Need Your Help - OT & Long!

[Nanci]

It was like he was wearing red Saran Wrap. Doesn't he realize? Is he proud of it?? EEEEWWWW!!!!! I see enough accidental peni at work that I just don't want to look. (OTOH, Speedos don't bother me, probably because French exBF made me immune!! Plus, they are very triathlete-y.) :-)

Nanci

[Trekhawk]

It was like he was wearing red Saran Wrap. Doesn't he realize? Is he proud of it?? EEEEWWWW!!!!! I see enough accidental peni at work that I just don't want to look. (OTOH, Speedos don't bother me, probably because French exBF made me immune!! Plus, they are very triathlete-y.) :-)

Nanci

LOL - when I first saw those red shorts awhile back I warned all my male riding friends against buying red shorts.EEEWWW is right.
In Australia we call Speedos - D*ck stickers.

[Lise]

Dar--I second the emotion of what everyone else has written. And I know how hard it is. Last year I signed up to do a run at the end of April, a fundraiser for the Policemens' Memorial Fdn. BF at the time was a cop. I had dewy notions of us running together, or him greeting me at the finish line with flowers and kisses, or something....but not of us breaking up 2 weeks before the race! So I did the race with some friends, and had a splitting headache for two days after. I went on to have my most athletic summer ever. Sometimes I'd wake up sad, go for a run or bike hard, and the sadness was gone.

It seems to me that you might have started biking as a connection with the ex, but you've continued biking as a connection with your own spirit. Even if sometimes it feels like a way to stay connected to him, it's you doing the joyful work.

Hang in there. I've started dating someone I like, but am well aware it may all turn out differently than my fantasy. At the moment, it's fun, and a big relief to not be going on a string of frustrating first dates over and over! Hope things flow with the paramedic. You deserve a guy that's delighted with all of you, including your committment to training.

Nancy--the French! Sacre bleu! Or something like that What a creep-a-zoid. Current BF sounds like someone who actually deserves to be in the presence of your wonderfulness.

And finally, on the red spandex, I am stunned to think that guys would want to look like that. Can't imagine that they "don't know". yuch.

L.

[VenusdeVelo]

Darby,
You can just tell by your post that you are passionate about riding, and you ride for you. My HB introduced me to riding but instead of riding a certain way or certain speed so he is "happy" or I keep up all the time, I have also learned to ride just for me. I needed to make cycling my own, decide on my goals, which I did and loved it even more then AND I got better at it. I think that's where you are. And you seem like a heck of a good rider, keep riding.

Re: the training while travelling, I travel for my work as well, sometime frequently at a clip. My other problem is I can have a long day as well as a time change (usu it's US-Europe or vice-versa) so despite my best intentions, getting to the hotel gym never seems to happen. Not sure if you travel with a laptop with a DVD player, but I found that's the best training I can do when travelling (unless you run perhaps, as that's easy to pack for also). I do strength DVDs specific to cycling -- for ex, Graeme Street has some outstanding core strength DVDs for cyclists that I love. And they also have power yoga routines on there as well. Check out cyclo-core.com. Or if you have a fave power yoga DVD, bring that. Yes, you'll miss out on the cardio, but unless you can commit to running or using the hotel gym, this is a great alternative. Add some lunges and squats to your hotel routine for a little spike at least in cardio and get the heart rate up. But Street's cyclo-core program does have a killer floor workout for cyclists that will get the heart pumping!! I have both Cyclo-Core and Cyclo-Zen. Even if you don't have a laptop with you travelling, you can piece together good routines and make your own to follow.

Re: what to do about the bikes. Tough question. Do you LOVE LOVE LOVE your mtb bike? Even on the road? I found I can love my MTB on the trails but I hate riding it on the road, mostly because I know what the road bike feels like there. So, IMHO, my vote would be to see if you can find a decent road bike, even used. Esp if you might race with it, you'll find it's probably a better investment than another set of rims for the MTB. Leave the hybrid on the trainer then...or honestly, with most trainers, popping the bike on and off is a breeze. So putting your road bike on there during the WI winter when you are most likely to train there shouldn't be a problem.

Good luck, with everything...the bikes, the training, the men etc!!!

[mtbdarby]

Sorry it took me so long to get back here and thank you ladies. I have reread your replies many times and the support just brings tears to my eyes.

I am currently shopping for a used roof rack. I've tried the trunk racks and my frame is so small it doesn't fit properly. Plus, WHEN I do my first enduro race, I will have everything packed in my trunk and I don't want to have to keep taking the rack off and on. And the first truck rack really scratched my car up.....

I am also still looking for a road bike. Doc, I sent you pm on your bike. I love my mtb but not on the road, and I am too lazy to keep changing out wheelsets and/or tires. Besides, I feel I deserve a third bike for some reason I have no intention of racing of the road but I would love to do a century this summer and possible tour so that has it's appeal to me.

As for the paramedic - I think I have him hook, line and sinker already He treats me like a queen and it floors me. Floors me even more we women aren't used to that! He wants me to meet his kids this weekend but I'm gonna hold off on him meeting my son because that's just my comfort level. And man, is he a good kisser! We've already had the sex talk and agreed to wait. Unfortunately, our bodies don't listen very well and we almost did a bad thing last night That man keeps me up too late at night so I told him no calling or coming over tonight because I have to ride my bike tonight! lol. At least he understands that and told me he'd kick my butt if I slacked off on my training. Good man, good man indeed.

Nanci, sorry you went through all you did, but you're such an amazing woman - as you all are. I am in such awe of your accomplishements both running and biking that it just me that more determined to see what my body can do. And I finally remembered the name of the off road tris - Xterra. Maybe in August I'll have to try the one in Milwaukee...

For those who believe in God or a higher power. I had a dream the other night that I had a talk with my ex. Can't remember what was said or much about the dream, but I woke up with closure and that chapter of my life behind me. He works in mysterious ways so I took that as a sign to enjoy my time with my medic and let my heart do what feels natural.

I've been giving him grief that I have to give him a nickname. He's hispanic so Latin Lover came up but of course, he's been called that in the past. So I called him brown sugar yesterday and he thought I called him braunswager (like the liver sausage) and we both busted up laughing so hard! So now he's my braunswager and we laugh every time we hear it. How cute is that?!

OK, I'm a freak. I am absolutely fascinated by the male genitalia and I love red! lololololololololol. Unfortunately, I never see anyone wearing it so it's just kind of like a fantasy for me. Maybe I need a job like Nanci so I can see it accidentally at work. Talk about fringe benes....

Thanks again - you ladies rock!

[Nanci]

It doesn't even have to be accidental- they all seem to love to show their willies off.

Nanci