I missed out on July Runfessions because I was at Yellowstone, so I’ve got lots to runfess this month. It always feels good to bare my soles and take a deep cleansing breath before moving on to a new month. You can partake by linking up at Marcia’s Healthy Slice.
After years of looking out my office window watching people stand-up paddleboarding and wishing there was a cleaner body of water nearby where I could give it a try, I finally got up the courage to SUP in the Potomac River.
My SUP adventure started with the same friend who got me to try Splash Cycle last week. Aren’t friends like that great?
This week I finally tried Splash Cycle–the latest fitness craze to hit a swimming pool near you. Have you heard of it? It’s like indoor cycling, but it’s outdoors, under water!
Splash Cycle is offered at two locations near me–a hotel in D.C. with a rooftop pool and an apartment building in Crystal City (Arlington, Virginia) with a ground-level pool. We agreed on a 7 pm class at the Crystal City location.
After stalking the website for information, I decided to wear a bathing suit top and spandex shorts. (If I go again, I’d just wear a bathing suit.) Swimming shoes are required, but they provide them for no charge if you don’t have any. I brought a towel and a change of clothes for afterwards, and a water bottle I didn’t end up using.
“Come on in, the water’s nice!”
It was a warm evening, but the humidity wasn’t too oppressive. Of course, it’s always nicer by the pool. 🙂
Our instructor gave us an overview of the bikes and explained the three basic positions we would be using–seated, standing up straight, and standing leaning forward. She also explained that we would do arm exercises under the water, and that we could create more or less resistance by making our hands into fins or fists or spreading our fingers wide.
I’m linking up with Holly and Wendy for the Weekly Wrap, so here’s a run down of the rest of my week.
Monday: Orange Theory Fitness
I hadn’t been to OTF in a month, and wasn’t sure about buying another pack of classes. I certainly hadn’t missed that 4:15 am alarm! But, the class was awesome and reminded me why I love it so much, so I went all-in and bought a 30-pack. It’s odd to think that if I go once a week it will last me into March.
Tuesday: CycleBar
Wednseday: 3.5 Scooby Miles + Splash Cycle
I was feeling sore and stiff Wednesday morning, so I opted for a shorter run so I would have time to stretch and foam roll afterwards–and I even did it!
It’s totally dark before 6 am now.
Thursday: Strength Workout
Friday: CPY2 at Core Power Yoga
Saturday: Conte’s Hill Ride (22 miles)
I wanted to get in one more hill ride before the Reston Metric Century next weekend. There’s a new course this year, but I’m pretty sure it still includes the biggest hills. This time my bike didn’t make an annoying noise (yay!), but the lowest gears felt “off” so I asked the Contes mechanic to check it out. He found a few adjustments to make, so I hope it’s all set now!
We had a big group, but my friend got this solo shot of me
during the 30 seconds I was in the lead. 😉
Sunday: 4.6 Scooby Miles
I didn’t have a lot of time for a run before church, but since Scooby got me up at 5:15 we did have time for our usual loop.
Only one death-defying squirrel sprint!
Have you heard of Splash Cycle?
What’s the craziest fitness activity you’ve tried?
It’s hard to believe it’s been seven years since I first started cycling with my husband. He likes to tinker with bikes, and is always asking if I want to try a different seat, electronic shifters, or some other part I didn’t know existed. A few weeks ago I finally decided I was ready to invest in a new bike.
Isn’t she pretty!
The weekend before our vacation, we didn’t want to wear ourselves out with the Conte’s hill ride, so we opted for the somewhat easier group ride hosted by a different Conte’s store in Alexandria that’s much closer to home.
Like our matching Farm to Fork Fondo kits?
After the ride, I told Brian (the ride leader and store manager) about the numbness I’ve been getting in my fingers. I thought I needed different gloves, but he thought it was more likely due to poor bike fit.
Back when I bought my first bike, all I knew about bike fitting was that I wanted to be able to straddle my bike with my feet on the ground–not a given at my 5’1″ height. Brian put me and my bike on the trainer in their bike fitting area, took measurements of me and my bike, and thought I would do better with a smaller frame and narrower handlebars.
As luck would have it, they were having a sale on a bike Brian thought would be a great fit and my husband thought would have all the bells and whistles I could ever want–including a carbon frame, hydraulic disc brakes and 21 gears. Brian even agreed to install slightly narrower handle bars for me.
As luck would have it, he thought he would be able to get it ordered and set up by the time we got back from vacation.
As luck would have it, my bike was ready when we got back from vacation. Brian put me and my new bike on the trainer in their fitting area, and adjusted the seat and handlebars using a tape measurer to make sure everything was aligned properly. I took it out for a 10 mile test ride, and loved how smoothly I could change gears and brake.
Last weekend I took it on the Conte’s hill ride hosted by the Falls Church Conte’s store, and that’s when my luck started to run out. My bike made a clacking noise that no one could figure out–even their bike mechanic. I thought it was coming from the front wheel. My husband thought it was coming from the drive train. It was so bad it gave me a headache. I was really sad that my new bike was sounding like an old jalopy.
We decided to take it back to Brian so it would be closer to home if he needed time to figure it out. That’s when my luck ran out. Let’s just say that a rooftop bike rack and low-overhead clearance driveway do not go well together. Instead of wheeling my bike in to Brian with a mystery noise, I wheeled my bike in to Brian with a mystery noise and crunched shifters leaking brake fluid. 🙁
Luckily, Brian knew right away what the mystery noise was (a problem with the wheel bearings in the front wheel). Luckily, Brian had the same wheel (also new) he could swap in for me. Luckily, another Conte’s store had a set of the same Shimano shifters my bike came with. Luckily, Bob, their bike mechanic, was able to replace everything before the weekend rolled around again.
Fun coincidence–we met Justin (in the striped gray shirt)
at the Farm To Fork Fondo–Pennsylvania Dutch!
For my first ride with my newly rebuilt new bike, I wanted to do the Conte’s Alexandria ride with Brian in case there were any issues. Luckily, the 22 mile ride was blissfully quiet and otherwise uneventful.
With all that behind me, I am ready to enjoy my new bike. I can tell that the fit is much better, and it shifts gears smoothly and easily–important for those hills. I hope to put it to the test at the Reston Metric Century coming up in a few weeks.
I’m linking up with Rachel at Running on Happy and Lacey and Miranda at Fairytales and Fitness for the Friday Five.
Have you had a run of good luck lately?
Our first epic national park vacation was to the south rim of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. On our trip to Yellowstone, that Grand Canyon was referred to as “the Grand Canyon of the Colorado” because the Colorado River formed it and runs through it. Yellowstone has its own Grand Canyon–the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
