Tag Archives: biking

My Badass Bike

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I just got it, but I do <3 my bike.

After a few trips to the bike store, I finally bit the bullet and bought a bike! (Thank god for tax refunds!)

I went with the Giant Dash 3, a performance hybrid. It’s basically as close as a hybrid can get to a road bike without actually being a road bike. Which means it’s comfortable and has straight, not curly bars, but is light and fast.

Riding it home afterwards was absolutely terrifying. Riding down 9th Ave at rush hour? With a heavy purse on my shoulder? I am so glad I didn’t die. I dropped off my purse and headed back out for an 8ish-mile ride to Battery Park and back.

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Dog not included.

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I asked the nice guy in the bike store what I absolutely couldn’t walk out of the bike store without, and he said all I really needed were lights, if I ever rode at night, and a helmet. I already had a helmet, so I bought the lights. I also bought a water bottle holder (pink, since the bike is blue) and a lock.

Things I didn’t buy immediately but foresee in my future: padded shorts, a rack for the back in case I want to take it grocery shopping.

Things there is no chance in hell I will buy: clips. I am too clumsy to clip in and out.

So since I just dropped a nice wad of cash on this baby, and we’ll be spending a lot of time together, he needs a name. (Yes, I named my cars, too. I had a blue Jeep named Bluebird and a red Volvo named Ruby. So yes, I am that girl.)

And that’s where you come in. Because I love you so much for reading my ramblings everyday, I’m buying you a present. Just one of you, just for suggesting a name for my bike.

I’m sending one winner a $10 Starbucks gift card. You can buy approximately 3 spinach feta wraps with this.

All you have to do is leave a comment suggesting a name for my bike. The only two criteria for the name:

  • It has to start with a B. (Its full name will be B___, the Badass Bike.)
  • It should be a gender-neutral or a male name. Though this bike is for a lady, the bike itself is a dude.

Just leave a comment by 11:59 PM EST on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. I’ll pick the winner Thursday.

 

Strength-Training Check-In

I’m proud of how I stuck to my workouts last week.

Monday: Physique + 3-mile run

Tuesday: yoga

Wednesday: Physique + 3-mile rurn

Thursday: spin

Friday: yoga

I did nearly 120 minutes of Physique, and I’m going to fudge and add my yoga in to get to my 120 minutes. (While yoga is definitely a strengthening exercise, I’m trying to make myself do more lifting-type strength.)

Saturday I ran the NYRR 4-Mile and had a pretty amazing PR.

The only thing I didn’t accomplish was doing a strength workout, by myself, in the gym.

However!

The Easter Bunny brought me this book:

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Kelly swears by it, and she’s looking pretty buff these days, so I wanted to read it. Plus, I need to get over my girlie fear of lifting so that I can pick up guys at the gym/lift like a badass. I’m going to read it this week and start incorporating its workouts into my schedule next week.

My workout plan this week:

Tuesday: Physique + 3-mile run

Wednesday: BIKE RIDE. Outside! I paid for my bike tonight, and I’ll be picking it up tomorrow.

Thursday: Physique + 3-mile run (I got two more free Physique classes, and I want to use them now, before I forget.)

I’m still trying to decide my workouts for the rest of the weekend. I’m volunteering outside all day Saturday, so I may just use that as a rest day/count that as exercise.

Tonight, I was supposed to go to book club, but I wasn’t feeling so hot after a big Italian Easter, so I stayed in with Bailey.
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When I got home from work, there were two coconut waters waiting for me from the Bolthouse Farms people. I don’t always say yes to product reviews, but I’m secretly pretty obsessed with coconut water–I probably drink at least 3-4 per week. If you’re not familiar with coconut water, it’s basically nature’s Gatorade. It hydrates and replenishes electrolytes. After my race this weekend, lots of wine on Easter and an upset stomach, I was pretty dehydrated. I guzzled one of these babies when I got home and my headache felt better after a little while. (Dehydration is a major cause of headaches.)

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I loved the taste of this coconut water, but it was a little higher in calories and sugar than other ones I’ve tried, so I’d probably save it for after a hard workout.
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I had some leftover ziti for dinner and added broccoli to sneak in a serving of veggies.

I need to put away some Easter goodies and get to sleep or I’m never going to get these workouts in. Good night!