Week 33: Day 4 - 22 August 2019

• morning run = 4.21 miles; time = 1:04:13; average pace @ 15:15
• walked dogs = 2.6 miles total

I can't wait for summer to be over officially. I'm still struggling with the humidity level at 5am even though it's not really that bad.

Yesterday after work, I donated blood to the local American Red Cross (they were hosting a blood drive at a Sheraton Hotel near the L.A. county fairgrounds). Technically, I should not be doing any exercise like running for 24 hours, but I went this morning anyway and felt fine. I also was not supposed to do any heavy lifting and I did at work today because I forgot about that. My arm felt fine. This was the first time that I did any exercise and any heavy lifting within 24 hours of donating blood, and it will be the only time...It was recommended to wait 24 hours so your body can replenish and replace the lost fluid. I got a free admission to the L.A. County Fair, but I don't think I will be going. It's not as fun as it used to be.

Week 33: Day 1 - 19 August 2019

• morning run = 4.48 miles; time = 1:05:52; average pace @ 14:42
• walked dogs = 2.6 miles total
• evening solo ride = 15.29 miles; time = 1:15:09; average speed @ 12.2 mph

When you get a bike that you actually like because you've picked it out yourself, you want to go ride. It's not 400 degrees in the evening anymore, so I can stop complaining that it's too hot to ride.

I have this one-mile hill (11% grade first half, 10% grade second half) that I do sometimes. I hadn't done this hill in awhile, so I lost some endurance and couldn't keep going until the top (stopped 3x). The last time that I did this hill (sometime last year), I made it to the top without stopping and that was on a heavier bike with regular shoes/pedals. Then I fell at the top of the hill from trying to stop and couldn't unclip fast enough. So my new bike, less than one week old, is all dirty now. I'm fine, but I was mad...not sure from falling or from getting my new bike dirty, or both.

Week 32: Day 7 - 18 August 2019

• morning group ride = 20.72 miles; time = 1:31:35; average speed @ 13.6 mph
• walked dogs = 2.6 miles total

In April, I got clips (pedals that "attach" to the bottom of bike shoes). It took me awhile to get used to them and let go of the fear of crashing into people for not unclipping fast enough. I finally felt fine with them last month. The fear of crashing and not unclipping fast enough came back today, but I think it was because I'm still getting used to the bike with the handlebars/gear shifting being different. I think I'll be fine and this fear will go away sooner. This fear isn't as bad as before though. Also the group ride was cut short due to some people/riders crashing. I was some faster riders and we were so far ahead that we didn't know that they crashed. They are fine, but went to the ER to be sure. The people I was with...we went back to our cars so two of them could help the people who crashed since those people were kinda far away from their cars.

Week 32: Day 6 - 17 August 2019

• morning run = 3.74 miles; time = 56:11; average pace @ 15:04
• morning solo ride = 15.32 miles; time = 1:13:40; average speed @ 12.5 mph
• walked dogs = 2.6 miles total

I have finally upgraded my bike! I had enough money for a road bike after riding a hybrid bike for six years. I ordered my new bike online and had to wait a few days (I had to pick it up at a local bike store because it couldn't be delivered to my house which was fine because the bike store people could assemble it together for me and I didn't have to worry that someone would steal it because it was waiting for me at home.) The brakes went out and I didn't have the money to replace the cables and brakes, so I didn't have a bike last weekend. While my tires were fine last weekend, but somehow the back tire got a flat during the weekend. It was really weird and I'm not sure what happened. The tube was new and I only did two rides with the new tube in. I'm done with this bike. But anyway. Hybrid bikes have flat handlebars so the gears shifting and brakes system were very different than a road bike. I went on my own bike today because I wanted to try it out first before doing a group ride. Braking was fine for me. I've mostly got the hang of shifting gears, even though it felt a little weird and awkward.

There is a book called "Black Beauty" about a black horse. I specifically wanted a black bike so I could called it "Black Beauty". When you fall off the horse, you get back on it. I'm always falling off my bike (luckily, not into other people in cars or on bikes), and I've been lucky that I was able to get back on my "horse" even though my horse has two wheels.

Week 32: Day 5 - 16 August 2019

• morning run = 5.11 miles; time = 1:16:00; average pace @ 14:54
• walked dogs = 2.6 miles total

Week 32: Day 2 - 13 August 2019

• morning run = 4.91 miles; time = 1:16:17; average pace @ 15.32
• walked dogs = 2.6 miles total

Just updating this...that is all.

Week 32: Day 1 - 12 August 2019

• morning run = 4.52 miles; time = 1:05:48; average pace @ 14:33
• walked dogs = 2.6 miles total

So I haven't been very consistent with updating. Lately, my room has become a "dead zone" where my laptop can't connect to the internet. I don't know why this has been happening lately when I didn't have any problems for a long time in my room. The connection seems okay so far.