I’m going to make a generalization and say that cyclists have one thing in common: we are completely OCD. The obsession can be something minor like shaving off a few seconds of time or shredding some ounces of bike weight. We all have the same goal: we want to be stronger, faster and leaner.

Fortunately, there are several free tools out there that help enable these obsessions to thrive. Here’s a few I recommend:

Get Stronger:

If you want to get stronger on the bike, then you’re going to have to work harder. Often, this means changing up your route and adding hills to get more climbing in. Or, you might want to add some flats so that you can get a long sprint in. RidewithGPS.com is a site that lets you map your route using Google maps, and it gives you elevation gain as well. So if you want to cram 5K of climbing in 50 miles (ouch!) this site will show you the way.

After creating a free account, you can plan a route, save it, and share the link with your friends. Other people that want to see the route will not need to be logged in – a nice feature. You can also upload it to your GPS device for turn-by-turn directions.

Website: ridewithgps.com

Get Faster:

Nothing makes you bike faster than having some competition. Strava is free tool that lets you upload your stats from your GPS to display the route (Google maps), mileage, elevation gain, and calories burned. Strava also has an iPhone app, so if you forget your GPS, you can just use the app instead.

The reporting features in Strava are phenomenal. You can view your time and mileage daily, monthly and yearly. You can also add your bikes and equipment weight, and it uses that as part of its calorie counting algorithm.

The best part about Strava is that it aggregates data from all of its users and automatically ranks you by speed – even if you are not connected or friends with the other users. This means, you are constantly in competition with the entire Strava user base. You also have the option to “follow” other users as well, giving you the ability to constantly one-up your friends. OH, maybe that’s why friends have all blocked me?

Website: strava.com

Get Lean:

There’s a very simple formula to trimming down: Your calories consumed must be less than your calories burned. Lose It! is a great calorie counting app that lets you set a goal weight and tracks your progress as you log activities and everything you eat. It comes pre-populated with most store brand foods and common restaurants, and also lets you easily add your own foods.

The great thing about Lose It! is that you will gain some serious insight into high-caloric foods. I had NO idea how dangerous chocolate chip cookies can really be. That being said, Lose It! works as a motivator. You essentially have to earn your extra calories by working out.

There’s nothing unhealthy with riding 100 miles just so you can eat chocolate cake for dinner. Or is there?

Website: loseit.com

Rest Stop Goods

Located about 30 miles north of Santa Barbara, Solvang is a quaint town known for its Danish architecture, historic downtown, and wineries. For 30 years, SCOR (a non-profit recreational bicycling club that benefits heart disease) has hosted one of the most beautiful centuries in Southern California.

This was my second year riding in the Solvang century, and well, the day started off COLD. After a wonderful night of sleep in the Motel 6 in Buellton (what can I say, we’re classy), the alarm went off at 5:30am. I threw on spandex shorts, a short sleeve jersey, long finger gloves and a light jacket. After downing a large gas station coffee and muffin (breakfast of champions), it was GO time!

Alan, Luke, me and Liz

Riding 100 miles in one day is an emotional experience. Sometimes, it can harder mentally than is it physically, and the endorphins running wild don’t help!

The Day:

Mile 0: WOW, this is cold! Why didn’t I pack my base layer? Didn’t I learn my lesson last year when I didn’t dress warmly enough?

Solvang Century Restop

Mile .5 (thankfully my friend Liz demanded caffeine to avoid an afternoon headache): Time to DEFROST!

Just the open road

Mile .6 (and 30 minutes later): I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…

Mile 17 (finally defrosted, just passed a really cute horse): I LOVE biking so much, I could do this forever.

Mile 45: I wonder how many cookies I’ve eaten at the rest stops?

Mile 53: Thank you Taylor Swift for singing me through this!

Mile 60: I LOVE BIKING SO MUCH…

Vineyard

Mile 75:  Biking is the stupidest thing ever. Why do I do this? I’m never riding my bike again.

Mile 85: 15 miles left. I love biking. I’m going to HAUL ASS and ride like there’s no tomorrow. Wait, just two more cookies for the road. Wall, WHAT WALL???

Mile 90: Wiiiiiiind!

Mile 97: Why is this taking so long?

My dreamy husband

Mile 99: VICTORY!!!! I LOOOOOOOOVE BIKING!

Shout Outs!

As always, I need to thank the following:

Solvang Century Staff: The event was run flawlessly, from the volunteers at check in to the staff throughout the event. Sag vehicles were cruising the route the entire day, and everyone at the rest stops were happy and helpful.

Solvang Police: Nothing is better than having traffic stopped so hundreds of bikers can plow through an intersection. Thanks to the Solvang police for keeping the route safe!

Solvang Bakery – those were the BEST chocolate chip cookies ever! Thank you!

My Two Cents:

I will definitely do the ride again, but will do the following items differently:

1. Dress appropriately: It sounds obvious, I know. But the weather called for mid 70′s and it only got into the 60′s that day and it was about 40 degrees in the morning.
2. Start early: Due to our coffee shop rendezvous, our early start got derailed. That meant for the most of the day, we were riding in a large group of people. If you’d like to avoid the masses, start early.
3. Supplement your snacks: The rest stops were PACKED will all kinds of snacks, cookies and fruit. However, there was not any gu’s or powdered drinks, so if you like to load up on electrolytes – bring your own.

The Route:

For those that are interested in the 100 mile route, here it is:

Y’all may remember that last year I donated my Giant TCR to a new LIVESTRONG participant. If you don’t remember, or you’re new here – this is the quick rundown:

Last year, I worked out sponsorship deals with several bike companies (Lynskey, Excel Sports, i9, Win’s Wheels, etc) to build a new bike so that I could successfully accomplish my mile-per-dollar promise. I was very fortunate to get support from such large companies, so in return, I wanted to donate my current bike to a new LIVESTRONG participant. My goal was to get another rider on the road to experience a LIVESTRONG Challenge event.

Chris and me at the pre-ride dinner

Well, giving away a bike for free is a lot harder than I expected. Several people wanted the bike, but few were willing to commit to fundraising. In a desperate attempt, I posted an ad on Craigslist and my Giant TCR finally met its new captain. Chris responded to my ad, and while he lives in Northern California, he had a trip planned down to LA the same week he read my ad. He was not an experienced rider, nor had any previous involvement with LIVESTRONG, but like so many – his family had been extremely affected by cancer.

I met Chris in a Starbucks parking lot for the trade (1 hug = 1 bike), and we kept in touch by email until the big event. I was invited to the LIVESTRONG dinner and asked him if he wanted to be my plus 1. The next day, I met Chris before the ride, and after he finished his 45 miles, he waited for me at the finish line when I rolled in at mile 100.

Chris raised $520 in just 3 weeks and went from not riding a bike to riding 45 miles with ease! After the ride, he sent this out to all of his donors:

I feel so honored that you all have utilized my opportunity as a way to honor and memorialize loved ones that have been plagued with cancer. Its been such an amazing experience.  The 45 mi ride was amazing. I finished in 3 hrs. I met a ton of great people and am now officially hooked on road biking, such a blast. I will keep you posted on any future endeavors and if I have inspired you to create change, please let me know how I may support your cause. I definitely plan on riding the challenge again next year, word is it will return to Davis as Lance mentioned how much he loves the town. Come out and join us, we’re building a team for next year. Take care everyone and LIVESTRONG.

Well, Chris definitely experienced the LIVESTRONG effect and he’s back at it this year and is going BIG. I heard from his earlier in the month by email and here’s what he said:

Myself and a few co-workers are putting together a team for this year’s Challenge. I have reached out to all of our Nor Cal offices to develop a team. My office manager is buying jerseys and matching some of our donations. We’ll have sponsors contributing and plan to do local business and interoffice fundraising events. We hope to have 20-30 riders. Maybe more, hard to tell right now as we just started reaching out.

Chris already has a team page up here - so please check it out! If you’ve never experienced a LIVESTRONG event, I simply cannot emphasize it enough. There is no greater feeling than being among thousands of people that have been affected by cancer who all share the same goals. You will leave pumped up and ready to fight harder, raise more money and awareness, and share with everyone about LIVESTRONG’s programs and initiatives. And that my friends, is the LIVESTRONG effect.

If you want more information on LIVESTRONG events, please check out their site here!

Look, I don’t want to be a buzz kill here…but smoking kills. In fact, in California alone, smoking is the leading cause of cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory ailments. The good news is: our smog problem is not the cause of these issues, and well, smoking is a choice. Want to live? Don’t smoke. Want to live a slow and painful death? Inhale the cancer sticks to expedite your departure.

OOPS, I said it. I’m officially a buzz kill.

Like most things in our culture, smoking is an addiction. And if it wasn’t cigarettes, it would surely be something else. I find that we (Americans) are constantly on the prowel for that next fix, the next release, the next any-distraction-that-means-I’m-not present. For some, smoking does that.

The question is, if cigarettes cost a buck more, would they feel less addicting?

The California Cancer Research Act (CCRA) is proposing a $1 per-pack tax on cigarettes (Proposition 29) which will generate over $855 million each year towards cancer research, prevention and research programs for cancers, heart disease, and other tobacco-related illnesses.

What’s that mean for you?

Well, it means if you’re a California resident and are a smoker, the average cost of cigarettes will go up to about $6.50 per pack. If you’re a registered voter in California, you’ll have the chance to make a change on June 5, 2012 when Proposition 29 appears on the ballot. (Voting YES is in favor of the $1/pack increase)

Where’s the buck going?

Here’s a quick breakdown on how the money will be spent:

• 60% on research into cancers and tobacco-related diseases
• 15% on facilities and equipment to support research
• 20% on tobacco education and cessation to help smokers quit and protect our kids from smoking
• 3% on helping police stop tobacco smuggling & enforce tobacco laws
• <2% on administration

How is LIVESTRONG involved?

Today LIVESTRONG donated 1.5 MILLIONS DOLLARS to this proposition.  LIVESTRONG has been supporting Prop 29 since it’s inception, but today they made their biggest donation yet. Between contributions from LIVESTRONG, ACS CAN,  the California Division of the American Cancer Society, and the American Lung Association in California, the California Cancer Research Act has raised over 4 million dollars.

Thanks to LIVESTRONG for helping California!

Want to quit?

Of all things, we know Lance is NOT a quitter. But when it comes to  quitting smoking, LIVESTRONG has an app for that! If you want to learn more, hop over to LIVESTRONG.com to view all of their resources dedicated to nicotine addiction and quitting.

Roses are Red,
Violets are Blue,
Make a Donation
and I will too!

Valentine’s Day is a day for chocolate, candy, more chocolate…and well, love. Since this is the fourth LIVESTRONG Challenge event that I’ll be participating in, I’m going to donate $4 for every donation that I receive that is $20 or more.

But Valentine’s Day is different. Today, I’ll be giving from the heart and I’m asking that you do the same. I will personally donate $14 for every donation I receive on Valentine’s Day (February 14th) that is $20 or more.

Make a Difference Today!

Did you know that LIVESTRONG has a toll-free phone number (1.855.220.7777) that you can call to talk to about a cancer diagnosis? It can be for you, a friend, or a loved one. LIVESTRONG offers FREE and confidential one-on-one support and can help with the following:

• Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Concerns
• Counseling and Local Resources
• Fertility Preservation Information and Assistance
• Financial, Insurance and Job Concerns

Jason Ranoa - Prerace meeting

After taking two years off of the 12 Hours of Temecula race series, I was happy to return to the first race of the 2012 series on January 21. The event is put on by Socal Endurance, which is a family run business located in Southern California. Spearheaded by Jason Ranoa, the best thing about the event is the sense of community that he and his wife Heather bring. Prior to the race, he held a rider meaning where he covered three really important things:

1. Fun: Sure, this was a competitive event, but at the end of the day, Jason wanted to make sure everyone had a good time.
2. Trail etiquette: Jason asked everyone to have manners on the trail, to no pass where it was unsafe, and to holler out when you wanted to pass someone
3. Safety: Jason puts safely first and asked if you see someone that needs help, to stop and help them. He would even compensate for your lap time, but of course, this was only for real life-threatening situations.

The Objective:

Ride 29 & Single

The 12 Hours of Temecula event is an endurance race and the objective is to go around a course as many times as possible in the allotted amount of time. Of course, the real objective is to do this faster than anyone else in your class. Throughout the year, there are three events, and the champion for each class is announced at the the end of the year. (Note: a 6 hour option is also available).

The Course:

The races are held at Vail Lake and each time the course varies slightly. This course was really fun;  it was about 9 miles long that had 800 feet of climbing per lap. To me, the climbing feet moderate and the payoff was well worth it. The climbing was pretty much front-loaded in the course, and the hardest part was probably the switchback section which was followed by two grueling fireroad climbs. But, once you made it to the top of the fire road, the swoopy downhill was epic. Jason and his team did a great job making sure the trail was in great shape, and a lot of fun!

The Weather:

The forecast called for rain, so I phoned few prayers for good weather and safety. The morning started off with a consistent drizzle, but by early morning, it had mostly cleared up. The good news was, despite the drizzle, it wasn’t too cold out, so I was fairly comfortable regardless. I brought a light windbreaker that I just took on and off throughout the day.

My Strategy:

Luke and Jen Stretch

This was first year that I raced that actually had a women’s singlespeed class – however, I was the ONLY women in the entire event on a singlespeed. No 6 hour racers, no team races, just little ‘ol me and my one gear. This meant, essentially, I only needed to ride one lap to win my class. But, I pushed myself slightly further and hammered out 5 laps and then called it a day.

Since the 6 hour race was introduced into this series last year, it felt like the overall vibe was different. For the solo riders, there were 110 that participated in the 6 hour race and only 46 that participated in the 12 hour race. So, at that 6 hour mark, the course was noticeably less crowded (which isn’t necessary a bad thing). The difference is, when people are only riding for 6 hours, they hammer, hammer, hammer and then are finished. But for the people that are in it from sunrise until sunset have to hammer, rest, hammer, rest, chug a coke, eat a cookie, hammer, hammer, cookie, hammer, etc. It felt challenging to me to have two different mentalities on the course.

FUEL!!!

I will admit, I was feeling slightly bummed that I didn’t have any competition in the race, which I let get the best of me and my performance. Before the next race, I’m going to try to figure out if any other women are crazy enough to go without gears, and there aren’t any, then I might just register with in the women’s geared class.

The Next Race:

The second race of the series is on June 9th, at Vail Lake resort in Temecula, CA. If you’re on the fence about registering, I simply cannot recommend it enough! This is literally one of the best endurance races in Southern California – so give it a shot and at least challenge yourself with the 6 hour race. Registration is already up on active.com.

If you’re friends with my husband in real life or on Facebook, then you were probably relieved in December when he finally stopped posting and emailing close-up images of his nostrils. Luke participated in Movember, a month dedicated to growing a ridiculous mustache while raising awareness and funds for prostate cancer. Movember is partnered with the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG. The PCF invests in the most promising prostate cancer research programs and the Lance Armstrong Foundation is dedicated to suvivorship by creating programs and initiatives for cancer patients – both worthy causes of letting your facial hair go crazy!

If you were kind enough to donate to Luke’s stache – thank you!  And just in case you’re going through some stache withdrawls, check out how the Movember Effect took over the Lance Armstrong Headquarters:

Today marks the 15 year anniversary for LIVESTRONG – the movement dedicated to helping those affected by cancer.

Founded by Lance Armstrong in 1997, LIVESTRONG was born out of Lance’s obligation to the cure and to help provide hope to those living with cancer. Since then, LIVESTRONG has mobilized more than 85 million people, empowers over 165 communities and has taken the message across the entire globe.

By supporting people mentally, emotionally and socially, LIVESTRONG  has defined “survivorship” by turning cancer patients into warriors.

LIVESTRONG has raised over $450 million for:awareness, education, research, access to cause, policy, advocacy, programs and partnerships, outreach, navigation, hope & inspiration.

Please take four minutes to see how LIVESTRONG went from one man’s vision to a global movement:

I know right now everyone is inundated with the holiday spirit, massive to-do lists, and New Year’s resolutions – so I’ll make this quick.  I just registered for the 2012 LIVESTRONG Challenge and like the past 3 years, I’ll be biking and fundraising for the Lance Armstrong foundation. I’m asking for your charitable donation before 2012 even starts and here’s why:

1. TAX DEDUCTION: The Lance Armstrong Foundation is a 501(c)(3) which means this is a tax-deducible contribution. Make your charitable donation NOW for 2011 and make the tax man happy!

2. AVOID MY HARASSMENT: You’ve seen it for the past 3 years. I’m relentless. I set a goal and won’t stop until I reach it. Donate NOW and free yourself from my 2012 harassment list!

3. TIS THE SEASON: Well, it is the season for giving, isn’t it? If you’re doing some last minute shopping, make a donation in honor of someone as a gift. It’ll be far more meaningful than a shaving kit or a bag of coffee. HMMMM…coffee…

4. START THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT: What better way to start the New Year knowing that you’ve done a good deed. Your donation will go directly the Lance Armstrong foundation, where 81 cents of every dollar goes to cancer programs and awareness initiatives.

5. MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY: Cancer sucks. It’s the leading cause of death in the world. I believe with the proper research and funding, we can live in world without cancer. Don’t you?

With just a day left in Movember, Luke has exceeded his goal and is close to raising $1000 for prostate cancer awareness, research, educational and support programs through the Movember Foundation, the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG.

In case you weren’t on Luke’s distribution list, here’s an email he just blasted out: