In spring, you have to be ready to do your outdoor stuff when you can. Sometimes that means in colder temps than you might want. We knew the overnight low was going to be low – in the 30s, but decided if it was sunny we would bike to breakfast. I got up first and checked the weather. 32 degrees. Brrrr… John slept for about another half hour and then he asked me how cold it was. I just said “Bundle up” and left it at that 
It had warmed up a few degrees, but not by much!
This was the temp when we arrived to North Country Cafe:
I kept telling myself it was a refreshing ride, but really – it was just cold. Really cold.
I warmed up sitting in the sun with coffee and a toasty bagel!
It felt good to get this in my tummy. It got up to 39 on the way home. Not much warmer – even though it got to 60 today! John decided to do a little hill challenge at the end and invited me to go, but I wimped out and just went home. I’ll do hills on Friday. I did get in a nice 12 mile ride today, though.
Nichole asked me a good question yesterday:
My question is: how do you work your long bike rides into your strength-training programs? When I follow a written training program, I struggle with being flexible enough to work in other activity.
As most of you know, I have embarked on a serious lifting program that lasts for 4 months. These workouts occur 3 times a week and are pretty tiring. Right now, I can do these with biking because spring weather doesn’t always allow for a lot of outdoor riding. I don’t do the HIIT workouts that Rachel has in her book and am instead doing my workouts on the bike (kind of against her advice, but I am a biker first). I bike mostly on the off days of lifting. If I do ride on a lifting day, it is not usually a hill ride or too strenuous. Oh wait, I did that a couple weeks ago….oops That is something I need to be careful with.
I am going to have to reevaluate as the season wears on. Once the weather warms up enough and cooperates enough for us to be putting 80-100 miles a week on the bike, I have to drop the lifting down to 2 days a week. Otherwise I risk over training and injury. I generally check the weekly forecast for the weather and plan which will be lifting days and which will be biking days. Of course, weather has a way of changing, so you learn to be flexible.
Lunch time! I had a turkey burger today.
Topped with a little A1 and Laughing Cow. No veggie. A little lax with that today.
Work kept me busy, although I found a little hard to concentrate. Hump day and all that. Sometimes my brain just gets really tired mid week – anyone else? I know I am not alone there.
I had to caffeine up.
Pixie loves laying by this big window, which is clean, BTW. I am behind on my monthly goal. I have 4 windows done. Guess I better get cracking this weekend!
I neglected to plan out today’s meals last night, so I kind of stood stupidly at the fridge/freezer for dinner. Then I figured easy time and pulled out the baked clam strips.
Works for me!
Tonight was literacy tutoring, hence the lateness of this post. I need a snack and then some reading before bed.
That is COLD! Biking in 32 degrees? You are a determined woman! I hope spring starts warming up for you, and soon.
That was a cold bike ride my friend.
I think I can say now I’m a runner first. Every Saturday I sit down and check the weather forecast for the next week and plan my runs for the next week first, than the other workouts. During the week I sometimes change the schedule because weather can change fast as you know. Like yesterday evening I saw it would be raining this morning and I switched my workout from Friday to today and do my run tomorrow when it’s supposed to be dry. I had to learn to be flexible, I wasn’t very good at it but now it’s going pretty well.
Pixie looks sooo lovely laying there by the window and your latte. You’re ahead of me in window cleaning, I haven’t cleaned any for at least couple of years…
Sounds like a rather cold bike ride! Good job 🙂
Pixie is gorgeous!
I’m now having trouble leaving comments on your blog and still getting lots of “extra” stuff in my reader. Not complaining – I just click over it and you’ve done all you can do from your end. Just wondering if anyone else that uses Google reader is still getting the extras.
I want one of those North Country Cafe mugs, so it’s a must stop for us on our trip. I’ve liked that mug every time you show it! Don’t know why – sometimes things just catch your eye! 2 1/2 weeks till we leave!
Brrrr! That’s cold! But then, I was sitting in a window soaking up sunshine because it was in the 50s, so of course, I’d think the 30s were cold. 🙂
I see those temps and I think that no way would I bike in that temperature. I also thought about how you really are a hardcore biker. Reminds me of the old Isley Brothers song, “”It’s your thing/Do what you wanna do/I can’t tell you/Who to sock it to.”
Then you confirm it by saying that you’ll change up your weight workouts because you’re a biker first. I understand that completely (with running substituted for biking) 😀
Brrr….. you are definitely a biker first!
I love the look of your turkey burger. What do you put in it?
Just turkey LOL! A little salt and pepper on top and pan fry it.
I really won’t bike unless it is 50 or higher. This might give me some trouble when we move to England!! 🙂 Thank you for the reminder about making sure not to over train. It is so important and something we don’t think about enough!
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! I have run at that temp but biking which would make it feel colder – yikes! Course you live in cold weather & I don’t. 😉
I love that you modify your workouts to meet your needs & do what is right for you!
Pixie love!
Haven’t heard much about the literacy tutoring lately. How’s that been going?
Funny – yesterday when I woke up it was in the mid 30s and rainy but by the evening it was sunny and high 60s. Totally crazy!
The tutoring has ups and downs. My learner isn’t the most motivated, which can be very frustrating some days.
You are a die hard biker woman! I am a weather pansy and hate to be cold.
Checking in and I love your long ride earlier this week.