Butter’s Blog

Yesterday I took my road bike out for a ride.  4.5 miles to indoor soccer, played a game, then rode back.  9 miles while playing too really wears you out.  I noticed that the bike is a lot faster than my hybrid but I don’t quite feel as safe!  Still, good times good times.

Today at work we had Lebanese food…yummy yummy yummy.  Only downfall is that its heavy on my belly   Oh well.  I ended up having to stay late and work some OT so by the time I got off I was good to go.  Pedaled my ass off and killed the bridge of death!

Phew, getting easier and easier.

So I did another 10 miles on my bike today.  The bridge coming home is always the toughest and I sometimes get passed.  Which really frustrates me, but often it’s guys on $5,000+ bikes dressed in full riding gear, but every now and then the person just like me passes me.  I know Im just getting back into it but it’s motivating…I’m a competitive guy and that stuff gets me!

So anyways, as I got onto the bridge today I saw a guy on a bike probably a little less than a quarter mile ahead of me.  He was on a similar style bike and was a bigger guy like myself.  I thought that if I was to pass someone this might be the day!  Anyways, about 1/2 over the bridge, where it gets extremely tough I was right on his trail…shortly there after I passed him!  I was ahead for a few minutes when damn it!  Dude passed me…I thought, damn, this sucks.  I pushed hard and dug deep and said today is MY DAY!  I passed him and never looked back!  He probably figured it was kind of a competition but nothing wrong with whatever it is that makes you push yourself harder!  So although my legs were burning and aching I pedaled to the end so no matter what he wouldn’t beat me over that damn bridge.

Ok, I know I’m a dork, but hey….whatever motivates, take it and use it!

So today I biked to work again, 10 miles round trip for those that don’t know.  Every day it gets easier and easier and I can see that my calves are really getting toned.  I LOVED IT!  Anyways, today was the FIRST TIME that I made it up Ellsworth without getting off and walking.  Ellsworth is the road I hit after going up hill 3+ miles into a head wind on a bridge, then Ellsworth is about twice as steep.  Usually I get off about 1/3 of the way up and have to walk.  Not today baby!!!

Before today all I’d noticed was that the bridge was seeming shorter…not easier, just shorter.  I was getting across it quicker than usual but could never make it all the way up Ellsworth…til today.

Man I’m stoked.  Not only am I getting cardio in 2x a day, but I’m saving gas and helping the environment.  I feel SO GOOD after riding to work and then when I get home I feel exhausted.  Good stuff.  Now just need to get back into the gym and hit the iron!!!

Today we faced the team that whooped us bad last week.  This is a team that I stated should have been one, if not two divisions higher in the coed league.  When arriving and finding out who we were playing I was excited.  We needed to get this team back and everyone was focused.  Both teams had 7 players so that meant neither team had any subs.

So the same started and it was intense, we really stepped up and you could tell that we weren’t intimidated.  Midway through the first half I got the ball streaking down the left boards, i dribbled and faked a pass….I wound up and shot a rocket from the corner right pass the keeper.  1-0.  We just served notice that we were here to play.  With 2 mins to go in the half they scored and we went to the break tied 1-1.

As the 2nd half opened we played hard but they came out and got a quick score, 2-1.  We played about 10 scoreless minutes and then we finally got it tied up again at 2.  On the ensuing kickoff they made some slick passes and put the ball back in the net in about 30 secs…we found ourselves down again by 1.  With about 4 mins left in the game we got back on the board and tied it up at 3.  We played to a stand off for the remaining time until there was 20 secs left.  Our keeper made a great play and threw the ball out to me streaking down the wall towards the goal…I made a play to avoid a defender and it was me vs the goalie…one on one.  I took my shot from the top of the goalie box, slightly off balance.  I still managed to get off a bullet.  The ball bounced off the 4 inch wide red boundary next to the goal and came out.  DAMN!  If only 2 inches to the right and it would have probably have bounced in.

I felt like I let the W slip through my hands as I barely missed the game winning goal.  FRUSTRATING!  Oh well, get got the tie against a team that crushed us last week.  I’m hard on myself being so competitive but I’m far from a great soccer player.  Sure, my skills have improved dramatically but I’m no Pele!

I’m loving riding my bike to work and back…great way to start the morning and the 3+ mile windy up hill bridge is a battle and finishes the evening just right!  That damn bridge does not seem to be getting any easier but my time on it does seem to be getting shorter.  So although I don’t feel like my legs are getting stronger from the ease of the trek they are getting stronger because I’m getting across it a lot faster!

I’m trying to get my friends to get bikes so we can go ride around the two cities.  Portland is the only city in the nation to get the platinum award as far as being biker friendly and doing what they can for cyclists…Vancouver, just across the river does a lot too.  

Planning on grabbing my road bike next time I’m down in Eugene.  It’s not fancy like my hybrid but it’s not too shabby and will be a nice change of pace to have a second bike…also, maybe I can coerce more people into riding with me!

It was my first time riding my bike to work and I have to say it went pretty darn well.  Took me 30 mins to get into work due to the bike path going a little out of the way, but hey, it was worth it!  I must admit that all day I thought about the horrible 3+ mile uphill into a headwind bridge ride that is in the middle of my return commute and that sucked.  But once I got going it went better than the day before.  Obviously everytime I do it it’ll get a bit easier for me.  So the ride back I got an extra 4 miles in as I had to run some errands so I was pretty pleased.  5 miles to work, 9 home.

I plan to ride my bike to work 2-3 times a week and tomorrow is my next scheduled trip!  I’m really hoping that I see more toning in my legs as the number on my weight plummets south!

Anyone out there an avid bicyclist?  If so hit me up.  I’d like to discuss the sport!

So today I had an oral board at a sheriff’s office today and after being invited to the next stage I felt instantly motivated!  I got home and hopped on my bike.

I’ve been thinking of riding my bike to work, its only 5 miles one way, so I figured I’d ride it today and get a feel where exactly the bike path runs compared to getting to work.  The way to work wasnt’ too bad but coming back was hell!  It wasn’t the 10 mile distance, it was the fact that 3+ miles of it were up hill into a head wind.  I was pedaling so damn hard but not moving very fast.  I thought about stopping and walking but didn’t wanna wuss out, so I kept on pedaling.  Eventually I made it home and didn’t even stop once in the 3+ mile stretch of hell!  I was so proud of myself!

Now I just hope that if I keep this up that I’ll shed some pounds & tone of my legs!!!  Anyone know how good riding a bike out around town is for you?  Is it better than the eliptical or regular gym cardio?

Well we had a game today and were on a 2 game winning streak, unfortunately we lost today 5-2.  Losing sucks, especially to a team that should have been 1 or 2 divisions above our team!  That’s what really pisses me off, when teams play down a division or two to feel good about themselves.  Oh well, it’s still great exercise.  Overall my team and I played like crap.  We battled for 1 half then their superior play took over.  I did have a nice stretch where I took the ball the length of the field, faked out an opposing player and got a solid shot on goal…S C O R E!  It was pretty impressive and I was pretty shocked.  The player I faked out even ran over and congratulated me on my move.  It made the loss a little less stinging but regardless, we still got the L.  

Maybe we can start a new streak next week!