Lemons into Lemonade

The weather has me down, but not out. First the rain, then the wind storms, then more rain, and the list goes on. I'm beginning to believe in El Nino/La Nina with all the craziness that is the weather in New Orleans right now. I woke up today ready to ride! I popped (sort of) out of bed, only to find out the radar wasn't looking good. I decided that we should forge ahead, Accident Andrews was ready to do so as well. Clothes on, sunglasses on head, helmet in hand, walking out the door and I get a text and a phone call. Rain they both claimed, I saw no such thing at my door, then WOOOOSHHHHHH, a tiny downpour in Mid-City. I walk back inside and sat down, feeling as though someone let the air out of my tires (no pun intended). After a small debate with myself about whether or not to wait out the rain or not, I decided to change and go eat breakfast and start the day out early. Getting to work before 9am, I figured my boss would have a heart attack! He wasn't in the office, so he missed the unusual early arrival, damn(he will never believe me).

Today was an example of one of those days when you are supposed to take a bad day and do something great with it. I have found that there are some situations in which there is no saving them and that nothing will make them better. Sometimes you just need to get out. Turning lemons into lemonade isn't always a possibility, there are just some bad lemons out there. Then there are days that present themselves as being horrible, (i.e. falling out of bed, missing the alarm, running out of gas on the interstate, spilling coffee on your shirt, completely forgetting an appointment) and suddenly things turn around. You are standing there with coffee on your shirt at a gas station where three men have helped you drag your car to and you are on the phone with the person who you have forgotten you had an appointment with and WHAM, the best news ever just falls into your lap. You just landed the impossible sponsor, and everything is better. Bad turned to good, things gone completely awry turned to a joyous celebration. Maybe we should just celebrate in anticipation of this great unexpected news that is on its way. We don't know its on the way, but we celebrate the coffee spill and the missed appointment because we know somewhere in our day the celebration will be deserved. Or do we sit and stew in our failings? I'm turning those lemons into lemonade, in honor of the rain I'm going for a swim. Hopefully I won't be swimming home:)

Thanks Fred!!!

Hey Crashley, I am honored that my favorite quote inspired you. Fred has had a lot of influence in my decision making over the years. I broke up with my boyfriend of a 1.5 years the day after I heard "How do you tell someone you don't love them?" It was the right choice!!! Thanks Fred, I have never looked back.

Crashley, I am officially guilty about my lack of riding. No real excuses, I am just not back in the swing of things since my Christmas frenzy.

Kick Rocks, Pound Sand, A Dirty quote:):) ahh cha cha cha

See ya in the am!!! Lakefront.

Choices

We are all making choices everyday, we choose to get up and ride, we choose to sleep in, we create each and every moment by the choices we are making. Sometimes we regret these choices, and other times we are glad we made them. Choices are interesting if you really think about them, creating our lives by simple yes and no decisions. Choices are defining who we are, the good, bad and just plain crazy. "Choose before your choices fade away" -Fred LeBlanc, an interesting quote that Elizabash introduced me to. I didn't get to thinking about this quote until today and realized how true it is. We are presented with choices as children and as we get older we are given the opportunity to make more and more choices on our own. However, if we wait too long, these choices aren't available to us, there are no longer choices for us to choose from instead we are forced into situations, no longer directing our own path but going down the only path that is left for us to take. Who knew choices were so critical.
I made the choice to get up to ride today and promptly texted Accident Andrews to make sure we were riding. I'm always glad when I get up and ride, there has never been a time when I made the choice to ride and I regretted it, even on days of my many crashes. We arrived on the levee to a large group of cyclists lined up at the pump. Accident Andrews and I rode ahead so that he could stretch and I could watch, (because I am too stubborn to stretch) and continued riding until the group caught up with us. I usually need to pick up some speed before I start riding with that group of speed demon cyclists. I tagged along and jumped right in and before I knew it I was up front, pulling for a bit and not really understanding the double pace line. I have only experienced this once or twice before under rigorous instruction, so I was a little thrown off today. The group was going faster than normal, so I knew it wasn't going to be too long before I felt the back calling my name. I got up in the front one more time and was feeling pretty good, then I had to jump on someone's wheel just to hold on because speedy ken got up front. I was a goner, there was no coming back from that surge for me. I stayed strong and continued my ride. Accident Andrews eventually saw that I was behind the group and he came to get me. We continued the ride at a pace I could breathe at:) We finished strong, coming in at about two hours. I survived another day riding and I thoroughly enjoyed the path I chose today.

Dog Days of Rain

I used to love the rain, especially as a kid, because more often than not there was a "flood day" at school and we got out early. This was akin to a "snow day", something to which I am completely unfamiliar, but I have heard about from my friends up north. Rain also meant sleeping in and staying dry and warm inside. It's funny how things change as we get older, rain doesn't really mean that for me anymore, now it means a canceled workout and frustration of the weather gods. You can only run so many miles on a treadmill (I'm up to 10) without being completely miserable, and you can only swim for so long before you start to smell like chlorine all the time. Spinning classes are great, however they are almost always full on days when it is raining. So when I hear the pitter patter of rain on the ground outside and thunder bolts, I don't get that feeling of excitement that work may be canceled. I just get frustrated because I know that I will be working out like a hamster on a wheel!

Went for a ride with Accident Andrews on Saturday...this proved to be a good decision, since I didn't pull myself out of bed on Sunday to do anything productive, unless drinking is considered productive. Saturday was one of those annoying rain days, it wasn't raining hard enough to cancel a workout, it wasn't not raining either, it was drizzling, just enough to make you wet and your sunglasses covered with rain drops. Just enough rain for frustration. Little bit of a head wind/tail wind, nothing to really complain about. Hopefully there are dry, warm days ahead!

Teddy Grahams Make it All Better

I have what some would call a Teddy Graham obsession. It all started with a friend of mine who enjoys Teddy Grahams after a workout. She turned me on to this Teddy Graham idea and I have been eating them ever since. I guess I didn't really think I had a problem until I went to the grocery store the other day and I put 10 boxes of those delectable bears in my shopping cart. Upon checking out I was approached by a woman who said "Oh, are the Teddy Grahams on sale?". I started laughing and just said, "no, I don't think so, I just enjoy them...a lot!" The woman appeared to be confused and continued shopping. Apparently it is abnormal for a single gal with no kids to be buying out the grocery store of Teddy Grahams. I buy in bulk for the simple reason that I don't like grocery shopping and I am able to cut down on my trips to the grocery store by doing so.

Recently I found myself on the levee riding with Elizabash where we were just enjoying the scenery. We were out for a ride sans Accident Andrews, which meant we were goofing off more than usual. As we were riding back in, we were avoiding the construction on the levee, where they were blocking off the entire path for certain sections. The last construction crew we passed, we waved to and said "Hello", and not 2 seconds later I found myself on the ground. As we were riding off the path onto the grass and back onto the path, I didn't angle my bike to get back on the path enough and down I went. The construction crew yelled over to see if we needed any help, I then mumbled something about only my ego being bruised. As Elizabash came back for me, she was laughing at me and asking if I was ok. I didn't feel so hot and she immediately suggested the hospital, to which I responded with, "No, it's not that bad!" I got back up and began the descent down the levee back to our cars. The entire time all I could think about was going home and having some little chocolatey chip bears. Everyone knows that Teddy Grahams make it all better!

Lance I am!!! NOT!!!

Okay, so my big crash story is really cause I am a certified Dumb ass! Accident Andrews can blame his falls on some one else but not me. It was a warm breezy morning on the lakefront and we were cruising effortlessly at about 22mph laughing and joking . Crashley says, "Lets ride like Lance" meaning coast like lance. Elizabeth squishes down but tucks her right arm inside instead of outside and... well, pedals... my knee hits my arm and road rash I become. I did not lose any teeth though!! Sorry Crashley

Elizabash Reporting for Blog

After much harrassment, I am finlly making my first post. No crashes today!! Unfortunately, it was becauseI did not ride. My crash history started just a few days after I made the transition from mountain to road ...the best decision I have ever made!
I was drafting behind the men of my West End Cycling, Eating, Drinking team and couldn't see that there was cute blonde road biker in distress up ahead on the bike path. They stop short to help her and I forget I am clipped in and over I go, thank God I hit the grass. My three team members turn and look at me, see that I am okay and turn back to the cute blonde. WTF, oh well, I guess I would do the same for some hot guy road biker!!!

BRRRRRRRR

Sometimes I am not sure if I am really seriously training by going out in the freezing cold and wind to ride or if I am just crazy. Of course regular people (i.e. those who don't ride) would call my antics crazy, but those who ride tell me to "get a trainer". I've had 3 people tell me that already today, only after I complained to them about the weather conditions. I should have taken a picture of my outfit, because I resembled the marshmallow puff from "Ghostbusters" with all the clothes I had on. I didn't think I would need it all, but once I got out there I was very happy I had on all my layers! The first loop around the lake front was very painful. I felt slow, but as the dirt and rocks were blowing past me in the other direction, I smiled, knowing that I was going forward, maybe not fast, but I was moving. At one point I even thought about walking, that thought quickly left me when I realized that I wouldn't get finished with the ride any faster! After the first loop, Accident Andrews and I decided to head out for a second loop and then turned onto Canal Blvd because the wind was brutal. We finished up the ride right under 20 and I was ready to eat a cow. Instead I opted for the usual of egg white and toast. Mmmmmm. Another day, another ride. I am looking forward to the days of warmer weather...

How the team was born...

Let's start out with Crashley, because well, it's my story so it will be easier to tell...After deciding to train for an Ironman 70.3 race in 2005 (Pre-K), I was on a ride on the river levee. At this point in time, I was what some would call a "reluctant" cyclist, I only did it because I had to, it was the only way to finish a triathlon (unless of course I was on a team). I was doing a short ride, and by short ride I mean 20 miles, on the levee. With the wind at my back I was feeling good, wrapping up the ride and ready to go eat some breakfast. (I had not eaten at all before this ride, this is an important side note). Coming around the bend by the horses stables and the random houses on the levee I was headed in for the home stretch. I looked up as I rounded the curve only to see a group of cyclists headed in the opposite direction, they all began to shout, "Watch out for the dog", and I noticed a dog running alongside of the cyclists. This was the point of no return, as soon as I saw the dog he jetted out from behind the last cyclist to cross the levee path and WHACK. I went flying. CREEECH. The sound of teeth hitting the pavement. There was blood. Lots of it. I don't really remember what happened first, but I know some people stopped for me and brought me a water bottle. (Thank you, whoever you are, I owe you a big thank you!). I realized the blood was coming from my mouth and that not much of my front teeth were left. I picked myself up and started heading down the levee towards the stables for some medical attention/waiting for an ambulance. I remember going back up on the levee to "look" for my teeth. In all my naiveness I thought that the dentists could put me back together like Humpty Dumpty. This apparently is not so (just in case you were wondering). After the realization set in that I was going to need to seek some serious dental treatment I began to go into shock. I had about 10 blankets on me and kept saying how I was cold. Shaking. Shivering. I was taken immediately to the dentists office where they called in an oral surgeon to come look at me as well. I remember asking for food around this time, but with my lip still hanging from my chin, no food was in my immediate future. Fast forward a year and half later, summer 2006, and I was the proud owner of 4 new teeth. This is how my journey began and how the name Crashley was born.