Fundraising event tomorrow, 5/22!

I know, it seems like the only time I post anymore is when I have something to sell or promote, right? Pretty much. (BTW I did sell the bike! Woo woo!)

But this time, it’s not about me. It’s about a young boy in our community. Read on for more details…

 

Buy me some peanuts and Crackerjacks!!!!

Come enjoy a sunny, family-fun, community day at the ballpark!

Let’s knock our Rookie (6, 7 & 8 year-old) A's socks off with the biggest and most EXCITED crowd we can muster! Kind of like this crowd here: http://improveverywhere.com/2008/04/07/best-game-ever/

That's the kind of energy we want to re-create Saturday for the boys.  Make up some posters and placards.  Bring some peanuts and popcorn. Get creative. Have fun!  Be loud! Bring some friends!

We want this to be a big surprise for our boys, and watch their eyes light up when they see how many people come out to cheer them on!

After the game, watch the little guys get their season-end trophies, and enjoy a fundraiser BBQ* to help support the Codoni Family. There will also be a raffle drawing. We have an autographed Cal Ripken book, a signed Kirk Reuter (most wins by a SF Giant left-hander, ever) baseball, we have gift and wine baskets,  a free week at the SRJC baseball camp and other things keep coming in! Joey plans to be at the game, too! You can read more about Joey Codoni and his journey at this blog: http://welovejoey.blogspot.com/.

Please feel free to tell ALL your friends and bring them out to the game! The bigger the crowd, the better! We want this to be a day the boys won't forget, and a very memorable experience for Joey.

We are going to make our very own magic happen on a tiny ball field in Rohnert Park. To cap off a great season for our Cal Ripken A's, to benefit the Codoni Family, to have some FUN – please join us! Be a part of what is sure to be an unforgettable day.

* Once the game is over, we are going to have a Codoni Family Benefit BBQ & raffle. We are asking a $10 donation. All proceeds will go directly to the Codoni Family to help defray the costs for Joey's heart surgeries, and other treatments he's undergone.

This is turning into a big event.  We have expectations that more than 100 people will be at the game. The kids will be amazed and maybe even a little nervous! 

In the end, this is all happening to give Joey the feeling his team and community haven't forgotten him.  Let's make it as memorable as we can.

 

TT Bike for Sale

Excellent condition 2006 Cervelo P2 Carbon 54 cm time trial bike.

Component Group - Shimano Ultegra Double
Brakeset - Shimano Ultegra
Aero Bars - Profile Design
Handlebars - 42 cm
Shifters - Shimano 105
Front derailleur - Shimano Ultegra Double
Rear Derailleur - Shimano Ultegra
Crankset - Shimano Ultegra 39/53
Cassette - Shimano 10-speed, 12/27
Wheels - Stock Easton 700c
Tires - Continental Grand Prix 4000 700x23
Pedals - Look Keo

Bike has about 1500 miles on it. Got it August 2006 and loved it, but stopped doing triathlons in 2008 and never ride it anymore. Just think somebody might be able to use it more than me. Found it to be a very comfortable bike as TT bikes go and it goes fast!! Full album of photos at: http://s978.photobucket.com/albums/ae270/STrejo127/.

If you know anybody who’s interested (or you are), feel free to email me at sarah.monica[at]gmail. Thanks!

Where I’m at…where I’m headed

I finally cracked open "The Cyclist's Training Bible" (Joe Friel) and I'm remembering all over again why it is I want to train and not just exercise. I've decided not to make any race commitments or ride commitments, etc. until I get a little further on in the book and can begin to set some real goals (I don't really have any right now) and then make a plan. And I need to seriously get down to selling that TT bike and buying a new bike, ASAP!!  Joe Friel does a really great job of  basically saying "look, you're not pro, you don't make money doing this, so just chill and have fun with it. If you have family and work and other priorities, you canNOT make this your number one thing." Which I knew, but I keep feeling like everybody else is so hardcore with it all and I've been such a lazy butt and was getting all jealous that everybody else is in great shape and I'm not (yes, I’m in shape. But not great RACE shape). But then it's like everything else in life, which ebbs and flows and right now I just have other things that are more important (like home improvements). I was also reminded that burnout can take even years to come out of so now I don't feel too bad.

Basically I'm gonna go back to basics. I'm doing a 6-week thing with Tone Fitness since they're a sponsor and I got a good deal. They're going to help me work out my alignment issues, which we're now thinking is a big source of my quad and calf pain. I realized I DO like to run - when it doesn't hurt! They found that I'm very externally rotated with my right knee and foot, which explains a lot. It feels more like PT than Pilates! I get ‘homework’ to do and I come home all sore! 

Lately I've tried to take the pressure off by just allowing myself to 'exercise' and not really 'train.' I even had this moment while I was leading last week’s “Entree” route (the medium-paced route) for the Soup Spoons & Carbon Forks ride where I thought "ya know...I could get into riding like this...easy and laid-back style. This is fun!”

But then there's still that part of me that likes to try and hang w/the strong guys, likes to battle it out for the sprint lines, likes to compete. It really is so frustrating being part type-A and part mellow! I CAN'T ‘just’ exercise; there has to be an underlying motivation there, a reason to push harder, a reason to ride even when I don't feel like it, etc. So I think by setting some real goals for the year and rehabbing my leg, I will finally feel refreshed and ready to get back at it.

I feel excited about the year ahead and what it will mean for me and that I finally feel like I don't care what everybody else 'wants' me to do/race. I'll do what I can do given my situation and that will make me happy. Some people have put a lot of pressure on me and it's made me really wonder if I should even be racing because I don't want to make it what I’m all about 24/7. 

I know this isn’t the first time I’ve written about this. But before it was with triathlon, and now it’s bike racing. Same story, different game. And once again, I am learning that there are no ‘right’ answers.

It’s been awhile since I actually created some real, achievable goals and I think going back to the basics is a good place to start. And maybe on that goals list I can put down ‘new blog,’ too.

What I’ve Been Up To

Not writing on my blog, that’s for sure!!

Actually, a new blog is in the works, as I’ve previously mentioned. I’m hoping to use it to combine my love of cycling and cooking. But life is busier than ever and it’s kind of been on the back burner as far as getting it built up.

Still, I think about this blog all the time, and I also think about all you folks in the triathlon and cycling community that I’ve come to know through it as well. I thought I would check in, say hello and post my latest video creation. I’ve been getting more into documenting my adventures with my camera, and I’m beginning to consider buying one of those chest mounts.

Most of the times I ride my bike I think about how to share the beauty I experience with others, whether they are cyclists or not. I really do realize how lucky I am to live and ride in Sonoma County!!

Last weekend we had the 2nd “Soup Spoons & Carbon Forks” ride, which is sponsored by West County Revolution (you can read more about them at Lee’s blog). This is a new monthly ride that takes place on the 3rd Saturday of every month. We start from a different restaurant every time, and after the ride, sit down to enjoy a meal and revel in the post-ride endorphins together.

This month’s ride began at Rosso Pizzeria & Wine Bar (my most favorite place ever, and according to SF Chronicle’s Michael Bauer last Thursday, worth driving an hour north of SF for). We headed northeast up Old Redwood Highway and made our way out to Chalk Hill Road. From there we continued on the 8 mile rolling stretch to Hwy 128, and turned right to head south toward Calistoga. Before we hit Calistoga, however, we turned onto Franz Valley Road to take in some even more beautiful country roads and get ourselves off the busy 2-lane main thoroughfare. Franz Valley led us over to Petrified Forest Road, where we could climb up, up up to Calistoga Road and head up over the mountain to come back into Santa Rosa. It was about 3000 ft of climbing ALL  at the end of a 45 mile ride! Still, it was great to have friends to suffer with.

There is a huge storm thrashing the Bay Area right now, and we all were prepared to see it hit Saturday afternoon. Imagine our surprise when we began to ride under blue skies and sunshine! However, it only lasted until we got to Calistoga Road. With about 7 more miles to go, the skies began to darken and the air got much chillier – it was time to pick it up and get back to the restaurant – FAST!

Below is a movie I made from all the different videos I took during the ride. I think I had as much fun editing it as I did taking the footage!

 

So besides that, I’ve been racing at the Early Bird Criterium Training Series down in Fremont every Sunday. It’s been GREAT to race again and get the cobwebs out! I can’t wait for the first real race of the season – the Cherry Pie Crit in Napa on 2/7/10.

That’s about it for now. Happy New Year to everybody and have a great week!

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"Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love." - Martin Luther King, Jr.