Week 5 - Baltimore & Annapolis Trail - 25 Miles

Today's bike riding goal was to get at least (if not more than) 25 miles which would be a challenge since today we would have both kids with us, but Dennis and I were up for it and decided to give it a go. 

Last year, Dennis got us lost on the BWI trail and we ended up on another trail and we always wanted to rediscover that mystery trail, which happened to be the Baltimore and Annapolis trail, 13 miles up and 13 miles back.  Perfect for what we were looking for in today's ride.  

So we loaded up our kids and bikes and off we went!  This trail was amazing!  The first 13 miles were cake.  Slight downhill slant, paved, and lots of shade.  The only issue was that I knew the way BACK was going to be the harder part. An hour later, and at the end on the trail we took a pit stop. 

At the end (or beginning) of this trail there was this neat thing where they put a statue of the sun:

And as we biked back, there were markers for all the planets placed by relation of the sun.  It was a cool little nerdy thing to help pass the miles on the grueling way back.  Yup, I was right, the way back was much slower and harder than the way up and if I were to do this trail again, I would reverse our trip to prevent the burn out I was experiencing.  

The other nice thing about the trail, there was a spot with rear facing food places for bikers to stop and enjoy a refreshment.  On our returning trip we stopped and got some amazing Sorbet to cool us off.  

The return trip took us about 2 hours 20 minutes which was only 20 minutes MORE than the 25 mile bike ride we did last week without the kids.  (I know it says 13 miles and 13 miles, but it was more like 12.5 and 12.5).  

This was one of my favorite trails and I eventually hope to do this trail and then connect it to the BWI trail (which we've rode before) for a lengthy 36 mile bike ride.  I'm not sure my legs are up for that, just yet!!

Week 5 - WODs - 0500

I was completely thrown off this week with my schedule because of the holiday this past Monday.  It extending my weekend, but shortened my week.  

Monday Dennis and I biked, which meant I didn't WOD and I was starting my week on a Tuesday.  Not complaining, but just meant some extra thought into this week's schedule. On top of that, Dennis had a meeting for work that disrupted our normal schedule forcing me to WOD at 5am! Something I've never done before.  

Long story short, I woke up, I showed up, and I WODed!

Coach Adam is usually there at 5am on Tuesday and Thursday for his lifting, so I made sure it was ok with him that I came in and he said no problem!  This also helped him, as normally he lifts at 5am and blows off the WOD, but with me being there, he did the WOD with me and was super pumped about it!

I was happy with myself for not just skipping the work out day all together just because of a schedule change, and with that I got 3 WODs in for the week. 

The OTHER high light was I got another RX next to my name on Wednesday.  Kettlebell Swings at 53lbs and Burpees.  I was a bit apprehensive about the KB Swings, but I got through it, and as usual didn't regret my choice of weight.  

I'm starting to feel as if I'm getting close to where I left off before my pregnancy hiatus, and with that said, my next challenge is to continue on this routine when I start back my full time job.  
  

TUESDAY:

WOD: AMRAP 10 Minutes

25 Abmat Sit Ups

10 HSPU - 2 Mats

5 Deadlifts (155) @ 125

Score: 4 Rounds

WEDNESDAY:

EMOM 6 Minutes 2 Full Snatches @ 55lbs

WOD: AMRAP 7 Minutes

10 Kettlebell Swings @ 53lbs

10 Burpees

Score 4+16 RX

THURSDAY:

WOD: For Time

5 Rounds

10 Power Cleans @ 75% Body Weight - 85lbs - 55%

15 Burpee Box Jumps @ 20"

Score: 18:55

Week 4 - Memorial Day Weekend

Traditionally in CrossFit Memorial Day weekend is the time in which every box does the infamous Hero Wod "Murph."  I have not completed MURPH (Click to Read about it) since May of 2012, scoring a completion time of 97 minutes.  

This year, I was again avoiding it.  But I had my reasons!  My mom, aunt, and cousin were coming down for a visit which meant that Dennis and I would have babysitters for the majority of the weekend.  Since we NEVER get to do bike rides without the kids, we took advantage without question.  

After somebody overslept and us going on a quest to get me a sesame bagel with chive and onion cream cheese (toasted) we were finally at the trail head of a bike path I've been wanted to go on for a while now, "Peach Tree."  

This 25 mile loop started and ended right off a spot of the Potamac River on the Maryland side.  The ride started out on a main road and up a hill but as I've come to learn, no hill that I've climbed wasn't worth the view at the top.  This bike ride was gorgeous and the weather was perfect, but flirting with it being a little too hot.  We did run into some wind on the back 10 miles, but nothing that made the ride miserable.   

Most of the ride was through country / farm land and it was very enjoyable.  There was an interesting section of the route that took us from country to residential development back to country, and of course at about mile 14, we got to the peaches!

Millions of Peaches, Peaches for Me. 

Even though we weren't trailing any children this time, our bike speed started off quite slow, but after the peaches, our pace picked up quite a bit and ended the 25 miles in 2 hours exactly.  Zero chance we would have made that time towing the kids.  

I was happy to feel that my ass and legs didn't hurt NEARLY as bad as they did on the previous bike ride.  Thank Goodness!  Dennis and I really enjoyed the ride and we were happy we got to do a ride just the two of us.  There were several sections that were on main roads, lots of hills, and sections of the path that were extremely bumpy.  Nothing you'd want to be towing a child on.  

Miles to Date:  77

Miles this Week: 25

WODs this Week: 4

Eating Grade: B