115km, a peanut butter sandwich and opinionated people

(Well actually I ended up eating more than that... a snickers bar and a protein bar too.)

So I was out riding, pretty early, it started out overcast, but you could feel the sun poking through the clouds. I was overdressed, but I'd always rather be hot than cold. Anyways, the legs didn't feel peppy, they had no juice, there was no fast turn over and no power to get up hills quickly. But I was excited to get out there and spend some hours solo on my bike.

I prefer riding on my own. It's a very intimate time for me and my mind, I enjoy allowing my thoughts to take me to the places I never go throughout the week, the places that may be a bit hidden, the places that I sometimes don't even know exist, until I stumble onto them from peeling back the layers of the onion.

Interesting side thought: What is the difference between "me and my mind"? Is this the question all religious/spiritual people try more fully to comprehend...? Where would God fit there?

Anyways, back to my ride... I was thinking about something someone had once told me: "Susanne, you have a whole life of experiences, why don't claim them?" At the time, I totally wasn't listening to what that really mean. But, now, as I was taking my second lap of Stanley Park, I was beginning to wonder: what did she mean exactly? I stopped and had my first half of the peanut butter sandwich ... yum!

So I started thinking about the people who were sure of what they thought and not afraid to tell anyone. The people who dole out the advice, the people who always have an answer, the people who will tell you quite vividly what they think on any topic, what they think about the latest trend, how best to shop for fruit and how exactly you should peel a potato.

I always feel two ways about these types. Part of me greatly admires them, because I wish I could be sure of everything, and part of me can't stand them.

You see, I grew up in a very opinionated family. I am the youngest of four kids, and along with my parents, everyone in my house, except for me, was loud. I have read, that the youngest of a family with many members, will tend to be more of an observer. As I grew up, I was always either too small or too young to be part of the 'big kids things' - so I tended to be more of a tag along, desperately trying to keep up with cooler older siblings. I did a lot of listening and I did a lot of watching. I heard many opinions about many things, and I heard many sides to the same story. So I got to understand that there was never one way to slice things - that there are many ways, and usually each way has its own merits.

After a couple loops of Stanley Park, I was through with thinking of my family and how it all began, I was on my way to Horseshoe Bay and I was onto thinking more about me... what a surprise!

So I was an observer of life, I preferred to take it in, rather than dole it out (except when I blog about it all later on...!). And so I began to think about the people I truly admired. Well they weren't the people who told you their life story shortly after "Nice to meet you, my name is Susanne..." I often find that the people who have the most to say, are the ones you need to "take with a grain of salt". (Wherever did that expression come from?)

Now this lady who told me I should "claim my life experience", was she saying that I need to be more assertive? Is that really needed? I knew she was speaking to my sometimes quiet nature and fear of saying anything at the risk of sounding stupid. That's not to say that I'm shy, nor does it mean that I have nothing to say. But I do find it hard to talk about myself, I'd rather ask a lot of questions to find out what others think. My mom called this "false humility", I am not so sure, though she may be right (just one more thing I am not so sure of... and one more example of opinionated person!)

I stopped to pick up some more gatorade (I was sweating myself silly, as the sun was out in full effect) and a snickers bar and a cliff protein bar. I jammed my snickers-snack into my mouth, rode to HSbay and set my sights on Cypress.

Yes, my mom, has opinions. I often think I moved to the other side of the country to get away from them! Something she admits herself. I spoke at my grandma's funeral about the juxtaposition of these two ladies in my life. You see, my grandma epitomized the strong silent type. I said: "From the one I learned to speak out, from the other I learned to be silent."

And I think that is the point. As I rolled slowly to the top of Cypress mountain, very slowly indeed, after I downed the last of my gatorade, the other half of my sandwich and the last bar, I said: "Well, there has to be a happy medium."

On the way back home, I realized I really like it when people ask my opinion, but I also like it that they have to ask (it's a pretty rare occasion!). Because I value best the opinions of people from whom I have to ask to get it.

It was over 100k, and I was actually starting to feel strong in my legs, and I powered my way home on the last leg. And of course my mind began to wander still.... maybe this is more of control thing? Maybe I just don't like being told something, I'd rather ask for it when I feel like hearing it.

Well that's food for another a ride.

You're Crazy

Just because we were talking about it recently... I love Will Ferrell. "You're crazy."

I never got the allusion to The Graduate when he falls in the pool to "Hello Darkness, my old friend...", just genius.

Things I love about Triathlon

1. I love to have a reason to not worry too much about what I eat

2. I love to have a reason to worry a little about what I eat

3. Competition, I love to compete! I'll even get competitive for participation ribbons!

4. After a weekend race, or even just some big, awesome, epic ride, I like the feeling of accomplishment ... if all the weekend had to offer was trips to Ikea and the box-malls, or drinks at the bar (attached with a hangover), I'd be feeling a little blah.

5. I love setting and achieving goals - having something to work toward

6. I love the traveling to races, whether it's plane ride away or in your own backyard, it's so refreshing to get away for the weekend.

7. I love the people. Now admittedly, I do like to have a bit of a laugh over the Type A's that are drawn to triathlon. But as much as I like to poke fun of the obsessing over minutia, and living the "lifestyle" with all the right gear, I am the pot doing some big time calling...

8. Racing … crushing other guys on bikes … This might actually be number one. I love the guys who speed up when I come by them, because they see I'm girl.

9. Number 9 is the opposite of what I said in number 3 ... BUT it's also just about the training (or maybe that should read "fitness", since maybe I'm not really "training" for anything) it's maybe not so much all about the racing... with all the injuries, I have had to just enjoy the staying fit, and if I race great, but if I don't, I am actually just enjoying "the ride".

10. This may not be a reason but... I had a discussion the other day about fitness being like an addiction. And I had to agree, but it didn't make me feel badly about it. The definition of an addiction is that you center your life around that one thing, to the point that it may disrupt other things. For my part, if I have to give up my run, or swim or something in order to attend/do something else, I can be pretty cranky. I liken it to an addict having to forgo their fix for some other activity. But because you generally surround yourself with like-minded people, nobody thinks it weird to have to "squeeze" in a quick run before breakfast or dinner etc. When I see my family they understand that if they want me to be in a good mood and happy to hang out, they better allow me that hour or so to get in a workout. It just means being organized and planning out your time. Heck, a friend of mine, is a new mom, she is completing her masters in eduction and she is back working full time, and she still manages to get in her much needed exercise - amazing! I hope I could be more like her.

So is UFC coming to Vancouver or what?!

Top Five Reasons UFC should come to Vancouver

1. I want to get Roy Nelson to sign my “Country Club Membership”
2. I love Chuck Liddell, he'll thrash Tito Ortiz
3. David Suzuki vs. Brock Lesnar
4. You couldn’t have a more real, raw form of competition
5. I’m hoping to lend Joe Rogan an even tighter shirt

Driving with Colin... Best and Worst

Top five best reasons to go on a road trip with Colin

1. He drives most of the way
2. He likes to pack up and unpack the van … Great!
3. His reaction when I fart
4. Setting up coze-palace in the back, with a mountain of blankets and pillows blogging, pretending to be doing “school work”
5. The new sound system… we can listen to something other than AM radio now!


Top five worst reasons to go on a road trip with Colin

1. If he gets tired he holds his breath to stay awake
2. He cringes every time I touch the Ipod
3. He tries to get me to pee in bottle
4. Very few stops
5. I’m sure he thinks I can’t drive…