I know I’ve been a delinquent blogger, and for that I am sorry. I promise to have a Tahoe recap up here shortly (the race was fabulous and I had the time of my life)!

In the meantime, I just have to gush about how stoked I am over organic produce and the new farmers market at Cal State San Marcos (Wednesdays from 3 to 7 pm). Frustrated with the tasteless produce I’ve been finding at my local market, I decided to make the move to purchasing all my produce locally. And Lord, what a difference.

I stopped by the San Marcos farmers’ market on the way home from work last night and purchased some lettuce, cherry tomatoes, strawberries, nectarines and green/purple beans.

I totally enjoyed the vibe of being out with other like-minded organic/farmers’ market shoppers and chatting it up with the vendors. But what was even better was when I got home and did the side-by-side taste test with the strawberries, tomatoes and lettuce. I had bought similar produce a couple days earlier from Albertsons and tried them along side of my newly purchased farmers market finds. Two words: NO COMPARISON.

The grocery store tomatoes had the consistency of tomatoes, but had no taste, while the farmers’ market tomatoes burst with flavor reimenencent of my childhood days when mom and dad grew tomatoes in our backyard. Same deal with the other finds. I forgot how good REAL fruits and vegetables taste. I’m in love …..

I could go on and on about this discovery, but time doesn’t permit. Instead, I’ll share with you a picture of the farmers market and promise to post more as I continue to uncover the glory of locally grown, organic produce.

Coming to a post near you soon …. my new found love of raw milk.

This will likely be short as far as extravaganzas go, but I felt it important to get some kind of update posted for my loyal followers (read: my mom who keeps asking when my next post will be up).

I’ve been doing a lot of riding in preparation for Tahoe. And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT. Last week’s team ride on Saturday was a 90-mile extravaganza (and that ride rightly earned the extravaganza title). We climbed about 4,000 feet, which included some goodies like West Lilac and Champagne Boulevard (pictured below) in the eastern part of the county. I am feeling so much stronger but I wouldn’t quite classify myself in ”billy goat” status just yet. The bottom line is that I’m having a blast out on my bike and have learned a tremendous amount this season.

Most importantly, I have raised $3,500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in memory of my cousin Kathy Ann. A very sincere thanks to each and every one of you who donated! I couldn’t have done it without you, and the money is going to a very good cause.

Tahoe is June 7, and I am super excited! Stay tuned for pictures and updates ….

Speaking of riding, I actually missed this week’s team ride because I took in the No Doubt concert on Friday night and was out late. Sorry bike fans, but a reunion of my favorite band trumps a planned eight-hour ride. Gwen and the boys did not disappoint. I’m stoked for their new album.

To make up for missing my team ride, I’ll head out tomorrow with a friend of mine who is training for the Carlsbad Triathon and then getting in some good rides during the week. We taper off this Saturday and ride only 55 miles with little climb, and then we rest for a few days leading up to Tahoe. 

Before I close, I do want to mention that it is Memorial Day weekend and I hope you’ll join me in taking a moment to pause and remember all of those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Also, let’s pray for and thank those who are currently serving our Country. It’s their service that makes the USA such a great place to live!

Yesterday, my dear friend Mindy got married. The wedding was lovely. Held on the Botanical Lawn at the St. Regis in Dana Point, the setting only accentuated the beautiful relationship between Min and Curtis.

When I met Curtis for the first time last February, I knew Mindy had found her soul mate. They bring the best out in each other and their relationship is filled with support, love and laughter!  

Min – you’ve been such a solid friend to me over the years. God blessed me when He brought you into my life. Thanks for always being there for me unconditionally and for helping remind me never to settle. Yours and Curtis’ relationship is an inspiration to me!

May God bless you both in your new life together. I was honored to be a part of your day yesterday, and look forward to many more happy celebrations in the future. Love you both!

First, there was peanut butter and jelly. Then there was Burt and Ernie. And now ….. (drumroll please) …. there is cycling and karaoke! My two favorite pasttimes all rolled into one. Brilliant! 

A Dream Come True

I am now on the hunt for this in San Diego. If anyone knows of a gym that offers this, please let me know. Better yet, I think I might get certified and start teaching “Cycloke” on the side! Woot!

Seriously, this has got to be the best invention since the wheel.

(Click picture to watch video)

There is a reason they say “never say never,” because you just never know when you’ll find yourself doing the exact thing you said you’d never do.

Such was the case during this weekend’s training ride. Our plan called for 65 miles with 4,000 feet of elevation gain. By the numbers, it wasn’t much different than our ride last weekend. And last weekend it was raining and windy and I was coming down with a nasty cold. So I knew I’d be much better on the bike this week.

It was still really tough – especially with the heat and the fact that I hadn’t been on my bike all week (because of a work conference).

But the funniest part is that I found myself riding up Gopher Canyon, just off the 15 exit. For those of you who know this little hill (um, it’s only little when you’re in a car), it’s about an 11% grade that feels like it goes straight up. Nothing I haven’t done before, but the humor in this little stretch is that I’ve driven this road many times and each time have mentally commented that “I’d never want to ride this on a bike.”

Words don’t taste very good when you eat them.

We rode this hill (amongst many others) not just once, but TWICE this weekend. Lord have mercy ….

So, here’s what I’m learning. Training is tough. That’s why they call it training. I need to keep doing it. The harder I work now, the more I’ll enjoy Tahoe.

I’m also learning that the biggest muscle I need to exercise is my brain. As my coach kept saying on Saturday, “get out of your head.” I need to mentally tell myself that I can do this!

I’m also learning that I am making great strides in my biking ability. Before, I was hesitant to tackle the hills around my house. Today, they’re a piece of cake considering what I’ve done with my team. I also didn’t know how to change a flat by myself (hense the infamous taxi ride home a few weeks ago that never made the light of this blog). Now, I can change flats in lightening speed.

I have also noticed my recovery time has improved. After my first hard ride with the team, I was pretty much toast on Sunday. Now, however, Sundays are much less painful.

Every little bit adds to the last bit of work that I did, and I know at the end of this it will be worth it.

And now, I will just chuckle when I drive up Gopher Canyon and say “Remember when I said I’d never ….”

Since my last post, I have traveled to Phuket (pronounced Pooh-ket), which is an island off the southern most tip of Thailand. The area is an international resort area, but it still feels very undeveloped.

Here, I met up with my friend and co-worker Mettja, who had been traveling in Thailand with her husband Brad and a group of his SCUBA dive students. He was taking the students on a liveaboard boat for several days to dive the Similan Islands, so I came over to meet up with Mettja and hang out (I’m such a vacation crasher).

We’ve had a wildly fun time! First, out hotel here is nuts in terms of beauty and luxury. Again, a great deal by American standards, the suite we booked includes an outdoor shower in a garden atrium; a jacuzzi tub on the sunning terrace that overlooks the ocean; and lovely teak flooring throughout. It certainly made my hotel in Bangkok seem more the Motel 6 family than before!

Our first big adventure here was to take a speed boat to Koh Phi Phi Island (pronounced Ko-Pee-Pee). What an amazing trip. I’ll post my own pictures once I have access to my camera, but for now, here’s a generic shot of one of the beaches we visited.

Koh Phi Phi Island, Thailand

The day included swimming in warm lagoons, snorkeling, beach combing and just general sightseeing. We were the only Americans on the boat, which had contingencies from Australia, Russia, Finland, Switzerland and France. It was a lot of fun to talk with the other tourists from all over the world and hear five different languages being spoken throughout the day.

Our other big adventure was yesterday. We took a sea canoe tour of several caves off of Koh Hong Island, discovered by American John Grey. Again, I’ll post pictures once I get back home but needless to say, it was amazing.

Now I”m off to explore the little town near my hotel. Tomorrow I leave Phuket for Bangkok, and then back home. It’s been an amazing adventure!!

I am so excited to be here, it almost feels like a dream. I left for my much-anticipated journey to Southeast Asia on Saturday from LAX. Thanks to Jeff’s awesome flight benefits, I was able to travel business class on his United passes from LA to Tokyo (11 hour flight) and then Tokyo to Bangkok (6.5 hour flight). Thanks so much, Bro!!!

I arrived in Bangkok around midnight last night, which was Sunday, March 29. I was a little nervous to be traveling alone in a foreign country where I didn’t know the language, but I quickly got over it. I easily cleared customs, exchanged some currency, and found my way to my hotel. Everything went smoothly.

For those of you who know how much I enjoy nice hotels, this one certainly fits the bill. Hotels are much cheaper in Thailand, so you can get a really pretty place for a decent price. So I splurged and booked a fancy schmancy place for my two nights in Bangkok.

I had to chuckle a little last night, however, after I checked in and realized this hotel was part of a chain that also operates the Motel 6 line. You see, I was raised on Motel 6 …. it was a Peterson staple on our family vacations, so I found it fitting that I was keeping with some kind of family tradition (although, this is a far cry from the days of rolling into the Cricket Motel).

After a great night’s sleep, I woke up around 6 am and got ready for breakfast and a morning blog (similar to a morning jog, but less strenuous).

Breakfast was fantastic! Anyone who serves breakfast with an array of hot peppers is good in my book. I started the day off with a traveler’s best friend (read: a cup of all-bran), and then partook in some local cuisine … some thin noodles with tiny little peppers (yum), and some amazing steamed dumplings. Where have these been all my life?  

Breakfast was also my first attempt to speak the language. I had ‘thank you’ and ‘hello’ down, and I was eager to use them. The waiter refilled my tea, to which I replied ‘sa-wut-dee krup.’

Shoot, that means hello.

I had to laugh to myself. I’m sure he did, too. Oh well, just a minute earlier he asked if I was done with my plate and I said I was still working on it. I guess that translates as ‘take my plate away.’ There went my little dumpling.

Ok, we’re even.

So now, I’m getting in a quick blog before I hit the gym. I’m a little worried about missing a few cycling trainings while I’m here. I’ve made so much progress with my team that it was hard to break away from that for this trip (our last ride was a knarly 50-miler from La Jolla, to Rancho Santa Fe, to San Marcos, to Carlsbad, then back down the coast to La Jolla). So, I made sure the hotels I’m staying at are equipped with a good gym and pool. Some cardio cross-training will go a long way once I return to San Diego and get back on the bike.

This afternoon I’ll  head out to see Bangkok. I’m booked to see the Grand Palace and What Pho, among other city sites. I’m stoked.

Grand Palace at night, Bangkok

I never get over the intoxicating feeling of traveling. It is so awesome to be surrounded by a different culture. There truly is nothing better than being on the other side of the world to put life into perspective.

There’s always so much to learn with every new trip, and I couldn’t be more excited to see what this one has in store for me.

Until the next blog, lah gorn na. (That means goodbye … I think).

Whoa – I can’t believe how fast time is flying. It’s March already!

Training was great this week. We completed a beautiful 40 mile (very hilly) ride with our team from Mission Bay, through La Jolla and then up to Encinitas (and back). I really felt this one! I was excited to try out my new bike chain (yes, the simple things excite me these days) and I discovered that the gearing issues that prompted said bike chain replacement were more likely operator error than anything else. I’m learning …. 

In addition to weekly team rides on Saturday, I’ve started spinning with some North County teammates on Tuesdays and Thursdays using a trainer (stationary bike support). I can really tell that my Saturday performance is enhanced by getting in some serious mileage during the week. And now with daylight savings time, we’ll spin one night and ride the hills of San Elijo the other.  

Oh, I do have life outside of training (barely). I’m getting ready for my big trip to Thailand at the end of this month. I couldn’t be more excited. The more I read about the country, the more stoked I am to visit.

Work has also been really challenging lately – juggling a lot of projects, etc. I spent 9 hours in the office on Friday (my scheduled day off) and still am not caught up – sheesh! Whoever said government employees have it easy didn’t know what they were talking about. Thankfully, I love my job and the work that I do, so all is well.

Today I’ll be resting and gearing up for the week. Since I’m so busy during the week, I’ve started cooking all my meals for the week on Sundays. This makes things a lot easier when I’m running around between Monday and Friday. Today I’m making Mexican-inspired vegetable soup and am cooking up a bunch of chicken breast to go along with that. Yum.

Also, many thanks to all who have already generously donated to my fundraising for Team in Training. But I still have a ways to go …. any help you can provide is GREATLY appreciated.  

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sd/ambbr09/jennypeterson

This week was a great ride with my teammates. While we did the same mileage as last weekend (25), I can’t use the adjective “easy” to describe this week’s ride like I did last weeks. We certainly worked our tails off and I learned the importance of pushing myself beyond my limits.

We climbed about 1,000 feet – mostly accomplished by tackling the Torrey Pines grade just outside of Del Mar. My goal on this grade was to finish without stopping … and that I did. I just kept telling myself that I could do it and sure enough, I did! It felt awesome to reach the top.

I thought a lot about Kathy on my ride up …. how she was taken too soon from us, and how God has blessed me with my health and strength to complete a race like this. Although my body was screaming to stop, I kept pressing on in her memory and for the hope of all those who might be helped by the research that LLS is doing. My pain was temporary … and totally worth it!

Here’s a shot of the ascent up Torrey Pines … it’s about 1/4 of the climbing we’ll be doing in Tahoe.

Up, up and away! Torrey Pines grade.

Here are the lessons learned from this week’s training. First, it’s not a great idea to stay out late on Friday nights before a training ride. Second, if you’re going to stay out late, it’s probably not a great idea to over-exert yourself physically.

Needless to say, my decision to go night skiing with some friends on Friday night was not the best idea in the world. Not only did I get to bed very late, but my quads were certainly fatigued Saturday morning.

This is something I certainly won’t repeat anytime soon, especially since our training sessions will continue to ramp up every week.

So, there you have it. All in all, I’m feeling pretty stoked about this race.

Thanks to each of you who have supported me in this endeavour.

Many of you know that I’m training for a 100-mile endurance ride around Lake Tahoe in June as part of Team in Training. I am racing in memory of my cousin, Kathy Ann, who passed away from blood cancer at just 25 years old. I’m also racing in hopes of finding a cure to this terrible disease. The video below tells you more about why I’m inspired by this cause.

Please help me meet my fundraising goal by donating at http://pages.teamintraining.org/sd/ambbr09/jennypeterson

Stay tuned for more fun and follies from my training …. XO, Jen