The First Real Test of 2016

This weekend was the first really big test of the Cyclo-Runner-Husband Challenge.  What was going to make this weekend different?  In a word - hills!!!  This weekend I was adding hills to both the ride and the run.  When you add that this was just one week after my PR-setting half marathon, which I promise to write about next, you have all the necessary ingredients for a big test.

Plus, it wasn’t like I had been sitting around all week.  After Sunday’s half marathon, I did a 42 mile recovery ride on Monday.  That was followed by two days of rest. Then, on Thursday I was back at it with a 3.5 mile run followed by another 5.0 miles on Friday.

When Saturday arrived I was excited to ride.  While I have been riding, I have not spent much time on hills yet this year.  That’s primarily because I spent most of my Saturday rides trying to save my legs for my Sunday run.  However, I have an event in late April that includes big climbs so I couldn’t hesitate any more.  It was time to start some serious climbing, which I actually enjoy.

However, at this point I don’t need one big monster climb. What I really need is a ride that goes up and over multiple climbs.  Fortunately, I have several routes that corse through the west county hills.  The goal is to complete hill intervals while enjoying the beautiful day.  As you can see from the profile, the plan called for a lot of up and down.

All-in-all the ride was fun but uneventful.  I approached each hill with simple mindset of making it to the top without over doing it.  Then, I would cruise down the descent as I got ready for the next climb.  It was the perfect route on a beautiful day and in the end I felt great.  But, how would I feel on the run the next day.

Sunday was even more gorgeous and I was really looking forward to the run for two reasons.  To begin wth, I was running the trails of Annadel.  Plus, my new Let’s Run Paris shirt had arrived and it was my first chance to wear it.  Still, even though I have run some hills this year, this was a big run with two big climbs, so I was a little nervous.

To spare you from all the details, let’s just say the run went fine overall but it had its moments when I was wondering what the hell was I doing.  I made a last minute decision to tackle the steeper climb versus the longest climb first.  Half way up it seemed like the wrong decision but I finally settled into a good pace.  The fact that it was truly a beautiful, spring-like day really helped. 

Once again, the profile shows that I did some really good climbing.  Of course, this is nothing compared to the over 3,000 feet of climbing in my next running event which is on March 12th.  It is a trail run in Marin County and I am relying on the fact that I also love running on hills to get me through it.  I’ll also have a running partner with me that day and that will be a big help.

While I must admit I am feeling the efforts today, I’d say the Cyclo-Runner-Husband Challenge is off to a great start.  I managed to climb and run hills in the same weekend without feeling completely wiped out.  I even had the energy left over to perform a few chores around the house, which made Sherry quite happy.

I wonder how I’ll do on next weekend’s test?

Ciao!

Yes Will (& Lee) Can

Last Sunday was the pinnacle of the one of my coolest running adventures ever.  You might say this adventure started last summer with my Ragnar Relay training.  However, this adventure really begin on the Place de la Bastille in Paris on the morning of Christmas Eve.  You see, that’s when I met Will.

As I’ve mentioned, I joined the Let’s Run Paris running group on our recent vacation.  In addition to regular runs, group members will also post other runs to join.  In this case, Noelle invited people to join her on her 6:00 am run.  I really love running early in the morning so this was the perfect time for me.  Will was one of the brave souls that showed up and at the appointed time we were off. 

Will and I post run.

As we are running along one of my fellow runners asked me where I was from.  Although Sherry and I actually live in Santa Rosa we have discovered that’s easier to say we live in San Francisco since most Europeans are familiar with it.  What happened next was the perfect example of the chaos theory in physics (small changes lead to big consequences).  

Someone mentioned that Will was running a half marathon in SF in February.  So, Will and I started running together and chatting.  During this chat I discovered that Will wasn’t just running a half marathon in San Francisco.  No, Will was on a much larger adventure.  He was running 52 half marathons (one each week of the year) in 52 cities on 5 different continents.

Yes Will Can!!!

The more he talked about his adventure the more I knew I had to be part of it in some way.  So, I immediately tell him that I will join him.  After the run we became Facebook “friends” and later he sent me the link to the Kaiser Permanente half marathon on Valentine’s Day in San Francisco.  After a few simple clicks I was registered for my first official half marathon since May of 2011.

As Will and I continued to stay in contact, I learned more about his adventure, which he named Yes Will Can 2016 (hence the title of this post).  In addition to exploring the world, Will is working to raise funds and awareness for respiratory disease and he is working with Foundation du Souffle.  I think this is truly amazing and I needed to support it in any I could.

Will arrived in San Francisco from Los Cabos, Mexico.  After a few quick exchanges, it was decided that he would be our guest Saturday night.  At 5:30 am on Valentine’s Day, we all headed to The City for our run, which went very well (it will be a separate post).  Afterwards, we had a great breakfast on the Beach Chalet before dropping Will off at his hotel.  He was planning to spend a few more days in The City before heading off to Kingston, Havana, and then Australia.  You can bet Sherry and I will follow his adventures every step of the way.  You can also follow along on his Facebook page.

Showing off our medals.

I want to say a little more about Will’s cause.  Chances are if you follow my blog you are active and know the importance of breathing.  So, I would like to make a call to action to everyone reading.  Unfortunately, Will’s fund raising site it close but you can still make a donation directly to the Foundation du Souffle.  Or, if you are in the U. S. and would like tax credit for you contribution you can give to the American Lung Association.  If you decide to donate, add a comment either here or on the FB page so I can thank you.

Hopefully, through the adventures of people like Will and donations from generous folks like you, people around the world with respiratory problems will get the help they need to go on adventures of their own.

Ciao.

The 2016 Cyclo-Runner-Husband Challenge

As I have mentioned in previous posts, probably a little too much, I am really enjoying my return to running.  So, it makes sense that as 2015 was winding down running would be a big part of my goals for 2016.  However, I also want to spend more time on the bikes.  Of course, I love hanging out with Sherry even more than running or cycling so I need plenty of time for that as well.

My real task is to figure out how to meet my running and cycling goals while also spending lots of time with Sherry.  This may be the biggest challenge of all.

Runners love medals!!!

After building a great base while training for the Ragnar Relay last year, I have decided I want to keep running.  Of course, for me this means setting goals, And by setting goals, I mean registering for events. I’m already registered for a half marathon (13.1 miles), a 25k (15.5 miles) and a 10-mile run all before the second week of April.  I am also anxiously awaiting for the dates for the 2016 Napa Valley Ragnar Relay.

One day, while goofing off on Facebook, I discovered the 1,000 mile challenge from ilovetorun.org, which I had to join.  Next, I was chatting with a friend at work who wanted to tackle the Run the Year 2016 challenge.  We are now a “Dynamic Duo” who are trying to run 2016 miles before December 31st.

All of these running challenges would be fairly easy to accomplish if I didn’t also love to cycle.  I’m already registered for the Bottega Gran Fondo in April and my good friend Tim and I are planning on a cyclo-cross ride later this month.  We are also planning a trip to Provence in August where I will climb Mont Ventoux once again.  When thinking of 2016, I tentatively set a goal of 4,500 miles for the year.  That’s a good year for me without all the extra time and energy used up with running.

Bottega Gran Fondo 2015

While the running and cycling goals are great, I won’t be too disappointed if I miss them.  No one really cares about them except me.  They are fun to set and even more fun to try and accomplish but it won’t be the end of the world if I fall short.

The one goal that is not flexible is spending time with Sherry.  Now, before you get the wrong idea, allow me to clarify.   Sherry is incredibly supportive of all my craziness to the point where you might start to think of her as my co-dependent.  I think she likes telling her co-workers on Monday about her husband’s crazy weekend activities (or maybe it’s me that likes that).  However, I will admit that she’s not a fan of looking across the table at a very nice restaurant and seeing me half asleep because I’m exhausted so it’s all about striking the right balance.

Fortunately, I like to leave early in the morning and we like late lunches.  I’m not afraid to run in the dark or start a bike ride at first light.  This means on long summer days, I may be starting my ride at 6:00 am so I can get in 75 miles or more and still be home in time for a leisurely lunch at one of our fabulous restaurants in Wine Country.

It’s going to be an interesting year and only time will tell if actually accomplish it all.  Even if I don’t, you can bet I’m going to have a lot of fun trying.  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go for a run.

Ciao!

The Paris Photo Shoot

While most of my posts involve cycling or running or some other crazy outdoor activity, these are not the only things in life that might be considered an adventure.  There are lots of other adventurous activities.  Like a photo shoot for example.  Especially if it was your first photo shoot.  And, even more so, if that first photo shoot was in Paris.

Sherry and I are very fortunate in that we have the opportunity to travel and have been to Paris many times. A few years ago, Sherry suggested we have professional photos taken in the city that was beginning to feel like a second home.  Since this would be the first time we were in Paris for Christmas, it seemed like the perfect time.

Gonçalo in Paris for Flytographer 

With a little research Sherry found a company call Flytographer.  Their approach is a more candid versus posed style that appealed to us.  Plus, selecting one of their photographers meant we didn’t have to spend months on Craig’s List.  The more we saw the more we knew this was the right move for us.  A few clicks later, we had signed up and selected to work with Gonçalo (his style really spoke to us).

Tedi, our Concierge, could not have made the process easier.   She helped with everything from sending tips on selecting our clothes to selecting our date and time and finally connecting us with Gonçalo.  She also asked a lot of questions to truly understand our goals and did a great job of passing them along to Gonçalo.

Gonçalo in Paris for Flytographer

Finally, after months of planning and multiple discussions on what to wear, the day arrived.  We met Gonçalo at 9:15 am at the Café Des Beaux Arts to finalize our game plan over coffee.  Our goal was simple.  We wanted to capture our love for each other while also capturing the essence of Paris.  Gonçalo “got it” right away and began to develop the plan.

With the game plan and coffees finished it was time to get started.  Our first spot was the Pont des Arts.  This is were we learned to “walk” in a way that allowed Gonçalo to shoot.   As we walked we would hear his voice from the behind the camera offering suggestions but mostly he wanted us to walk the way we did if he wasn’t there taking photos.  Often, we would walk the same small section multiple times to get just the right shot.  It really did feel like a professional photo shoot.

Gonçalo in Paris for Flytographer

From there it was on to the Pont du Carrousel where we could get Sherry’s favorite tower in the background.  Then, we started heading towards Saint Germain des Prés taking photos along the way.  We shot on Rue Visconti, which is where we rented our first apartment.  We shot as we strolled along Rue  Bonaparte like we have done a hundred times before.  We stopped at Ladurée and look at the lovely macaroons as Gonçalo snapped away.  We shot along the very busy Boulevard Saint-Germain.  Finally, we finished by shooting some café scenes at the Le Bonaparte café.

Gonçalo, our photographer

As we sat and chatted with Gonçalo after the shoot, we realized that this was our Paris and we were very excited to see the final results.  A few days later we received a link from Tedi to our online gallery of 63 photos.  They were amazing!!!  The best thing I can say about them is that Gonçalo captured exactly what we were looking for.  In the end, we could not be happier with the process or the results.

From the concept created by Flytographer, to the support from Tedi, to the photo shoot with Gonçalo, and finally to the finished photos, we simply cannot say enough positive things about our experience.  I would encourage everyone who wants to capture special memories from your vacation to contact Flytographer and starting planning your own adventure.

Ciao!

Let's Run Paris - Encore

Well, I had not planned on writing a second post about Let’s Run Paris but after getting to run with them 2 more times I don’t feel like I have a choice.  This is a really great group of people and joining them on the runs significantly enhanced my Paris experience.  I’m not talking about the running.  I’m talking about the chance to hang out with the local cool kids.

Group of early birds at the Bastille.

I already wrote about how I found the group and my first run with them in my post - Let’s Run Paris.  The next two runs were just as magnificent from both scenery and camaraderie viewpoint.  I even got to run on Christmas Eve Day with the crazy part of the group as we started off from the Place de la Bastille at 6:00 am. 

However, as I sit at home, it’s the interaction with kindred spirits that I find myself remembering the most.  For example, I arrived at the Bastille first for our early morning run.  As others arrived, I found myself being greeted by name with warm salutes, les bisous (kisses on the cheek), and the common French greeting of ça va (basically, how are you)? 

On my third run on Saturday after Christmas, it was more of the same except that now I knew even more people.  If you watched my arrival from an outsider’s perspective, you would likely assume that I had been running with this group of years.  This is a testament to their warmth and acceptance for all who join them.

Saturday's start.

Before going on, I need to express my gratitude to the run leaders of Let’s Run Paris.  As a ride leader for my local cycling club, I know what it takes to plan, orchestrate, and manage these adventures.  So, next time you run or ride with a group, please be sure to thank them.  Or better yet, buy them a beer to show your appreciation.

Saturday’s run was another romp through parts of Paris that were new to me.  We ran along the the Promenade Plantée, which was amazing.  I won’t recount the entire run but as far as I can tell, we ran through the 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th and 13th arrondissements.  Once again, even more than the scenery, I am going to remember chatting with fellow runners who were beginning to feel like old friends.  Afterwards, I joined them for a coffee and more chit-chat before bidding them au revoir and promising to run with them again the next time I was in town.

The finish at Luxembourg.

The fact that they are so inviting should not be surprising.  This is a truly international group and running with them was perfect antidote for me based on what’s happening in the world today.  I ran with people from France, England, Ireland, Canada, Spain, Australia, fellow Americans like me, and a few others that I’m sure I missed.  

While Sherry and I like to say that Paris is our second home, the truth is it’s a long transition from tourist to visiter to local.  Fortunately, we moved past the “tourist” stage long ago.  And while we might not be locals yet, my experience with Let’s Run Paris was a big step towards moving beyond being just another visiter.

As you can see, the reasons Let’s Run Paris made this trip so special has little to do with the actual running.  It was the chance to get to share an experience with others while enjoying my “second home.”  It was about their warm and gracious acceptance.  Or, to put it another way, it was about hanging out with the cool kids of Paris.

Ciao!