Taking some time to learn

It is the time of year to consider some resolutions...end of December; a little time off and setting some healthy goals.

Normally, I would be setting training goals that would eventually lead to overtraining injuries. Well, with age SHOULD come wisdom, so this year the goal is to be smart about training by doing some research first.

Since it is late December, training should be focused on building a base. Focus should be on aerobic endurance, cross training and the hitting weight room. To this end, I've spent this week doing 2-30 mile rides, a couple of spin classes, the first time in the pool in over a year, and daily yoga. I could really get used to this! Ending each evening with yoga is proving to relieve my chronic back and hip pain. It is also helping my shoulder tremendously. One year ago I was sporting a sling after rotator cuff surgery. Another reason to commit to a base-building winter.

I bought a book called The Cyclists Training Bible. To tell you the truth, it wasn't the resource I was looking for, but I'll keep looking!

Consistency for the next 8-10 weeks should build a solid base from which to begin preseason training.

My next step is to schedule a fitness test at our local club. I have been resisting this as an unnecessary step for the last year. Everything that I read points to the need to understand not only my fitness level, but more importantly, my anaerobic threshold. Understanding the point at which I am burning more glucose than fat and building up lactic acid will help guide my training plan. More to come on this.

Once I get the fitness test, I'll invest in a new heart rate monitor so that I can train using my heart rate. I dug through our drawer with all of the discarded gadgets, plugs and a myriad of old cell phones. Found the Polaris watch with the chest strap. Yes! Then tried it out and realized it just doesn't work anymore.

Hoping my reward for all of this effort is an injury-free year of serious cycling!

Getting out in the wet and cold

Its the day AFTER Christmas and all through the house, people are moaning from eating too much!
Time to get out for a ride on this Saturday morn. Today it feels less like fun and more like a chore.

Okay, so I'm no poet.

At 8am on Dec 26th, off to meet the Moms on Bikes for a 30 miler. Funny how 45 degrees feels colder when there is also a light mist of rain and a breeze. Still, got in a solid ride and my legs are reminding me just how long its been since we all rode together.

Looking forward to several more while we are off from work.

Out into the cold of winter

It is time to don those cycling tights, gloves, shoe covers, and all things warm to get our hind ends on a bike and RIDE.

This past week I felt so fortunate to have been invited to join a women's cycling team. Already I feel welcome, as they invite me to ride and welcome me into their fold. As everyone was updating their profiles, I did find it a little, hmmm, let me say daunting, to know that at least one of these athletes is in high school. No matter, as they say, youth is sooo wasted on the young.

So again, back on the bike this week both Saturday and Sunday. Looking forward to it...brrrr...

Just a quick post to note how quickly conditioning is LOST!
Where is it that it goes? And why is it in such a darned hurry to leave?

Spin class tonight was packed and we have a great instructor. She motivates us to climb "just one last hill". My quads were screaming, and my calves were cramping...I was certain that I was the only one feeling any pain at all. Kept thinking that there must be someplace that I should be...someone waiting for me so that I would urgently need to leave that class. But no, I had covered all of my bases and planned out every detail so that I could stay for the entire workout. Damn!

7pm eventually rolled around and we slowed for a cool-down.
Goodness that was tough. Better keep it up, cause that conditioning certainly does not like to stick around.

Images of Thanksgiving 2009

The "wolves" and I are so fortunate to have Wilma as our mother. Here she is pictured at the Oregon Coast this past summer. What a wonderful week with family...saw my brother-wolves and their kids. Cody and I enjoyed our all-too-quick trip.

Pictured below are Spencer and Quinton. THRILLED to have Spencer home from Afganistan and out of the military during war-time.


My brother, Mark, created a self-branding piece for his MBA program. In doing this he unearthed photos of our father. Ivan passed away at the age of 49...the age that I am now. He missed so much as we have all grown up and have so much to be thankful for. Thanks, Mark for these photos. Pictured here are my brother Steve (Mark's twin) and our father, Ivan.
I was only 10 when Ivan passed of lung cancer. Don't have many memories of him.

Of course, that which I am MOST thankful for are my sons, Shane and Cody. They have given us a real run this year...and I've been saying that while I love them more than life itself, I will not be unhappy to say goodbye to 2009. Enough said.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Old route through different eyes

There is a 28-30 mile route, on country roads near Apex, NC that I have ridden hundreds of times. During 2008 and 2009, it has been the MOB (Moms on Bikes) that I've ridden with most frequently, and before that, my good friend and training partner, Roger Moore.

Each time I ride this route, I have to remind myself to pick my head up and look around! The beauty of North Carolina shines bright over this short route. This weekend was particularly lovely.

Rolled out of bed on a cold November morning, bundled up, and waited for the sun to rise. Mounted My Red Bike and shivered as I rode to meet my friends for this familiar route.

As we headed out of town, I was taken by the Fall colors, as they reflected off the ponds we frequently see along the way.

Each bend in the road seemed to reveal a sight that took be by surprise. How is that possible?

What makes it possible is the frame of reference (wolf brother, Mark taught me this lesson) that I took on this day.

Each section of the ride requires a different attitude and commitment. We have come to the point that we can read each others' moves and adjust seamlessly to our energy levels. No one gets left behind, and everyone enjoys the ride!

We come in to the hills that we affectionately call The 3 Ugly step sisters, and their mother. Here a cyclist is entering into the first of those hills.

Once we get through these, we head on to some flat-lands and can pick up speed.

Also pictured are the "rollers" on Old US 1. While I'm not a big fan of these rollers, others in the MOB really enjoy them.

I can tell you what I'm a BIG fan of...that is the city limits sign for Apex! Lately, we have taken to pushing the last few miles to the "limit" and declaring VICTORY at this sign. Now that is fun!

Most important part of any bike ride with the MOB, is the coffee shop. The real celebration takes place while sipping hot coffee and bragging about our kids.

Can't wait for next Saturday!

Big 2010 Ride!

Next year is a big year...moving on to the next decade of life! I can genuinely say that while I wish time would not keep marching on, I am curious what life will bring.

To celebrate this milestone, I've decided to take MY RED BIKE somewhere in this great country to ride for a week and give these 50 year-old legs a real test.

The biggest challenge seems to be choosing a place, and a ride.

Do I head to my home state of Oregon, which seems to be rich with wonderful rides?

What about the Ride across North Carolina, our current home and one that I haven't yet fully explored?

What about a new place, like the Northeast?

Any of these choices will be great choices, it is making the choice that seem the most difficult.

I do know this, September of 2010 you can find me on my red bike, somewhere in the USA.

Fishing in small ponds

I had the very good fortune to volunteer this week at NC State, conducting mock interviews with some of the MBA students. Let me say this, these young people are going FAR! Very impressive.

The interviews made me think about my time as an MBA student, and the interviews that I underwent just to be considered for the program. I was 38 years old, and at the top of my game, or so I thought. I had studied very long and hard for the GMAT; completed every essay and interview just the best that I possibly could. Back at work, I was considered a "rising star". Yes, I was accepted to the Univ of Washington Executive MBA program, but just barely.
Big fish, small pond...then I learned of much larger ponds, even lakes, for which I didn't feel all that big.

Another time that I felt this Big Fish phenomenon was back in high school and college.
It was a time that I was on top...heck, it's hard to keep track of the honors and awards from those early years:

• State Champion High Jumper
• Homecoming Queen
• Salutatorian of our graduating class
• Drum Major for the marching band
• High School All-American for the state of Oregon

Pretty cool, huh? Now lets apply a frame of reference:

• Graduating class of 47
• City of 20,000

All of that being said, I did get into a major University and made the Track team. Here is when this Big Fish learned about small ponds. These athletes had come OSU to compete from all over the world. Their strong, lithe bodies possessed abilities where mine paled in comparison.

So, what is to be learned?

No matter the pond, lake, or ocean where we play...there is always one that is larger. Feel good about yourself and know that one must continue to learn and improve.

Raised by Wolves

About those wolves...

Important to understanding this soul, is to know a little about how I grew up. I have taken to telling my life story with this opening line..."I was raised by wolves". That typically gets a grin and a listening ear.

In my case, it really is true. In fact, one might believe that is why I am drawn to cycling. Those pace lines really do resemble a "pack".

Ivan Smith was the father of three sons, twins and then one year later another son. It was a full eight years later that Wilma and Ivan had what they came to call their youngest, their "bonus' child. Yes, that would be yours truly. The early years of raising these boys was a difficult time and those years did little to shall we say, refine the family.

At the age of 49, Ivan passed away from Lung Cancer. This "bonus child" had just turned ten years old. Fast forward to those formative high school years: dates were met by these three formitable brothers and my lessons of youth were taught through the eyes of "wolves".

I turned 16 years old in The Dalles, Oregon. The rite of passage in this small town and the key to any life at all, was a driver's license. Each of my three brothers had their own unique way of teaching me to drive. We borrowed my mother's VW bug and each one in turn proceeded to teach this pup the most important driving skill of all.

Stephen believed that every person must learn on their very first day behind the wheel, just how to start from a dead stop on a steep grade, with their emergency brake (I will have to admit, years later I did need this when driving in San Fran).Stephen drove me out in to the country (not a long drive) and found a steep incline in a cherry orchard.

Scott's most memorable lessons came in the form of driving "rules".

"If you're lost, go everywhere fast"

"Never trust anyone with a dent in their car"

He also left me with a key experience, believing that everyone should demonstrate a "cop turn" before passing their driver's test.

Mark seemed more practical in his driving lessons, and most likely the reason I was able to drive well at all. Mark took me out on the highway and taught me the traffic signs and the general courtesies of the road.

Such a window to these wolves approach to life.

The Need for Speed

During this season of recovery and conditioning I have learned, once again, of three-legged stool of performance: Distance; Hills and where the real fun lies....SPEED! But alas, power and speed have been the last to come this year.

Admittedly, I have not mastered the first two elements, but I have completed a Century and while training for this distance, conquered each hill that this area of North Carolina has to offer. If you're located here, you know I mean Liestra! That final leg of the stool is elusive. I have seen glimpses of it, but then the inability to sustain.

Please allow me to digress for a minute to a few "stories from the road".
A few weeks ago our riding group, Moms On Bikes (MOB), were out for our usual training ride. We have a regular route of about 50 miles that we do each Saturday morning. On this particular morning it seemed that each group of riders (for the most part men...sorry guys) believed that they were faster than us and that they should pass our, albeit short, paceline. Each time a group passed us, they soon realized that they could not maintain their pace (the wind can really blow over Lake Jordan) and consequently fall in ahead of us, at a slower pace. In this particular case, the group passing us was larger than the others and we ended up falling into their paceline. Curiously, one rider seemed to be setting a pace out ahead of the others...acting almost as a rabbit for the paceline. My friend and I got restless and were tired of these groups of (sorry again guys) MEN believing that we were weaker. I gave a little wink and a nod to my co-conspirator, and with one statement, "I'll take it" we moved as one unit to the right, and decided to chase down the rabbit. Brenda grabbed my rear wheel and we successfully rode past the paceline and chased the speed-demon in the lead. NOW THAT WAS FUN!

Each Saturday morning we ride and then enjoy coffee as our reward.
This past Saturday we realized that soccer and other commitments might steal these precious moments from us and that we had to ride hard for the last 12 miles and make up enough time to earn our respite. "I'll take it" meant that I would take the first pull and that we would trade off frequently enough to maintain a good clip, with our coffee as the reward. What a team effort!
Then with about 3-4 miles remaining I hoped that we could pull ourselves against the wind and up the mild grade at a pace we had not yet accomplished. It was my turn to pull, after such great efforts from my cycling compatriots. Somewhere this energy surged through me...LETS GO! Our finish line will be the sign for the Apex City Limits...The Peak of Good Living!
What effort and what fun we had pedaling so hard toward that goal! We made it and felt such exhilaration!

Oh, what a need for SPEED!

Distance....check
Hills....check
Speed...what does this mean...argh! Intervals.

Okay, I know what I gotta do. The reward is great, the work is hard.
As our tagline for Basketball Heights states: Dream Big. NO SHORTCUTS

Lessons from the road...

The red bike, along with 2599 other bikes with riders had fantastic weather for riding last weekend. Combined, we raised 1.2 million dollars for the MS Society!

Lots of travel and the opportunity for several of life's lessons occurred over the course of six days...

Lesson one: LISTEN...to history and to your friends

The week started in New Bern, NC on September 11th. 2600 cyclists line up, waiting nervously for the cannon to go off, signaling the start to a ride all have trained for all year. A moment a silence ensues in memory of Americans fallen just 8 years prior. One cyclist pulls out an American flag just ahead of me, as an operatic voice sings the National Athem, acapella. A tear rolls down my cheek. Never forget the lessons of history.

We set out....waaaay too fast for a century ride....just the mistake that myself and friends had said we would not make. About mile 12 of chasing the pace-line, I turned to my friend Katy and asked a rhetorical question, "what did Brenda (the wisest among us) tell us just before we left for New Bern?" She had texted me and said, "remember to ride your own ride". We immediately slowed to our normal pace. Listen to those wise voices, be yourself and "ride your own ride"

Lesson two: YOU CANNOT LISTEN WHILE YOU'RE TALKING

Part two this week of travel came very early Monday morning. Oh yes, ride a coupla hundred miles then get up at 4am for a business trip to Toronto. Suffice it to say, Monday was rough.

Members of our fine company came from Canada, US, Mexico and Brazil to discuss planning for 2010. Three days of talking, with precious little listening on anyone's part. But heck, isn't that what we Americans do best? I did begin to notice, however, that those whose primary language is not English, were better listeners. They also spoke only when their words were well-prepared and quite impactful. It was necessary to listen closely in order to understand the thesis.

Note to self, it is better to understand than to be understood.

Lesson three: It is the little things that make, or break, important relationships

This may be a lesson that I leave for you to learn yourself, as there is some pain in writing this post. Suffice it to say that we must all be self-aware....aware of the impact our words and actions have on others. It is the nuances of communication that are important. Pay attention.

Riding that Red Bike...

Sept 13th weekend is very special! The Red Bike will carry me 200 miles in support of a worthy cause....fighting the crippling effects of MS. I have ridden in this event five or six times, yet somehow this year seems special.

The reason can only be how fortunate I am to be healthy and whole, not facing the challenges that a person with MS will face on this ride.

Sure, I am recovering from major surgery on my shoulder and there is that hamstring pull that has been bothering me all year....but gosh, it all seems trivial in comparison.

The ride will be fun, and that is thanks to Carolina Brewing Company, our team's sponsor and MOB...(Moms on Bikes), our own small group of riders who have ridden together all year. More about the ride in future posts, and I'll try to send pictures from the road!

The Big Red Ball

For as long as I can remember, athletics has been central to life. Acompanying that very active life has been pain and injuries. Starting with knee injury in middle school, on to shin splints in high school, and serious back pain through college. 35 years of playing "wack-a-mole" with pain...solving one issue and another crops up. The past few years has brought surgeries for knee, achilles and shoulder. Now, one might think that any sane person would give up and think...gosh, maybe my body simply is not built for all of this! Why not take up needle point or read a book? Truth is, I guess I'm just not that smart.

With all of my recent injuires, I'd like others to benefit from what i have learned in recovery and injury prevention. Yes, I admitted to a limited faculty when it comes to acknowledging pain and treating it. But with an education in Athletic Training and years of an active life, I might have something to offer in this regard.

This year, I have never felt better! This is a result of actively attending to some trouble spots of weakness and tension. The most important discovery of all? Stretching the very deep muscles of the abdomen. There are a few ways to accomplish this, and the best I have found is laying supine over a yoga ball, allowing yourself to relax and take the shape of the ball with your back. I would add a photo of this exercise, but I am quite certain that I look absolutely ridiculous. This 6'1" frame with legs a half of a mile long has got to be quite a sight!

Additional discoveries:

• The incredible value of deep tissue massage
• Balanced strength quads to hams...translation? My hamstrings are weak!
• Countering the effect of tasks always done in front of us...computer, carrying children, etc. results in need to stretch pecs and strengthen mid-back

As I stated, this is the first year in at least ten where its September, and I feel great!

Thanks to my Physical Therapist and Massage Therapist ..oh yes, and of course to those surgeons...

My Red Bike

I remember the wonderful children's book by Scott Emerson and Howard Post, The Magic Boots. It was my youngest son's favorite book. When we read it, he would get a far off look in his eyes and he would mentally travel with William Wilkins...down the Amazon River and other incredible adventures. Just as those boots carry William away, so too does My Red Bike.

Yes, there is an actual Red Bike. It's a custom-fitted Serotta that has carried me, literally and figuratively, for thousands of miles. It has carried me through life's transitions and inspires me to take on the world. In fact, five days from now Red Bike and I will ride 200 miles in support of a cure for MS. This, after a year of rehab from Rotator Cuff surgery with all of its complications.

Plans for this blog are to explore what it is to live a long and very full life. How do we get better, physically, mentally and spiritually, instead of falling prey to the traps of aging. I am by nature, physical. Fitness is central to my being and as I approach a new decade of life, the plan is to expect great physical performance from this body. I am nearing 50 and feel better than I have in years.

"Every morning when William Wilkins got out of bed, he brushed his teeth, patted his dog, Bob, and put on his cowboy boots..."

What possible adventure could lie ahead?
William has his boots...and we have My Red Bike