycle with got a MTB. She had never ridden off-road before, so I suggested that we ride at Schaeffer Farms. I got my old Mongoose ready and prayed that I still remembered how to ride on single track. The shifters also don't work that great. And the brake pads are wearing a bit thin... It had rained the day before, so the trails were a bit muddy and slippery. Not the ideal conditions for my friend to learn how to MTB, but she did fine. We had a blast and survived without a mishap. I took my GoPro with me and mounted it on the rubber part of my handlebars. Unfortunately, that was a bad idea because of all the vibration from the trail, and most of the video is nausea-inducing. I should have used my helmet mount, which I will do next time! 

Here's what I salvaged from the footage:

Have you ever gone mountain biking before?

Read More

The Logistics of Cycling Across the Country

In less than three weeks, I will embark on a cross country cycling trip with a team of 28 other riders. There's a lot of planning and logistics to coordinate such a huge trip, so today, I'd like to share a bit on how the ride will work.

The Support

Our ride will be self-supported in the sense that there will be no other people outside of the riders that will be there to provide support. We will have two 15-passenger gear vans that will be driven by teammates as we rotate through the responsibilities. The vans will carry all of our gear (1 duffle and 1 backpack per rider), food, water, and bikes/riders when needed. During the day, one van will set up water stops and make sure that the riders have everything they need. The other van will be dropping off the gear at the host and secure food donations. They also chalk the route so that riders won't get lost. The ride is a huge team effort, and when you're not riding, you're helping to take care of those who are.

The Leadership

The leadership team does a lot of work months in advance before the trip to make sure that everything runs smoothly.

1. 2 Ride Directors- keep the team mentality strong, ensure that everyone fulfills there responsibilities, communicates with the Ulman Cancer Fund staff

2. 6 Leg Leaders- two leg leaders per section of the trip will be responsible for determining a safe route. They will also secure hosts and food donations throughout their leg of the trip

3. 1 Service Coordinator- communicates with cancer centers and coordinates service events

4. 1 Public Relations Coordinator- responsible for press releases, create social media presence, and makes our mission more visible to the public

5. 2 Mechanics- helps with bike maintenance and repairs, because obviously that is crucial as we are riding across the country


Food and Lodging

For the entire ride, we will be relying on the communities we travel through to donate food and provide us lodging. In the past, teams have gotten generous donations from fast food restaurants such as McDonalds, Subway, Chipotle, etc. and gift cards from grocery stores. Places such as REI and local bike shops might give donations or discounts on gear and nutrition. We'll have to be flexible and not picky about food, and we'll probably eat anything and everything we can get. I'll definitely be hungry!

The places we are staying are usually in churches, gyms, and host families' homes. We might have to stay at camp sites if we are far from civilization, such as cycling through the national parks. Most of the time, we will be sleeping on floors, which is why I'm glad I just bought a sleeping pad!

Staying Connected

Although I'll be on the road, I am still hoping to stay in touch with friends and family, keep this blog up to date, and receive mail along the route. I should be able to get wifi at most host towns, if not at the place we're staying at, then probably at a Starbucks or McDonalds. I'm not sure about cell phone reception in the more rural parts of the route, but I will at least have it for some of the route. Having my smart phone with me will be invaluable because I can look up maps, check important emails, make calls in an emergency, and communicate with the van drivers.


Do you have any other questions about the logistics of my cross country trip?

Read More

The Weekly Chase 5/13, a Road Race, and Fundraising

My first cycling road race is this Sunday, only 5 days away! I am slightly panicking, but I keep telling myself that everything will be okay, I won't have a mechanical, and my legs are ready for this. I really have no idea what to expect, since I've never raced before. The race is in Richmond, Virginia, which is pretty far. I'll be making the two hour drive on Sunday morning, and since it starts around 12pm, I won't have to get up crazy early. The race itself is a 22-mile loop that we do twice, for a total of 44 miles. The field is small, and so far, there are only 9 women. My friend will be racing in the Category 4 men's. It would be a lie to say that I am not nervous, but I am hoping for the best! At least the weather will be nice.

Also, I can't believe that it's already mid-May and that I will start to ride across the country in two and a half weeks! I am getting more and more excited as June 1st approaches, and I can't wait to meet my 28 teammates who will be riding with me from Baltimore all the way to Portland. 

Before I go on the trip, however, every rider needs to raise a minimum of $4500. Part of the funds will cover the ride expenses, but most of them will go to support young adults with cancer by providing patient navigation services and awarding college scholarships. My brother recently made a generous donation to my fund, and I am now so close to my fundraising goal! I have been making deposits with my own money since I've been struggling a bit to make all the fundraising deadlines, but with my brother's donation, I am less than $100 away from meeting the minimum before the May 15th deadline. 

Although it makes me uncomfortable to ask for donations, I really need all the help I can get for a final push to meet the minimum. Even a small donation of $5 will help reach my goal and allow me to go on this amazing adventure for an incredible organization. Click on the image below for my donation page, as well as my profile explaining why I want to cycle across the across the country.

And now it's time for another Weekly Chase!

Goals from last week:

1. Get my cross country cycling gear together- I've been shopping around at local bike shops, REI, and Amazon for gear and cycling kit. I recently ordered a bunch of stuff off of Amazon that I will need for the trip, but I still have a few more things to get such as puncture resistant tires.

2. Go on two club rides- I went on a club ride on Thursday and Saturday. The Thursday ride was pretty hard and I got dropped halfway. Well, that's the reason I join these rides, to challenge myself and get stronger.

3. Go to yoga three times- Only went twice this week, again. My weekends were packed and I didn't have time to go to my usual class.

4. Run for fun- Not only did I run, I ran twice, PLUS one was on the trails! Both were enjoyable, though the trail run was hot.

This week's goals:

1. Reach my fundraising minimum by May 15th deadline- I am blown away by all the generosity I've received since I started fundraising in February, and I've already raised over $3000! That's incredible, and I am so close to meeting the fundraising minimum. I can do this!

2. Go on two training rides- I want to try to make it to two club rides this week before my race on Sunday, but that will depend on the weather. A lot of afternoon thunderstorms this week :(

3. Catch up with friends- Since I will be leaving my hometown soon to cycle across the country and then move to Boston, I want to spend some quality time with my friends. I'm getting a bit sad that I will be leaving!

4. Do my first road race- I just want to have a good experience. And not finish last.

Read More