Kelly the Culinarian: Cycling Around Seattle

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Cycling Around Seattle

We can rebuild her! For about $7 million
Today was my triumphant(ish) return to Ironman training. Let's be real: my training has sucked hardcore as of late. I've been separated from Suzie Slice and moving cross country is not a walk in the park. I'm sleeping on an air mattress, eating off paper plates and learning how to make toast on an electric stove.

Moving on .... hand-carried Suzie was reassembled at the bike shop in my building and ready to go yesterday afternoon. I had to buy bike shoes, cleats and shorts to make this ride possible. So this training session cost about $250. Thanks, moving company.

I got up SUPER early and donned my pieced together apparel, Garmin, new lucky socks and borrowed helmet, then set out for the streets.
Something borrowed
Something new

Not sure if I mentioned this, but Seattle is hilly. Really hilly. Like, I thought I was going to puke at one point. So much fun, right?

On the upside, it's quite cool and overcast here all the time. Also, the people of Seattle are quite kind of cyclists. After I got out of the city, I hit the I-90 path and jetted to Mercer Island without incident, then cycled the island twice. I wish I had the Garmin data to show just how hilly this place is, but alas ... the ANT stick is somewhere between Seattle and Chicago.


Anyhow, I had hoped to go a full 100 miles. I am so naive. When all was said and done, 60 miles with Suzie was all I could scrape together, followed by two miles on the treadmill. Again, I wanted to spend an hour on the treadmill, but I just couldn't hack it.

So 4.5 hours of training, 62 miles covered, crossing my fingers that this is enough to be an Ironman in (gulp) a few short weeks.

4 comments:

Maggie W said...

Ugh, moving across town is such a headache, I can only imagine what cross country is like. Glad you were able to get out there.

Regan Jones, RDN said...

It's funny to me how everyone knows about Seattle weather, but nobody seems to know it's so hilly. Brian and I walked 35+ miles while we there last week... and he says they were ALL uphill miles :)

erin said...

Seattle cycling is no joke! But, the views! Don't worry… you'll be ready for IM!

Hope you're settling in!

Zenaida Arroyo said...

Way to go!!