My 100-Mile Journey Turned into a 110-Mile Success

The Journey: for 7 days I cycled each day to reach 100 miles as a birthday week challenge for me to achieve (photo by LivligaHome).

My seven days are up. I took on a challenge a week ago to cover 100 miles on my bike. I had never done anything like this before.  The most I had ever cycled in a day on a bike was 25 miles and that was a one-time deal. I did participate in The Buffalo Classic fundraiser bike ride once, cycling their shortest route. All this is to say traveling 100 miles in a week was an extraordinary journey for me to take on. To read the entire article click here...

Re-posted from Sheila's Blog on TheEpochTimes.com.

 

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100-Mile Journey-- Day 7-- A Great Day to Celebrate!

 

100-Mile Journey Achieved! (photo by LivligaHome).

Day 7 of My 100-Mile Journey had me giddy with anticipation. With only 4 miles to go I knew I would make my goal but I still didn't know how many miles total I would achieve. Now I do. Drum roll please...today we covered 13.5 miles. In seven days, for our 100-Mile Journey,  we have covered 109.5 miles. Nearly 110 miles in one week! Woohoo!

How I feel: I feel great. There is a big smile on my face. I did it! In celebration and gratitude I am fixing my husband linguine with clam sauce tonight. Wine will be served. There is nothing like a sense of accomplishment and taking a moment to celebrate it.

What I saw on the seventh day of our ride: There are lots of bridges in our town. Many traverse the ditches we ride along side. They come in all shapes, widths, lengths and designs. Some go straight across their expanse, fewer have an arc. People fish off them. Dogs sometimes pee off them. Birds often land on their rails. Mainly people walk across them or cycle from one side to the other. Bridges solve an important problem. Without them our lives would not be as easy...or lovely. Yep, it is a good thing we have multiple bridges in our lives...allowing us to pass from one side to another. My journey has been one such bridge. 

What I have learned: Take time to celebrate and acknowledge your accomplishment. Tonight we will have a celebratory dinner. Next I plan on a luxurious massage. Great ways to reinforce it was not only possible but well worth the hard work and perseverance. This will be a time I will long remember.

What I will do:  I look forward to writing our check to Action for Healthy Kids. It is a donation I am very proud of, to say the least. It is sent with a new found joy. I know it will be appreciated and well used. The perfect birthday gift to myself!

100-Mile Journey Day 7 Mileage Snap Shot--Blasted Through the 100 Mile Goal!

It is indeed a great day to celebrate! Live Vibrant!

#100MileJourney
#Cycling
#Gratitude
#MyHusbandRocks
#HealthyLiving
#FeelingGood
#Celebrate
#PayItForward
#ActionForHealthyKids
#Livliga
#LiveVibrant

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100-Mile Journey-- Day 6-- Unplugged

100-Mile Journey-- Day 6-- Unplugged (photo by LivligaHome).

Day 6 of My 100-Mile Journey was a day I focused on being unplugged. I realized as I was wheeling along that these six days were the first where I had started the day without electronics plugged into my head. When I work out at the YMCA every morning during the week I always have music or news on and my headphones in. It is very quiet without them. The total miles we covered today were 13.3. In six days we have covered 96 miles. Only 4 more miles to go before I reach my goal!

How I feel: I feel unplugged from the intensity of news sharing and communication. It is very quiet inside my head. When you ride for 12 or more miles you have a bit of time to look around...and think. How often do you just observe the world? I know I don't often enough. Without being plugged in my senses are heightened from what I hear, to what I see and certainly what I feel. There is also a clarity of thought. You can work out a lot of ideas in your mind on a ride. I am definitely liking this.

What I saw on the sixth day of our ride: Domestic animals of all kinds are up early, before us, every morning in this neck of the world. There are many dog walkers out and about in the morning. What amazes me is how many dogs are hanging out in their back yards lounging in the sun, sitting on tables, running the length of the fence or plopping there paws over the fence to check us out. I think there are just about as many dogs as people around here. Then there are the cats on the prowl. I think they think if they don't look at me as I go by that I can't see them. Not so.

What I have learned: Stretch yourself. In all ways. I have noticed as my muscles have worked out more, I need to stretch more. Especially my quads. It helps me warm up before I ride. It also helps my stiffness after the ride if I stretch. Bad form to look like a not-so-little-old-lady after having fun being a "jock". And then there is stretching yourself metaphorically. If I had not taken on this challenge to ride 100 miles, I don't think I would have ever believed I could. Taking the chance and stretching myself beyond the usual has shown me I have a greater capacity than I ever thought possible. Pretty cool feeling.

What I will do:  I have 3 kids. They are grown now but when they were in primary and elementary school they went to public school. We knew of many children who came to school hungry. Often the only meal they got was the lunch served at school. Those lunches were not the most nutritional or balanced. Money was always tight for the schools too. That is why I believe so strongly in supporting organizations working to make schools a healthier place for kids to be. To put our money where our mouth is my husband and I are going to give our pay-it -forward donation to Action for Healthy Kids. This is an organization that fights childhood obesity, undernourishment and physical inactivity by helping schools become healthier places so kids can live healthier lives.

100-Mile Journey Day 6 Mileage Snap Shot

Looking Forward to Day 7. Only one more day of my 100-Mile Journey!

Live Vibrant!


#100MileJourney
#Cycling
#Gratitude
#Unplugged
#MyHusbandRocks
#HealthyLiving
#FeelingGood
#PayItForward
#ActionForHealthyKids
#Livliga
#LiveVibrant

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100-Mile Journey-- Day 5-- Hump Day

100-Mile Journey--Day5-- Hump Day (photo by LivligaHome).

Day 5 of My 100-Mile Journey has turned out to be my hump day. Good news is my speed has continued to improve so that I am now up to an average of 10.1. The total miles we covered today was 13.1. In five days we have covered 82.7 miles. Less than 20 miles to go to achieve my 100-Mile Journey challenge!

How I feel: I am feeling the push in my body. My "bum" knee has decided to swell and I am now taking ibuprofen.  Ah, the reality of age. It is a mere reality, not an excuse to stop.

What I saw on the fifth day of our ride: I love looking around when we ride. Each day I see something new. Today I was taken by all the beautiful flowers growing along the paths we take. We benefit visually from the love people put into their yards and gardens. As you can see from today's photo, there is a stunning stand of cosmos along where we ride. Their bright colors seem to be cheering me on.

What I have learned: It is important to pamper yourself. I recommend a long soak in a hot bath with bath salts. It feels oh so good and helps ease the soreness from any possible aches and pains. Today my knee is particularly grateful for a long, hot soak.

What I will do:  When I was the executive director of the American Heart Association in Denver I saw how important it is to provide healthy food to our kids in school. Somehow and for a long time we were feeding our kids the worst kids of foods and taking away their exercise. Not a good formula for ensuring our children grow up healthy. That is why I continue to support programs that improve children's lives, especially in our schools. We are going to give our 100-Mile Journey donation to Action for Healthy Kids. An organization that fights childhood obesity, undernourishment and physical inactivity by helping schools become healthier places so kids can live healthier lives.

100-Mile Journey Day 5 Mileage Snap Shot

Looking forward to Day 6! Only 2 more days of my 100-Mile Journey left!


Live Vibrant!


#100MileJourney
#Cycling
#HumpDay
#MyHusbandRocks
#HealthyLiving
#FeelingGood
#PayItForward
#ActionForHealthyKids
#Livliga
#LiveVibrant

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100-Mile Journey-- Day 4-- Gratitude

100-Mile Journey-- Day 4-- Gratitude in a Place Called Prairie Village (photo by LivligaHome)

Day 4 of My 100-Mile Journey was a day where I saw my speed improve significantly. I have gone from a low average speed of 6.1, which was on my second day, to a high of 9.8 today. Loving it. The total miles we covered today were 13. In four days we have covered 69.6 miles. Almost 70 miles in 4 days!

How I feel:  I feel tremendous gratitude. My husband is a rock and a great trooper. When I proposed this idea to him to do this 100-Mile Journey he was all for it. He has joyfully planned our routes (he is the cyclist who knows the trails around here). He has taught me how to use MapMyTracks. He was even willing to get up after a night in the ER with our son who, ironically, crashed off his bike (thankfully, he is fine!) to make sure I could achieve the daily mileage goal. And if that wasn't enough, he had to battle his gears breaking down in the midst of our ride today. He got his bike to work okay and we were able, yet again, to complete our daily ride. How awesome is that!?!

What I saw on the fourth day of our ride: We live in a town where the trains pass through and go along the roadways. About midway through our ride today we first heard and then saw a train moving a long the tracks right beside the path we were on. It was an impressive train with many cars lumbering along, breaks screeching and cars straining as it winded its way around the curve in the track. It reminded me of one of my favorite books when I was little, The Little Engine That Could. Remember it? There seems to be an apt analogy here as I huff and puff my way towards 100 miles...'I think I can, I think I can...'

What I have learned: Don't forget the sunscreen. I have been good about putting sunscreen on my face but didn't think I would need it on my arms and legs. Oops. When you cover these many miles each day you end up in the sun a lot. I have managed to sunburn the tops of my legs and arms. I have also developed a nice "cyclist tan". My badge of honor.

What I will do:  It is exciting to realize that by covering almost 70 miles these past 4 days, my husband and I have accumulated $140 between us to donate to Action for Healthy Kids. It makes me feel proud to do something good for myself and be able to pay it forward to help our children live healthier lives. And we aren't done yet!

100-Mile Journey Day 5 Mileage Snap Shot

Looking forward to Day 5! Live Vibrant!

#100MileJourney
#Cycling
#Gratitude
#MyHusbandRocks
#HealthyLiving
#FeelingGood
#PayItForward
#ActionForHealthyKids
#Livliga
#LiveVibrant

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100-Mile Journey-- Day 3-- Another Beautiful Ride

 

100-Mile Journey-- Day 3-- Another Beautiful Ride (photo by LivligaHome).

Day 3 of My 100-Mile Journey was easy. Now that we are in the work week we have cut back our miles to around 12 each day. The total miles we covered today was 12.9. In three days we have covered 56.6 miles. We are already over the halfway mark in just three days!

How I feel: We started early this morning so it was cold outside. It helped me keep my speed up. I particularly enjoyed the path we chose. Another beautiful ride.

What I saw on the third day ride: Today we saw the sunrise. It was glorious. There were may clouds in the sky so the glow spread across the sky in all hues of soft peach to salmon-red. What a way to start the day.

What I have learned: Pump up your tires.You would think I would have thought of this before but it took 43.7 miles before I realized my tires were low. My husband kindly pumped up our tires before we started out this morning and it made a huge difference. I was actually able to keep a faster pace.

100-Mile Journey Snap Shot of Day 3 (photo by LivligaHome).

What I will do: With the joy I am receiving from my 100-Mile Journey I want to pay it forward. Since it is at the beginning of school and I think it is important to support healthy kids in school, I commit to giving $1 dollar per mile for each mile my husband and I ride. We are going to give our donation to Action for Healthy Kids. This is an organization that fights childhood obesity, undernourishment and physical inactivity by helping schools become healthier places so kids can live healthier lives. I encourage to join me in paying it forward.

Looking Forward to Day 4! Live Vibrant!

#100MileJourney
#Cycling
#HealthyLiving
#FeelingGood
#PayItForward
#ActionForHealthyKids
#Livliga
#LiveVibrant

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100-Mile Journey-- Day 2 -- Paying It Forward

100-Mile Journey-- Day 2 -- Paying It Forward (photo by LivligaHome)

We made it through day 2 of My 100-Mile Journey. In two days we have covered 43.7 miles. Not bad for a woman who will be 58 at the end of the week.

How I feel: It is amazing how much energy I still have! There are a few aches but nothing major. I think my joy in accomplishing 43.7 miles overrides any of the aches and pains.

What I saw on the second day ride: It is amazing the amount of wildlife that exists within our city. We have lots of trails a long the water ditches throughout our town. It is here you can see heron, sparrows, snakes and even raccoons. Today we saw a huge turtle!  He looked like he was on a mission scuttling across the path trying to get ahead of us. A rare sight in Colorado.

100-Mile Journey-- Day 2 -- Turtle skuttling in front of us (photo by LivligaHome)

What I have learned: Eat a banana. With my increased exercise my muscles have decided to contract into "charlie horses". Lovely. I was in the midst of dinner when a muscle decided to lock up. I ate a banana and it seemed to help. I ate another one this morning and so far no charlie horses.

What I want to do: I have been inspired by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. With the joy I am receiving from my 100-Mile Journey I want to pay it forward. Since it is at the beginning of school and I think it is important to support healthy kids in school, I commit to giving $1 dollar per mile for each mile my husband and I ride. We are going to give our donation to Action for Healthy Kids. This is an organization that fights childhood obesity, undernourishment and physical inactivity by helping schools become healthier places so kids can live healthier lives. I encourage to find out more about this great organization.

Looking Forward to Day 3! Live Vibrant!

100-Mile Journey Day 2 Snap Shot

#100MileJourney
#Cycling
#HealthyLiving
#FeelingGood
#PayItForward
#ActionForHealthyKids
#Livliga
#LiveVibrant

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Instead of the 100-Foot Journey– I Took on the 100-Mile Journey

This week I am changing things up with my blog. I have taken on a 100-Mile Journey where I have set the goal of cycling 100 miles in one week. Each day I plan on sharing more of the story. Below are my first thoughts on the importance of taking on challenges.

My 100-Mile Journey started by cycling around Golden Pond (photo by LivligaHome).

In our world we have the phrase “Go big or go home”.  I have taken this to heart when it comes to celebrating my birthdays. Birthdays are always a milestone. The older we get it seems the more we dread them. That is why, many years ago, for my 30th birthday, in fact, I decided I wanted to change it up and start conquering mountains and taking on new challenges when my annual natal day came around. For my 30th I climbed a mountain, Teddy’s Teeth. I will always remember my 30^th because of it. To read the entire article click here...

The first day of my 100-mile journey I did 22.1 miles (photo by LivligaHome).

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