Today was cold and wet and miserable but we rode anyways. Today's route was from Carnation up to Snoqualmie Falls and then down through Fall city and along a pretty rural road back to Carnation. I made it to the Falls, RIDING all the way!! I did have to stop a few times but I DID IT!! A lot of thanks goes to Linda, my coach and riding leader who was there with me telling me to keep riding, that I could do it. The ride was not as long as originally planned as it was so wet and cold. I don't think I had a dry inch on my body when I was done and my toes were numb. I managed to wiggle out of my tops while sitting in the car and put on a dry jacket that I had left there for the drive home but the pants were still wet and I shivered all the way home despite having the heater on high. At the end of the ride all of us were a muddy mess. I even had road grit in my hair! When I get my new bike eventually I will be sure and get some fenders too. Those with fenders on their bikes weren't quite as muddy.

It will probably be several weeks before I post again as I probably won't have access to a computer. However I will be continuing with my training.

Last Saturday we rode 40 miles! We went from Kent to Auburn to Black Diamond and back. I started out quite well. The last few long rides I had done I would start off with my legs telling me they were unhappy until I got warmed up. This time I did not have that problem and really enjoyed my ride at the beginning. There was a long uphill on the way to Black Diamond and I made it further up the hill than I thought I would before I had to get off and walk. There were also a hill in Black Diamond that I took one look at and knew there was no way I would ride that one so I walked. The return part of the trip I was getting tired. On the return we rode through Green Valley which is a beautiful, flat ride through the countryside. Unfortunately by then I was really getting tired and ended up getting off the bike and walking a little when I couldn't stand sitting in the saddle any longer. When we hit the outskirts of Auburn I wasn't sure I would be able to make it but I kept thinking about all the people supporting me and the fact that if I couldn't make it on this ride what was I going to do next week when the distance would probably increase. So I got back on the bike and rode some more. In this way I made it all the way back to the cars in Kent.

After the ride I stopped at Debbie's as I had told her I would watch the boys so she could go on her run. The boys had been home with the flu and she didn't want to take them out. When I got there I found that the boys were better but she was sick and had decided not to run. So I gave them the bread I had bought for them at the Black Diamond Bakery and went home to a nice hot soak in the tub. I also went to bed very early that night.

So far this week my training has been mostly indoors as I don't like to ride in the rain. I went to Pilates class for strength training and spin class for a bicycle workout. I also have been using the exercise bikes at the Y. I hope tomorrow is a nicer day so I can get out on my bicycle. It is much more interesting then the stationary bikes. I did use the program with the hill climb option on the Y bike as I obviously need lots of work on climbing hills. The ride this coming weekend we are supposed to be riding uphill to Snoqualmie Falls!

This from Debbie: Hi All,Well, Mom and I have been keeping up our tally for what people would rather do, bike or run. Biking is winning. It should be running though, because clearly the runners are MUCH stronger. We ran 10 miles today in the wind and pouring rain. I didn't have a dry spot on me when we were done. It was a good run, and I felt very strong. It was still better than last week's 8 miles in the freezing cold and BITING wind (another ride the bikers didn't finish...)Thank you all for your ongoing support! Would you rather BIKE or RUN? Check out http://pages.teamintraining.org/wa/stp09/kandersetm and send us your vote.

From me: To correct Debbie's statement about last week. I and the person I rode with didn't do the whole ride, the others did (they didn't miss the turn like I did)

I still haven't managed to do 35 miles but this time it is because the ride was cancelled due to the rain (Debbie says she did her 10 mile run in the wind and rain). Instead the group adjourned to Panera's and the coach gave us a nutrition clinic on what we would need as our rides got longer. Those yummy pastries at Panera's were not on his list of what we should be eating.

Well I did not make 35 miles today - not even close. Although it was sunny here in Tacoma by the time I arrived in Kent we were getting dark clouds. One of the members had to change a tire and the leader we ride with suggested that I and another woman go ahead. She had mentioned stopping in Auburn but when Sherry and I got to Auburn we did not see any place that looked like a turn around place so we kept going on the Interurban until we came to a barrier about Algona at which point we decided to turn around. We had been fighting a very strong headwind all the way and I was tired. I also suspected we had missed a turn off as we weren't seeing anyone else. We confirmed this when we saw the turn off on the way back. However by this time we were in the sleet and hail and our toes were going numb so we continued back. Besides we weren't sure if the others weren't already back and waiting for us. It turned out we were the first ones back and the others had continued on to Flaming Geyser. I am glad we turned back when we did as I was still chilled when I got home even after I had the heat on high all the way home. The hot soak in the tub was wonderful! I figured we did about 18 miles.