That hurt

So it's late, I'm working (for work that is) and as I'm coming back downstairs wearing socks without shoes I slipped at the bottom of the stairs! Tried to catch myself as I've done in the past when I've slipped a bit, but this time I missed and landed right on my back on the corner of the stairs...ouch! Still feels like I've got this huge knot around my back and chest. Nothing hurts to push on it so no broken ribs. Hopefully my insides are just a tiny bit jarred and not too badly damaged. I'm sure Nahoko is going to say "go see a doctor!", but don't worry I'll go see the doctor things don't stop hurting or get worse :*. Right now it just hurts like stubbing your toe; it takes a while to subside ;).

Ok is my work stuff still running??? hmmmm, yup...

Allergies

This year is turning out to be a particularly bad year for allergies for me. I find it amusing (somewhat anyway) that I never had allergies as a kid, however, after attending CSU Chico (aka Chico State; as it says on the back of my Tacoma) I now have your typical seasonal allergies like so many others :(.

I will never forget during orientation at Chico when the guide was mentioning the great diversity of plant life on the campus. He said, "if you don't have allergies, you will ;)." He wasn't kidding as I soon found out during my first spring. Fortunately that first spring wasn't terrible, but what I found was that now regardless of where I went (Chico or elsewhere such as home), I had seasonal allergies!

Last year with the lack of rain I had no problems...it was wonderful! Though I would have preferred more water/snow it was nice not to have the allergies for the year. This year is turning into a real annoyance. Yesterday at work was a very long day...sniffling, sneezing, headache, etc, etc...it seemed like it would never end. I finally was able to get some work done, but ended up working till shortly after 10 pm in order to get more done.

With the Strawberry Fields Forever century tomorrow, I'm a tad bit worried. Might have more than sweat running off my chin ;). Lol, I know.....ewwwwwwwwwwwww!! That's what I'm saying :P.

Death Ride 2008

Well it's official, my name was selected from the big hat of names to ride in the Death Ride for 2008. The sad part is no one else (or so I thought) was selected that I know. As it turns out one of my coworkers who signed up (someone who did it last year and finished was selected, but originally he said he wasn't going to sign up so I hadn't looked for his name). That coworker is still deciding what he wants to do because his wife said after last year's completion...

"I finished! Never again!"

...or something to that effect ;).

I'm definitely excited knowing that I get another chance to redeem myself and complete that hellish ride, but at the same time thinking to myself, "WTF did I get myself into once again!?" With 4 months left to go and knowing that I haven't even really begun to start training I now have no more excuses...I have to get riding!

The benefit over last year, is that this time last year I was about 25 lbs heavier and so had lost 20 of that to get to the ride weight for last year. This time I plan to do the same, but only about half of that 25 is necessary this time. So with that it'll put me about 15 lbs under last year's ride weight...hopefully that'll benefit my legs, lungs, heart, etc enough to keep me moving through the mountains. While my weight last year wasn't really a problem, I really needed to be lighter; for me personally I just needed the additional stress lifted off my heart and of course the less weight on my legs definitely would help. Currently around 190, the goal is around 175 lbs by July 12th. It's doable...

...now I just need to find some people capable and willing to spend hours on a bike training (riding by myself is so boring and unmotivating ;)).

Feeling better

After a really miserable week and not being able to do anything over the weekend I'm finally feeling better. I was really itching to get out on Sunday when I was feeling a lot better, but common sense forced me to stay in and take it easy for one more day. Must have been a 3 day flu.

Tuesday now and though I'm feeling quite better I'm still feeling that stuffy head and tightening in the chest that came on strong with my cold, but it's not bad. Was really hoping to get out and ride to work this morning, but as it turns out it was good that I overslept and wasn't really feeling well enough to ride as I didn't leave work till around 10:30 PM.

On a sad note from this last weekend, two local cyclists (local to the bay area at least) were killed when a sheriff deputy crossed the lane divider and impacted the cyclists (I believe there were 3, but 1 survived). I know the area quite well up there around Steven's Canyon Reservoir as it's one of the places I like to go riding and have never felt unsafe (though a few drivers really could stand to SLOW DOWN just a bit and give MORE ROOM there is generally enough room for cyclists and cars). Kinda scary since that is the area I was considering to go riding on Sunday around the time that the accident took place.

Till next time...

bad week, but it's friday

This has not been a great week. From stress at work to getting rather sick this week and thus not being active I'm feeling really bad right now. On top of it all, I once again have poison oak! Though I keep being told it's NOT poison oak, I'm almost certain it is. Regardless of what it is, I itch like hell! I so want to be able to go out and ride, go to the gym, hike, something, so that I can get on some sort of a consistent path to July.

Unfortunately the weight has crept up a bit and so I've got to get back out there and get working on it. Not really concerned considering last year's progress from really April to July in which I dropped some 30 lbs before riding the in the DR. This year I expect to drop about 15 though I'm already below where was at last year's ride so regardless it'll be MUCH easier to achieve the results I want...at least I think it will ;).

Right now I just need to stop being sick!!!