Posts Tagged ‘Training’

Only One Saturday Left

Written on April 28, 2010 at 10:22 am, by hleggat 2 Comments

Category Heidi Leggat | Tags: Deadline,Heidi Leggat,Training

As I sit here in Herriman, wondering if the roof on my house will blow off,  I can’t believe that there is only one Saturday left before the 60 mile ride.  I haven’t ridden my bike for almost two weeks now and I am feeling quite sluggish.  I find it funny how I was constantly wishing for warmer weather, but when the warmer weather came I had less time to ride.   With warm weather comes more responsibility in and out of the house.   I was advised that I should try to do a 40 mile ride before the 60 mile, but so far have not been able to find the time.  It has been so much fun trying to get together with friends to ride at different times of the day. (Mornings are my favorite!)  I have felt better physically and amazingly mentally since I started this adventure, and I hope to ride for a very long time.  Now, I just might cross that finish line dragging the bike behind me with bloody knees, but the fact is I WILL finish the 60 mile ride no matter how hard it is.  And I think there will at least be a few other women like myself, considering more than 50% of the riders signed up for the 60 miler.  Unless of course there are hundreds of amazing women riders, which I have a feeling there will be.  But being last is okay with me as long as I finish.  I hope for all of our sakes the weather will be cooperative….. that is temperatures above 45 degrees and winds below 40 mph.

One month from today!

Written on April 8, 2010 at 9:48 am, by brad No Comments

Category Training | Tags: Registration Full,Training

Alright, ladies. Have you been training? Are you ready for this? You have exactly one month until the ride. Like I say with other events, either you can do your training before or you can do it all the morning of the ride. I’ve done both and greatly prefer one over the other, so choose wisely!

We have had so many people ask for exceptions to get in. Sorry, but we can’t. We are set at 500 riders due to permits and agreements with city governments, public safety, etc. We sold out right as some of our advertisements were printed. Next year there will be many more spots available.

However, the rest of Pedal Palooza is a great event for your whole family. The free mountain bike ride and children’s safety rodeo and helmet giveaway will be tons of fun. Details on those events at pp.infinitecycles.com.

If you live in the area, our 2010 Tour de Riverton is coming up in July. Register early so make sure you get in! It is roughly 25 miles through Riverton and Herriman. You’ll ride some of the same roads as the Goldilocks ride too. Get a chance this week to win an entry to the Tour de Riverton from RegTix.com, check it out on Facebook.

Below 45 degrees makes for a COLD ride!

Written on April 5, 2010 at 4:09 pm, by hleggat No Comments

Category Heidi Leggat | Tags: Group,Heidi Leggat,Training,Weather

So, as I have previously stated, I am the ultimate cold wimp.  I grew up swimming on various swim teams, and what I hated more than anything was jumping into cold water.  I loathe cold days, and the thought of riding a bike in the cold is not one on which I like to dwell.  However, when the bike group wants to ride,  I force myself to muster up enough courage to participate.  In fact, I think I would prefer riding in 100 degree weather.  I may change my mind on this, but for now I am holding steady.  Off I went, hoping my fingers would not fall off somewhere on Redwood road where they would be lost forever.  20 minutes into the ride I was shivering, wiggling my fingers and toes to make sure they were still there, and wondering if I could make up some excuse that would enable me to turn around without looking too wimpy.  But to my dismay, no one else looked or even sounded miserable.  Even our mountain biker was keeping up without complaint.  So on I pedaled.  It took a while before things warmed up for me.  But after about an hour, I have to say either my body just got used to the cold, or the temperature warmed up… and I actually started enjoying the ride.  I was, however, anxious to ride quickly to my 72 degree home.  Good company and scenery can only dull the senses for so long.  I will say that I am ready for this cold weather to dissipate.  I don’t feel ready for a 60 mile ride as of yet.

Some of the awesome women I ride with.

Dani and Laurel taking a break while another biker fixes her bike chain.  One way to learn all about flats and chains is to just go on long rides with friends that know what they are doing.  We always try take along a couple of males for moral support, not to mention “fix-it” support.

Did I mention how cold it was?  But how could anyone say no to a group like this?

My First Rides

Written on March 27, 2010 at 1:39 pm, by packhams 2 Comments

Category Amanda Packham | Tags: Hope,Training

I do admit my first ride was tricky, but my second ride was easier and a lot more fun. I think its going to be really hard on the real race–I am not sure I can do it. I hope it is easier than I think. The hardest part is wearing my super tight helmet it gave me a huge headache and my jaw really hurt when I got home. But the only thing I like is the downhills! See You Later! GRACE PACKHAM

Spinning to Success

Written on March 11, 2010 at 8:57 pm, by hleggat No Comments

Category Heidi Leggat | Tags: Heidi Leggat,Spin Class,Training

Taking spinning classes has been so much fun. The classes are always packed with fun people that are willing to give free advice on biking. I have learned a ton of things such as form, pedal position, and even how to jump on a stationary bike. I just hope all this practice will make the actual bike riding a little easier! I am looking forward to warmer weather so I can actually ride on my “real” bike.

Here we go!

Written on March 9, 2010 at 4:25 pm, by packhams 1 Comment

Category Amanda Packham | Tags: Amanda Packham,Cruiser,Training

So like I said before, I don’t have much real biking experience. Nothing more than a short ride around the neighborhood with the kids. Now that I’ve put it out there that I’m going to do this ride, it’s time to get serious (because it might be a little embarrassing to back out!). I’ve had a list of excuses for a while to not go on a ride and one that I’ve been hanging on to was that I didn’t have a helmet. So I finally got around to getting a helmet and of course the great kid at Infinite Cycles set me up with a cute white and pink helmet- not too speedy looking. I also got a new part to help attach my bike trailer to my cruiser-style bike. No more excuses, other than the fact that it is still winter outside. It finally warmed up a bit the other day and I blocked out some time to go for a ride. I just wanted to do a short manageable distance, you know-ease in slowly. I ended up doing about three miles and it wasn’t too bad. Keep in mind I don’t have a real road bike, just a cruiser style bike that sits me up pretty straight and that made for some fun wind resistance riding into an uphill headwind. Well I’ve got my first ride under my belt and I’m ready for more, I think. I felt a little sore in some new places but it felt good. Now I need to figure out a time when I can get my super busy 5th grader to go with me.

The 60 Mile Death Wish

Written on February 20, 2010 at 8:50 am, by hleggat 3 Comments

Category Heidi Leggat | Tags: Heidi Leggat,Training

They saw her crawling towards the finish line, sweat streaming down her face, blood rushing from both knees. She was dragging her bike behind her, both wheels bent, both tires flat. It was the most pitiful finish anyone had ever seen. I am praying this will not be the end of my story. I am hoping that by training for this 60-mile bike ride I might be able to change what could be the inevitable.

To start my story I should introduce myself. I am Heidi Leggat and I like colorful shoes and clocks. (This is what my eight year old suggested I write.) I have 4 girls: an 11 yr. old, an 8 yr. old, a 3 yr. old, and a 10 month old, and think they are the most amazingly beautiful girls in the world. I wake up every day realizing that I have been blessed with more estrogen in my life than the average person. My husband works for the Jordan School District and we are all glad when his masculine presence permeates our home. He is the perfect “girl” dad.

So, why in the world would I try to kill myself riding a bike for 60 miles when I have never ridden more than 20 miles in my lifetime? ( And that 20 miles was 18 years ago when I was in college.) Here are the reasons (not necessarily in ranking order):

• To lose the last 15 pounds of baby weight.
• I love to exercise.
• I want to show my girls how important it is to be active.
• I love a challenge.
• Someone double-dog-dared me.
• My mom told me there was “no way” I could do it.
• All my neighbors are doing it.

I plan to accomplish my goal by thinking positively and finding the time to ride my bike. Because the weather is so inconveniently unpleasant I plan to take spinning classes or biking classes at various times during the week. I am hoping to go to at least three 1-hour classes each week. When the weather is 50 degrees or warmer, (I am the ultimate cold wimp!) I plan to ride my bike with the kids in the bike trailer. I am trying to find a good road bike, so for now will use a mountain bike to train. I’ll let you know how the search process for that road bike goes. I would love feedback on good routes to take or any other good biking tips. See you on the road…I’ll be the slow one.