Urg!

Winter in Minnesota has been pretty brutal this year. We have shoveled and shoveled. The snowbanks at the end of our driveway are about as tall as me. I am soooo ready for spring and have been feeling the urge to go on a run or do SOMETHING outside. But the sidewalks are still really icy and dangerous. So....what to do?

Well, Eric and I decided we needed to buy some exercise equipment for our basement. He already lifts weights down there. Why not add some kind of cardio? We ruled out a treadmill or elliptical machine because Eric would undoubtedly hit his head on our low ceiling.

So today, we ventured out to 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment and bought an urg (a rowing machine...we hard-core former rowers call them urgs....remember how I used to row in college?). I'm super excited about it! Rowing is such a great full-body workout.

I couldn't wait to try it out. See?

What do you think? What is your favorite indoor workout?

Red Ribbon Ride: Day 4

Reflections on Day 4 (5 days later)...

This was a short day -- only 50 miles or so. We rode from Northfield to St. Paul and even rode through Eagan (for all you Gabriel girls and our parents!). We all took our time and spent more time at each pit stop (there were only 3 that day). Pit 2 (Katie's pit) that day was a MN Twins theme, which I loved! They even had wiffle ball.

Other highlights of the day:

• Meeting up with all the Team Wells Fargo riders at pit 3 and then riding in a long line all the way down Summit Avenue to the State Capitol. It was so cool to see such a long line of riders. And we live only about 6 blocks from Summit, so Eric and Indy stood on a corner to wave at us and cheer us on.


• Closing ceremony was really cool. The State Capital just made it all seem so official. Mom, Rob and Eric came to watch the ceremony, and then we all went to the St. Clair Broiler (near my house) for some late lunch/early dinner. I ate a buffalo burger, fries and cherry coke, all of it, and it tasted amazing.

I'm getting tired of writing now, so I will just say that yes, I'm planning on riding again next year, and I'm hoping to gather more friends and family to join me, so let me know if you're at all intrigued by any of the opportunities: riding or crewing (being at pit stops or driving sweep vehicles along the route to cheer riders on and make sure they're ok -- take them to camp if they need to be done for the day, etc.).

Here's a pic from closing -- all the crew were walking in and waving red streamers.

Here are all the pics from the ride. Enjoy!

Red Ribbon Ride: Day 3

Well, I was too tired after both days 3 and 4 to write anything down immediately afterward, so I'll have to summarize it all now.

Day 3:

It was a hard day, and I think that's due to the fact that Day 2 was so hard. So then we were just tired and everyone's butts hurt. I used chamois butter in the morning at camp, at each pit stop and then again at camp at night, so that totals 7 applications! Hey, it helps sooth the skin around where you're sitting on the seat, so there is no shame, people! Lance uses it (so I've heard)!

Highlights of the day:

• Seeing Gramma K sitting at the end of the country road near Pine Island. She is a 90-ish-yr old woman who sits out there every year to cheer on the riders. I worked with her daughter on crew last year, and her grandson rides. Anyway, she is the cutest lady ever, and she gives us hugs, red rice crispy bars and wrote us this really sweet note on a huge poster board. Get your kleenex out!


• Seeing Jeanne White (mother of Ryan White) at night as our guest speaker. She was amazing. It was really touching and emotional to hear her story about her son. I definitely knew who Ryan was, but I was really young when all the controversy was going on (between 1985 and 1991, I was only 5-11), so it was really educational just to learn about how much things have changed in the past 20 years.
  
  She seems like your typical mom who just loved her son and wanted him to be happy and have a normal life. Telling her story even now, 17 years after he died, she had so much emotion in her voice and so much conviction about her main purpose for speaking out about HIV and AIDS. She said her ultimate dream would be for everyone to just be nice to one another and accept each other for who we all are (differences and all). This was stemming from how her son and others have been treated after people found out they had HIV/AIDS.
  
  It is interesting that there seems to still be this stigma surrounding the disease, and people often wonder how someone got it (was it unprotected sex, hemophilia, blood transfusion, drugs?). I admit that I have wondered those things too. I don't think it's right to judge someone based on that or say that they deserve or don't deserve care based on that, and I don't think people really think there should be such rules. But there does seem to still be this curiousity about it. Maybe because people continue to get infected and we wonder how that could happen when everyone knows how to prevent it. Someone on the ride who works a lot with prevention, etc. told me that he thinks young people are still getting it because they think there's a cure or at least drugs that are easy to come by. Isn't that sad? There are a lot of people living with HIV who are doing great and are healthy (many HIV+ people do the ride themselves), but the meds are not easy to get, you have to have good insurance, you probably can't get life insurance, etc.
  
  Anyway, I loved listening to Jeanne White. She was very inspirational and she just spoke from the heart.
  
  One huge surprising take-away: I could not believe that about 80% of hemophiliacs (like Ryan White) in the 80s who used factor 8 (this blood treatment that was about to be approved by the FDA) got HIV from their treatments.

Pics from Day 3:

Gramma K's note to us.

Gramma K

Red Ribbon Ride: Day 2

Here is what I wrote in camp the night after Day 2 on the ride.

July 18, 2008

Well, reading through yesterday's goals and thoughts on how today would go are interesting now that it's over. As of today (this afternoon sometime -- no idea of the exact time at all cause I was just not paying attention), I have ridden 150 miles in two days. And they were long, tough miles, especially today.

There were so many ginormous hills, during which I was in my granny gear (lowest gear). At one point, I turned back to Jeremy (a teammate from Team Wells Fargo who rode with me a lot today) and said "How many f_ _ _ _ ing more hills are there today?!" He chuckled. He's done the ride before about 3 or 4 times and says it's still tough, even for seasoned riders. It was nice on a lot of the big hills because there were crew and volunteers cheering us on, playing loud "pump you up" music, and one time, two men in their 50s or 60s rode to the top of probably the biggest hill of the day, and then they turned around, rode back down, and then rode back up again with other riders to help them, coach them, provide distractions with conversations, etc. It was so nice! I chatted with Tom, who said I was zipping up the hill very quickly and was doing well for a first-year rider. That made me feel good. :)

I did have some bike technical difficulties today. My gears were acting up, which made shifting really hard, especially when riding up and down so many hills. Thankfully, the problem is solved for now, but the Erik's (a bike shop) guy said my gears shouldn't be this worn after less than one year of use, and he recommended that I take it in when I get home to see if they'll hook me up with free repairs. Hope that works out! For now, I just hope to be able to finish the remaining 150 miles.

I met my goals I had set for myself today, so that's good. I finished without stopping, injury or too much pain. And I got a massage today (after waiting in line for like 2 hours). And, after it was suggested by my massage guy, I went and got a chiropractic adjustment!

Now, I'm just hoping my clothes dry by tomorrow -- they're hanging to dry in the tent (I rinsed them out in the shower so I can re-wear my shorts). Hope they're dry by morning!


Highlights of the day:

• Talking with Eric. I love him and love that he gives me Indy updates via text and pic messages. :)
  
• Katie's pit today was the MN State Fair. Hysterical! Katie was a carny who was missing teeth, there was a drag Princess Kay of the Milky Way, and even a real cotton candy machine!
  
• Ron, the masseur who was awesome and so nice. He kind of led me with relaxation/meditation type of thing along with the massage.
  
• All the music and cheering for us while climbing big-ass hills.
  
• Meeting more people and just chatting.


• Tried chamois butter (butt butter) for the first time. Note: A wise lady told me today not to use the menthol butter. She said, "It's not for the ladies. When it says 'slight cooling sensation,' it really means burning." I opted for the non-menthol, and it was fabulous.
  
• Katie taking charge of getting my bike fixed. She rocks and took care of it while I got to take a much needed shower.
  
• Going out to cheer the last 2 riders in to camp. It was very touching.
  
• Crying after learning that there no more big hills left today. I think it was a combo of: frustration at my bike gears for not working right when I needed them most, being done with all the hills, and being so close to done with what I'd heard is the hardest day of the ride.

Pics from Day 2:

Stopping at pit 2 for some cotton candy. It hit the spot.






Pit 2 Crew: MN State Fair

Red Ribbon Ride: Day 1

I kept a journal two of the four days during the ride. Here is what I wrote after day 1.

July 17, 2008


Day 1 of the RRR is over, and I am safely sitting in camp in my tent...exhausted. Partly due to the beer I just drank with about 20 others from the ride. Partly due to the fact that I rode 80 miles today...partly in the rain, and partly against a strong head wind. I worked hard today. I feel good, but I'm curious to find out how I'll feel tomorrow morning when I get back on my bike again to do about 70 miles through lots of hills. I hear it's the toughest day of the ride, so I'm a little nervous.

Highlights of the day:

• Felt great for the first 45 miles, then had to stop and wait 3.5 hours at a church in Miesville because there was severe weather (thunder, lightning, pouring rain). My shoes were (and still are) soaked, but the rest of me wasn't so bad. I hear that sticking newspaper in your shoes is supposed to dry them out, so I'm trying that out tonight.
  
• Leading about 8 or so riders approximately 7 miles along Highway 61 against a strong head wind. I was tired! So then I dropped to the back of the group and finished the day with one other rider (Jeremy) and we alternated who was leading.
  
• Opening ceremony was emotional. I can't help tearing up every time I think about all that this ride is about. I wish more people (friends, fam, etc.) would come volunteer, ride, etc. because it really is such a fun time and everyone is so nice. It's like summer camp for adults, and it's for a good cause.


• Katie's pit crew were gangsters and police -- very cute! (Note: Katie's outfit reminded me of her circa 1989 -- long black dress with white polka dots and a white girly hat with a flower on it).
  
• Riding into camp was gorgeous tonight. The trees and ground covering were so emerald green, it looked like a fake backdrop -- amazing!
  
• Riding along the Canon River Trail was pretty, too. I stopped a couple times just to take pics.
  

Goals for tomorrow:

• Survive tomorrow without injury or too much pain.
  
• Remember to get in the massage line in camp (after the ride) early!

Some pics from Day 1:

Stopping at a sign outside of Lake City (our first campsite) to take a photo. We were about 5 miles from our final destination, so I had ridden about 75 miles at that point.

Katie and me out for a beer with the team (we look a little tired here, I think). :)

Lake Pepin - view from our campsite. It was so peaceful and beautiful.

Red Ribbon Ride countdown: 3 days

I have three days until I start the Red Ribbon Ride, a 4-day, 300-mile biking journey (to raise funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS) from the Twin Cities through Southern Minnesota and back again.

The route is as follows:

Day 1: Start at Mall of America and ride to Lake City
Day 2: Start at Lake City and ride to Rochester
Day 3: Start at Rochester and ride to Northfield
Day 4: Start at Northfield and ride to St. Paul, with closing ceremonies at the Capitol (on the front lawn, I think)

See the map below for a rough idea of where I'll be biking. I'm not sure of the exact routes, but I do know that on Thursday, we'll be biking about 80 miles (which will be the longest I've ever ridden in one day). And then I think the length of the rides tapers off, ending with a shorter day of 40-50 miles on Sunday.

I'm getting excited about it and did my last training ride yesterday. About 12 others from Team Wells Fargo and I did 50 miles in a lot of wind. I'm really hoping for not as much wind during the actual ride, cause that was tough. So pray for good weather, no potholes, the wind at our backs, not a whole lot of roadkill and no flat tires! Thanks!

One more thing: Thank you so much to all who donated to my fund. I raised more than my intended goal of $1,500, so thank you! Team Wells Fargo raised about $38,000 so far, and I think the total amount from all teams so far totals almost $400,000. Awesome. I'm sure many people will be very grateful for all your support!


View Larger Map

I rode my bicycle past your window last night...

...Oh how I miss that song. I need to find the CD Stacy made me for Christmas and put that song on pronto!

Speaking of bicycling...I'm quite proud of myself for my biking feats this week. I rode my longest bike ride to date on Sunday: 60 miles in the hilly countryside of Wisconsin. We rode from Hudson to Spring Valley to River Falls and back to Hudson again. It was a gorgeous ride with lots of pretty countryside, beautiful homes and of course, lots of cows. I greeted the cows with a "hey cows!" everytime, and most times, I got a cow to look at me! Mom says I must have been getting delusional at that point, but I say, how the heck else am I supposed to keep my spirits up during a long ride? Yes, we had 11 other people along on the ride, but we all go our own pace, so I wasn't right next to anyone most of the time. I'd mostly just see the next person about half-mile ahead or behind me.

Today, I rode 55 miles with my friend Hannah from grad school. She isn't even training for the ride. She's just hard core. We rode from St. Paul starting at the Mississippi River and Summit Ave. down Summit to downtown, then connected with the Gateway Trail, which takes you all the way to Stillwater. Whew! I'm tired. Today's ride wasn't hilly like Sundays, so it only took us 4.25 hours (versus the 5.5 hour ride on Sunday). We were bookin' it! When I got home, I took a shower, took an hour-long nap, ate lunch and then came to work. Here I am working and thinking that I need to eat more before heading to my softball game tonight at 7:15.

Serious question for you:
When you work out, do you crave burgers, fries and beer during the workout or do you crave more healthy things like a sandwich?

I was definitely craving a juicy lucy from Matt's Bar while riding today. Maybe I can make that happen sometime soon.

So, I guess overall, my training for the Red Ribbon Ride is going well. I think I seriously just need to eat more when I'm doing these crazy long workouts. My fundraising is 99% of the way there, so that makes me happy too! I have 6 weeks left to train for the ride, so I think I'm in good shape.

Red Ribbon Ride 2008

It's official. I registered to participate in the Red Ribbon Ride, a four-day, 300-mile bike ride that benefits seven Minnesota-based organziations that help those living with HIV/AIDS. I'll be on my bike from July 17-20, and sleeping in a tent or high school gym each night. As you probably remember, I had an awesome time volunteering last year, and I was pretty much decided that next year I would ride. And here we are already -- six months away! I hate fundraising, but if you're interested in donating, riding, volunteering, referring a friend, etc., click on the links below. Thanks!

Visit my personal page: http://www.redribbonride.org/goto/heidi.gehrman
Visit my team page: http://www.redribbonride.org/goto/umslp
Watch a video about the ride (warning: you might need a tissue): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SG4bWThfMw

St. Croix Valley Sprint Triathlon

The results for the St. Croix Valley Sprint Triathlon are in, and I feel great! This was a great race -- very good distance, not too long or too short, very scenic, challenging and good food at the end. I'll try to get some photos from Rob (my brother) since he took some pics and video during the race. I have yet to see if any of the video turned out, but that'd be fun if it did. Anyway, here are my results (drumroll, please):

Overall time: 1:30:13
Swim (1/3 mile): 12:25
Transition 1: 2:45
Bike (10 miles): 37:12
Transition 2: 1:24
Run (4 miles): 36:29

Katie and Rae both finished as well and are now hooked on triathlons. Immediately after the race, they were both talking about doing it again next year. So if anyone wants to join us for this race or another, just let me know. It was so fun to get back into doing these kinds of races. It's a very positive atmosphere and just a great reason to get back in shape.

I should get back to work. I'll write more later and hopefully have some pics to post.