It is no secret that I actually like to exercise. No, really.
I prefer exercise of the cardio variety. I am sure that yoga and pilates are all fine and good but the few times I tried them I have felt bored. I am an excitable woman who (apparently) talks very animatedly, including sweeping hand movements. (Guard your bevvies, friends.) I don’t notice that I am doing it but those close to me tell me that it is true. I may need to see video evidence, but in the meantime will trust that they are not lying to me.
On the exercise front, I attend a Boot Camp two evenings a week. The other five days a week I work out at home. I crack out the Wii fit once in awhile but am often pressed for time and the many steps you need to get through to just WORK OUT ALREADY make me a little grumpy. Especially at 6am. I usually just do the 30 Day Shred but have been growing tired of Jillian. Yes, she gets results, but I’ve been listening to her telling me “not to phone it in” for over six months now. I need something new.
I would love to go for a run. To be a RUNNER. I used to run, you know. Back before I birthed three monster-sized babies and got old and stuff. Age aside, it’s my knees that keep me from hitting the trails again. I had knee surgery when I was twenty and that got me through the next decade. Now, if I try running, I am in pain and limping in no time. Running is off of the menu. BOO.
I have been trying to figure out what else to do and during this past week or so I was inspired by Linda. She has taken up bicycling and her tweets about it had piqued my interest. She interviewed a seasoned cyclist about buying and riding a bicycle over at Bodies in Motivation. Consider me motivated.
You see, two years ago I asked for a bike and trailer (for the kids) for Mother’s Day. I towed them in it…once. HAVE YOU SEEN THE SIZE OF MY CHILDREN? I use the trailer as a walking/jogging stroller but it is physically impossible for me to tow my children on a bike. I may be strong, yes, but even I have my limits.
On Saturday morning I thought that I would blow the dust off of my bike and see how it all transpired. Before leaving, I wondered if there might be an iPhone App that I could use. OF COURSE THERE IS. I downloaded the Bike Your Drive App (FREE) (HAVE I MENTIONED THAT I LOVE MY PHONE? Yes? Well, just a reminder then) and set off on my adventure. (AT 6:30 am. Yep.)
A mere two kilometers into my bike ride, I encountered a bunch of heifers. No, I am not trash-talking other women. There were a bunch of cows on either side of the road. Not knowing if any of them were bulls (Who charge! And I have a bike with red on it!), I came to a stop. All four of the creatures looked at me with their beady little (BIG) eyes. I decided to power through and booked it down the middle of the road. I (of course) reached into my bag and shot a photo of one of the cows as I zoomed by.
Can you see why I was so scared? Look at how rabid it looks! And about to charge! I should have called the conservation officers to SAVE ME FROM THE WILD BEASTS.
Or, possibly, I should chill the heck out.
I kept going, for I had a destination in mind. Meadow Valley.
I may live in the sticks, but Meadow Valley really is OUT THERE. It is pretty beyond all get-out, as you will see, and Matthew would LOVE to live there. Um, NO. Living ten minutes away from any amenities is far enough for me.
Before I knew it I had made it out to the valley. I snapped a couple of photos.
I pulled out my iPhone to see what my biking stats were and noticed there was cell service (We don’t have cell service at our house).
(Conversation upon arriving home went as follows. Me: There is cell service in Meadow Valley! Him: You Twittered while you were out there, didn’t you? Me: Busted.)
Upon arriving home I felt awesome. According to my App I had been riding for 51 minutes, traveled 13.98 km, burned 160 calories and had an average speed of 15.2 km/hour. I don’t know if that is all good or not; I just know that it felt wicked. Consider me converted to the House of (Bike) Love.
Those are pretty good timings
Have you thought of doing a triathlon? There are different lengths and your “running” portion could be shortend. For example, a try-a-tri, the distances (are roughly) 500 metre swim, 7 k bike and a 2.5 km run. Then the spring tri is like, 750 metre swim, 10 k bike (or more, I can’t remember) and a 5 k run. There are also duathlons where it’s run/bike/run or some kind of combination of canoing/kayaking/running/biking/swimming/etc. Not everyone can run so they try to have a variety of them out there.
The biking will probably strengthen your knees (though, if the cartledge is gone, it’s gone!) but maybe it’d be worth doing the surgery again for… things have changed a lot in the last 10-15 years and it’s a very easy day surgery now, with about two weeks gentle recovery… (obviously there’s different knee surgerys but I’ve had several friends go through it… a long time ago and recently and with the advances in surgery, they really noticed a short recovery time)…
Could be a nice exercise goal!
Also, there’s an older video (I didn’t realise how old it was until I mentioned it to a friend)… it’s Kathy Smith, Latin Dance video… it’s actually really fun and it may be a bit cheesy now but it’s something even the kids could do with you if they wanted…
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What a lovely area to bike in!
Coast Rat’s last blog post..2009 ? Week #14 Mississippi Gulf Coast Blue Bird Trail Update
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That’s a beautiful place to ride a bike. Around my area there are too many busy streets that are too narrow for me to feel comfortable. I miss biking up north.
I had to stop the 30 day shred as much as I enjoyed it. It was doing bad things to my knees and ankles even when I was careful of my posture. I still do her ab stuff though, usually in the evening while watching TV.
I need to find a good workout though.
Sherry’s last blog post..Two girls in glasses
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I’d love to run too but like you, my knees give me grief will all that impact. Good for you for taking up biking! I can’t do that either as my rear ends starts aching after 3 minutes. haha! Rollerblading, Curves, yoga and belly dance is what does it for me.
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we bought a Chariot stroller in hopes of one day having bicycles too. I’ve been begging for one, but there just hasn’t been room in the budget. My kids are not yet of mammoth proportions so I think I can drag them along, providing there is no change in elevation on my path. Thanks for the tips. I think I’m a Townie kind of girl, but we’ll have to see.
rachel joy’s last blog post..goings on
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Beautiful scenery.
My parents live out in a country-like setting and there are cows behind their house. So while growing up, every once in awhile I’d look outside to see a cow grazing in our yard.
Crystal’s last blog post..My Little Boy
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cool! Where’s Meadow Valley? We’ve been really into biking this year, a lot of city albeit… but it’s still fun. We biked all over Vancouver to see the cherry blossoms in April, and were amazed at the area you can cover quickly! We aim for an hour at least once a week on ours… I’d go waaaay more if we could go where you did
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Meadow Valley is the next Valley after the one I live in. Ours is a narrow Valley (we’re in the mountains) and then you get to Meadow Valley and it opens up. I left right from my house. I really do live in the sticks
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What a beautiful spot! I can see how you would enjoy that kind of exercise, riding through such a lovely area. And you can Tweet while you do it – even better!!
Hannah’s last blog post..Getting serious
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Beautiful! I love biking too but what I don’t love is biking into the 50km winds we regularly get here
somehow running into it just doesn’t seem as painful. I am sorry about your knees, that would be frusrtrating!
Kami’s Khlopchyk’s last blog post..Bestest Buddies
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I love my bike. Biking is how I lost all my first baby weight and got all hawt and what not. (why i’m not biking now… lost on me)
Thank you for a new app to download! YAY you!!!
rachel-asouthernfairytale’s last blog post..There Were Sweet Baby Feet and Spicy Foods, Nom Nom
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very cool. We are currently shopping for a new bike for me. Because of my height and physical limitations the bike that we thought would work well because we didn’t investigate, just bought the first (and might I add very expensive) bike we came across, which happened to be a mountain bike. So Giggles has a nice shiny new bike that I have rode a handful of times and it crippled me the next day. Can’t wait to get on the open road again, so to speak.
Domestic Extraordinaire’s last blog post..Sixteen things
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Awesome. I’m so thrilled that you got a wicked ride. You’ll be pulling crazy stunts, in no time
Elizabeth’s last blog post..Before Four
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I bought a bike and a load of bike accessories in 2007 with my birthday money. I rode it once around the parking lot that night and two days later up a big ass hill. Didn’t touch it after that and then I had a baby. Post partum bike riding was not in my vocabulary. thirteen months later I think you may have inspired me to to pull out the very unused old bike and get started. We don’t live in the sticks but we don’t live in the big city either. We’ll see what happens.
Jennifer W.’s last blog post..My husband: Problem Solver
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I want to be able to bike, but there is something wrong with the configuration of the bones in my butt. Riding a bike is pure agony, and I’ve tried every gel seat imaginable. Maybe I just need to build up a tolerance for it, but for days after I’ve been on a bike I’m stuck walking like I just rode a horse for the last 12 hours.
Julienne’s last blog post..Fitness Friday ? Volume 3.
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Looks like a fun ride! Such gorgeous scenery is not found on my urban commute (but I can’t say I’m missing the cows — find them creepy).
Trisha’s last blog post..Hyde Park Ride ? Tinsy Tiny Adventure
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I can’t remember the last time I was on a bike! I was probably 12! I would LOVE to take it up though…but, for now, running. because I can’t stand Jillian Michaels and the “phone it ins” either. haha!
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Again, you are too funny! I love the way your write. You inspire me!
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Good for you! babe. Here’s to cycling!
Kerri Anne’s last blog post..English Nerdery: The Book List
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That looks AMAZING. I haven’t biked in way too long. I got a bike for my birthday from my ex five years ago, but I sold it (along with every other ex-boyfriend reminder). I miss it though.
Jen’s last blog post..I’m kind of a big deal
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That’s awesome! There is a bike shop right by my new house and my new house is very close to a bike trail and I’ve been thinking about picking it up. I just get afraid to ride on Chicago’s city streets because there is no such thing as “right of way” in Chicago.
Going to check out Linda’s post!
Kristabella’s last blog post..For Whom The Bell Tolls
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Pedal power! Good for you. When you get more ambitious, there are three beautiful rides that go up the hill for a few kms, then down trails (pretty mellow)…two to the KVR and one toward Meadow Valley. Matthew probably knows them from ATVing…
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It’s great that you’re enjoying biking so much. My friend does it and thinks it’s wonderful!
I don’t have a Wii myself, but my sister-in-law has Wii Fit. It’s a lot of fun, but kind of hard to get your heart rate up with all the breaks in between activities. She recently got the new Wii Active. I’ve tried it and it’s a major workout! There are resistance bands and full workouts…you may want to check it out sometime.
Alison’s last blog post..Boot Camp – Week 1
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