Category Archives: June

Mileage Recap ~ 15-21 June Week Three of The Great Cycle Challenge Completed

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Week three of The Great Cycle Challenge has been completed.  I’m happy to say I rode my longest this week at 28.23 miles and without any mishaps this time.  Took the bike to the bike shop and they were able to fix the drive train and get me back on the road again.

Nothing extraordinary about these rides this week.  Everything was fairly uneventful.  I guess I should be happy:-).  I was grateful to pick up another 67.76 which now puts me at 230 miles for the month ~ only 70 more to go to finish the challenge.

The mileage count for this week is 67.76 with 8,867.15 remaining.  I hope this post finds you well ~ Happy Miles to You!

Mileage Recap ~ 8 – 14 June Under the 9,000 Mile Mark!

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There is a song called Getting to Know You, from the play/movie The King and I that would describe the relationship I had with my bike this week.  I’m into week two of the Great Cycle Challenge.  This is an event that takes place the full month of June where people can ride miles and raise money for children’s cancer.  Needless to say I have been doing my best to keep my bike in shape.  I wipe it down and make all the necessary checks before and after the ride.  I’ve been lucky….until this past Sunday.  I’ve been riding this bike for a little over a year now and I’ve had very few problems.  I will also admit I’m still in a learning phase.  I’ve learned about my tires and brakes.  I’ve learned how to make the necessary adjustments but nothing major.

This weeks rides have been fairly uneventful.  I pretty much get up every day to meet the 300 mile goal due at the end of the month.  I’m happy to say I’m halfway there as of today.  I did two longer rides at about 18 miles a pop.  The longer rides take me on Pecos road here in the valley.  It is a heavily traveled road by many riders located at the base of the San Tan Mountains.  One side is developments and the other side is the Gar Indian reservation, which I find absolutely fascinating.

I love to ride, look at the mountains and make the comparison from one side to the other.  On one side of the road are houses and roads that lead into town.  On the other side just expanse of desert and the reservation.  It is beautiful and intriguing.  Interesting observations on my long rides,  hmmm:

Cigarettes (tons of packs), a man’s shoe, a fake piece of wood (no idea where that came from), a dead coyote (dude), an empty can of Sapporo beer (Oh come on!) and all the men 60 and over that just blew by me:-\.

Of course everything was moving along swimmingly. I had turned off Pecos road to climb a fairly sizeable hill at around mile 17 and head home.  I lowered the gears, apparently I felt I needed to dance around with my gears and then the chain fell off!  OMG I start thinking uh, is there a AAA for cyclists?  Man, I’ve never done ANYTHING with the chain meaning put it back on the gear.  Sigh.  So I hop off the bike.  After staring at it for about a minute and then realizing that my Garmin was still going I hopped in to fix it mode.  Why I feel like I have to beat whatever it is I’m doing before my Garmin resets….I have no idea.  I mean really all I have to do is reset it, but there I was feverishly trying to get the chain back on before my Garmin crapped out and hop back on the bike.

I was very pleased that I was able to get the chain back on but it wasn’t 100%.  It kept slipping off the back gear.  My hands were covered in grease and I didn’t have anything to wipe them with.  Now my white grips are a little smudgy.  I made it home, but the bike needs some adjusting.  Later that night I wanted to go out and “fix” things because I just couldn’t stand it.  I believe I made it worse.  So…..I will be taking the bike to the shop to see if they can do a quick fix.

Other exciting news, I am under the 9,000 mile mark.  I had 71.36 miles for the week with 8,923.70 gratefully remaining. Life is good…even when the chain falls off.  Happy Miles to You!

Mileage Recap ~ 1 – 7 June Week 1 of The Great Cycle Challenge Completed and Vibe Yoga

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I was very excited to get the month of June and The Great Cycle Challenge underway.  I have pledged to ride 300 miles for the month of June and raise $500.00.  I love a challenge especially when it’s for a good cause.  For me it’s more than just raising money for individuals with cancer but dedication of mind, body and spirit to honor those who are fighting the good fight to get well.  I read something many years ago that said life is great when you have your health.  How exponentially true is that statement.  When you are well and feel good life is a such a blessing, but when you are ill day in and day out I imagine that attitude can sink quickly.  I look at it from this perspective; life is a grand gift and not to be wasted.  The fact that you can wake up, move and be is a chance to be the best you can for yourself and to others.

This week has been a very active week.  I have school Wednesday thru Saturday so on those mornings I have to be out on the road by 530 and can clear about 10 miles before I need to head home and get ready.  The week started off well on Monday and Tuesday and I was able to get 11 and 17 miles.

I’m still in the process of trying to find a yoga studio to attend and teach at here, which is proving a little allusive.  So I found a studio called Vibetality to try.  When I was studying for my certification I had a traditional teacher, not a whole lot of yoga fluff.  Since I’ve been out Southwest I have run into many different types of yoga.  Honestly, some of it is fun and interesting.  I decided to try this new studio and signed up for a “yoga vibe” class.  After I pulled the “trigger” I realized the class was only 15 minutes long.  Hmmm, how can that be?  Thinking I read it wrong I planned to be there for my full hour.  Nope it was only 15 minutes.  It’s called yoga vibe, thus the “Vibetality”.  The class is conducted on a plate that vibrates.  When I say it vibrates…I’m not kidding.  Here is a picture of the plate.

Vibe Plate

The teacher instructed that if you are new, you might want to stand more on the balls of your feet and don’t close your teeth together.  Uh….ok.  The theory is that the vibration stimulates the blood and therefore a 15 minute workout is the same as an hour.  When the class first started and I stepped on to the plate I thought no way am I going to be able to do this for the full 15.  Thank goodness I didn’t eat anything and I didn’t have to go to the bathroom.   It was more of the workout and not the spiritual part of yoga.  It wasn’t bad, interesting to say the least, but let’s just say I was so sore that I couldn’t go riding on Wednesday.

Friday rained and Saturday I was able to get 9.  Today was the long ride.  I went my normal route and extended it down in the opposite direction I normally go.  It was extremely beautiful and challenging.  I road all the way to the end..literally.

Day 7 Ride Day 7a

I also climbed the largest hill for me yet.  I was realizing as I was speeding down this mountain that this was not going to be fun going back up this thing.  But I dug in and I was able to do it without having to stop.  That was the great part.  Today’s ride was 20 and some change and looked a little like this:

Day 7b

You can check out my webpage at The Great Cycle Challenge here:  The Great Cycle Challenge Laurel McClean

This weeks mileage was all cycling (as the whole month will be) and came to 68.67 with 9,006.27 gratefully remaining ~ Happy Miles to You!!

Mileage Stats Recap 23 – 29 June

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With every step I take….I’ve reached my first milestone!  I have officially made it to the 500 mile mark.  I feel good and feel like I’m making progress toward my goal.  I finished 16.34 miles of running this week.  The weather reached into the 90s and was humid, but I like running in the heat.  Soon the runs will be early morning or later in the evening.  Total miles completed = 501.30 with 10,813.70 remaining.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Sunday.  Remember, Life’s hard, running is easy~Laurel

It’s Time to Celebrate!

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Celebrate

It’s time to celebrate with a 11315 Miles giveaway.  I will reach my first 500 miles this weekend!  I can think of no better way to celebrate than with a give away!  I will be giving away two Twete Bird non-slip headbands.  I love these headbands.  I’ve been running with them for about 3 months and they do a great job keeping the hair back and are adjustable.

G.I. Jane – because I love our nations vets!

G.I. Jane

Girl Power – well you know:)

Girl Power

Email your name to wesoar11315@gmail.com to enter.  I will draw the winner on July 1 2013.  Good luck!

Run on….

Mileage Recap 16 – 22 June

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Low mileage this week due to traveling.  It’s always nice to run in different places and have a fresh change of scenery.  Had some beautiful weather in Branson, MO while attending my daughter’s final dance competition.  It’s bitter-sweet to watch your child grow older.  You’re excited and sad at the same time.  Excited for all of the wonderful adventures that lay ahead and sad they’re moving on.  I imagine I’m like any other parent, happy and sad.  This weeks mileage equals 10.14 – 10,830.04 remaining.

Happy Sunday – run happy, run hard.