Ready For Anything

Crossfit gets you fit for whatever comes up.  This post is from Kirsten on her recent trip to Lansing:

Well.  CrossFit comes through again.  We are not just blowing smoke, here!  I went down to Lansing this week to work.  I tossed in the mountain bike with hopes to get a few rides in.  My week turned out to be filled with biking.  The synopsis is as follows.  

On Monday evening, I headed out to Sleepy Hollow State Park.  They have a nice little single track around Lake Ovid.  I rode the north half of the trail system.  It was experiencing some flooding; it was a bit mucky in spots.  Enough to make it a bit challenging; ride, ride, ride, or you will skin your hide!  At the end I was covered in mud and was happy as a pig.  Then I headed back to town for some dinner (after a shower).

On Tuesday, I decided to follow the CrossFit mantra, “learn and play new sports”.  I had never gone road-biking in the true sense.  My boss, Jeff Massey, happened to have an extra road bike, and invited me along for a road ride.  He is preparing for the DalMac, and likes to put in at least 20 miles a day.  Out we went after work from the lab, west into the “citified agriculture” of northeastern Lansing area.  Beautiful countryside, everything is green.  They are a month ahead of us in season; all of the leaves are on the trees, and the tulips are blooming.  Observation:  flat.  Observation:  traffic!  Jeff may be tentative about “rock gardens” and “switchbacks”, but has no reservations about vehicles!  It was monkey-see, monkey-do.  Don’t think, just “do as the Romans do” and blend right in to the traffic flow.  We put in around 17 miles.  It was great.

On Wednesday, we had a little more time after work, so we took another ride and went on a slightly different route.  Toward the end, a woodchuck made a rush toward Jeff from a field on the side of the road.  Again!  Fortunately, this one ducked into a hole just before the pavement.  This one was big!  It could have caused some damage.  This is not the first encounter with a woodchuck.  Up to this point I have been able to keep up with my boss, who is a well-seasoned road-biker.  Is this because CrossFit has prepared me well?  Or is my boss being extra nice, and going at a moderate pace?  Probably both.  Toward the end, close to home, he took off and really put some distance between us.  Nice of him not to leave me out on the highway in unknown territory!  Thanks, Jeff.  On this ride, we clocked 21 miles.

On Thursday afternoon, Jeff, Charles and I all convened for a mountain-bike ride at Ionia State Park.  The day was sunny and coolish, just perfect for a bike outing.  We did the north half of the single track.  This trail, at first glance, seems to be an easy one.  Once on the trail, however, challenges started to appear.  First a traverse down across a  wooded, rocky slope, with a 90 degree turn at the bottom, then a climb up a rocky ridge.   Then, several bridges that were more like ladders, that were on uneven, mucky ground.  I fell of the side of one into the mud; let out a whoop, and charged up the rise.  Escaped!  

Then, some switchbacks, down through a rocky path, over a couple of logs, then a charge up a root-laden trail through several large tree trunks and rocks.  Had to gear down and stand up for this one.  Charles made it to the top with relative ease (or so he said!).  I made it to the top, just.  YESSSSSSSS!  A little more single-track, and then up to the road for a tour of the entire park.  This park, like Sleepy Hollow, has designated bike, hike, and horseback riding trails.  I like this.  No motor vehicles on these trails.  Just right for bikes, and for horses, too.  There is a lovely little horseshoe-shaped lake here.  Made me want to ride my horse...made us want to row...

Friday was a rest day.  Finally!  After 5 days of workouts, it was well-deserved.  We spent our rest day driving home.  Dry roads, uneventful.  Just what we wanted.  

So there.   Lots of fun.  No sore spots.  No problems keeping up with my aerobic-machine boss!  Thanks, Cross-Fit...you are so practical, useful and fun!!!

Bye for now!

Kirsten