Saturday, March 7, 2009

3:36 am. Ugh.

It's early. It's dark. And I just ate a bowl of oatmeal with eggs. Literally with the eggs. Eggs did not go on the side in their own separate container. Or with a cheery amount of bright red ketchup. No eggs were on the oatmeal.

Because when you eat breakfast at 3:15 am, presentation doesn't really matter, right? Besides its all going to the same place, anyway.

But I digress. It's early, the temperatures outside are (currently) in the upper 40s, and I'm staring at my bike - ready for another long (and hilly!) day in the saddle. Take that people in the Midwest: you had highs in the 60s, but I get to climb hills! Ha!

Somehow, I don't think that's fair.

But all's fair in love and triathlon, right?

Today for my long ride, I've decided to do Elfin Forest. Twice. As though once wasn't enough. Purportedly, the road has been repaved, which bodes well for my water bottles: I won't loose any while hitting any numerous pot holes. Excellent for bottle retention and (just as importantly) for the saddle area.

Actually, a few hill repeats in San Elijo hills, followed by a forray into the Forest of Elfin, down Del Dios canyon, through Rancho Santa Fe, and then hitting up Fletcher's cove. And then I turn around and go backwards. Because you never really feel the "love" for a place/route/ride/run unless you backtrack. At least that's what I'm telling myself. And I don't know about you, but going up Del Dios and then up up Elfin Forest sounds just magical.

Really - I am excited. I'm just too stuffed of oatmeal and eggs to be able to think too much. Hopefully I'll remember to either 1) pull up the arm warmers and keep them on at all times or 2) remove them completely from my person. Last week's look of biker-tan was super! Now that the sunburn has peeled, I'm left with some very interesting tan lines.

I think they're here to stay - but don't quote me on that.

Because the season is long, the skies are bright, the winds are (hopefully) calm, and I'm excited and ready to go. I'm looking forward to a long day of biking, riding up (and down) hills galore, and enjoying all that beautiful Southern California has to offer. And really - on a Saturday morning what could be better than that?

Oh wait. Don't respond.

I already know.

Post-ride breakfast at The Daily News Cafe with your Significant Other. Yeah. That's it. Hopefully there's French Toast left. No eggs, but I'll have plenty of coffee and some ham, please. No need to worry about presentation - just give me the food. It all goes to the same place anyway.

Happy training!

13 comments:

Jen said...

Marit, Have a great ride girl!! You are awesome! Let us know how it goes.

I am curious to know how many eggs and how much oatmeal you eat before a big ride?
Sometimes, I wonder if I eat enough for that.

m said...

Eggs and oatmeal together, gross!

Have a good ride. You got up before me and I live on the east coast!

Tony Lafferty said...

I enjoy reading your posts from NOCAL..its only 4:29am getting ready for another 30mile training run..like you early am oatmeal..in between lots of fluid, a few blocs, scaps..post run always the best...breakfast..even if we are done at 2 or 3pm..for those longer than 30mi runs..



Tony Lafferty...got me a spot at Western States 2010!

Marit C-L said...

Just need to clarify: I woke up, ate, wrote, and promptly went back to bed. My second alarm went off at 5:10, and the third at 5:30. If I've figured anything out, its that I need to eat waaaayyyy before getting on the bike. I just don't like the feeling of being really full. So I'm rolling out the door in (hopefully) 15 min or so. Yeah!

Jen: I have about 1/2 cup dry oats + 1 cup water + 2-3 tbs of wheat germ. Then one egg + 2-3 egg whites...that's the first breakfast. For the second I'll havea a bananna with peanut butter. Just to give you an idea, I'm supposed to ride hills today for 4:30... but I think the route that I have planned will take a little more than 5 hours, depending on how the climbing goes.

Maija: hey! :) Really, its so early that I don't even notice. I cook them separateley, but dump everything into the bowl. Saves on effort and time (in my pre coffee state! :) Enjoy your first ride outside!

Tony: ENJOY your run! I'll be thining about you! :) Cheers to a wonderful breakfast!

Herrad said...

Go for it!

Love,

Herrad

Colleen S said...

Marit- I sure wish we could train together for CDA. I'm staring at rain mixed with snow in Seattle and 4 hours on the trainer! Yuck. Happy trails. :)

ADC said...

Still, you were up at 3 am. Wow. Hope you had a great ride - please blog about it. Love the names of all those places.

rr said...

You get up to eat crazy early! And I need to be more like you.. I did 4 h on nothing today - I'm too lazy to get up and eat, and I too like to train on empty. Maybe I need to set an early alarm..

Hope it was an awesome ride!

Bob Mitera said...

I have one five hour ride - indoors - in 2009. All my other rides are 2 hrs - indoors.

I rode 45 minutes outside in 2009 thus far.

Interviewing on SoCal...hope to land there soon.

Bob Mitera said...

I have one five hour ride - indoors - in 2009. All my other rides are 2 hrs - indoors.

I rode 45 minutes outside in 2009 thus far.

Interviewing on SoCal...hope to land there soon.

Tony Lafferty said...

Marit..the 30mi run was nice..though the oatmeal energy ran out somewhere around 19miles..totally sunny and nice on American River Trail..your 5 hours on the bike was my 5:20hrs on the run...Today...shorter run and a large serving of dessert..Tony

Kim said...

Wow.. glad you put that explanation.. I was so upset that you were going to leave on your bike at 4am! The eating and going back to bed..Now that my friend is the attitude of a champion! So proud of you! Loved the pics of the kitties. Tabbitha looked so funny in her upright reclined position.. and then in the sink! Ahh!! Hope the ride went so well! Talk soon my dear. Almost to Oceanside taper!! Go Marit!!

Jennifer Cunnane said...

Love it, love the breakfast options. I could eat that all day if I was going to be riding as many hills as you have been! Thanks for your kind post on my blog, it was a great "pick-me-up" and meant a lot to me after just getting off the phone with my family by my brothers bedside at the hospital!