My sister came out this weekend for a little ski weekend in the mountains. Although I always hope for a deep powder day, Steph was treated to great spring skiing with bluebird skies and soft snow. Since I have been out of town the last several weekends my ski legs were a bit lacking and left me a little sore after the weekend.

Especially when it’s 57* and sunny on March 6th and all you can see is blue sky for miles, snow capped mountains and 500 million other cyclists on the road :)

The day started off pretty chill with an hour easy swim at FAC then a little T1 action in the parking lot then off to see if our ‘in between the legs parts’ were capable of riding 5hrs…seriously. After an 1hr20min, we made the usual stop at Clark’s in Hygiene and ran into several familiar faces. Will Kelsay happened to be there which was pretty exciting so we decided to have a little Team Timex group shot. We then continued on for the rest of our amazingly scenic ride while battling the weekend warriors hammering around town. I love Boulder.

This is what Tingle looked like when we got back…

Just kidding…you know it’s a good day when you can swim an hour then ride 5hrs and still have a giant smile on your face :) And yes, Tingle did ride the entire time in those hot shades…can someone get this girl a sunglass sponsor ASAP?!?! Thanks for the ride Lady, you’re my fav.

I have written this post about 15 times as while most of my team members are still anxiously waiting for their new Ordu’s, I was lucky enough to drive my car into a parking garage with 4 bikes on the roof which left me ‘bikeless.’  So, the great people at Timex, Orbea and Shimano took pity on me and hooked it up.  I have to give a quick but huge thank you out to the entire team of sponsors as they were extremely understanding and supportive while I was going a little crazy.  Also, this post signifies a few ‘firsts’ for me-

1. First post as a member of Team Timex (I hope I’m doing this right)
2. First post about my new sweet new ride, Orbea Ordu
3. First time in 6 years I am riding a new brand TT bike with a completely new setup

So, here goes-

Let me start by committing a cardinal sin, I am going to address the ‘bear in the room’. A lot of forum banter has centered around the Ordu, it’s geometry, how it rides, etc.   I was nervous and skeptical after reading these reviews as well. For anyone who still has concerns, I have one word of advice- go ride the Ordu; that is what I did.  In the past 2 weeks, I have put about 29 hours on this bike testing it in every way imaginable, long climbs in the Santa Monica mountains, flats, power intervals, trainer sessions, descents, and I could not be happier. Truth be told, I have actually found that although my position is less aggressive right now(due to recent injuries), I am in a more powerful position than before and am more comfortable running off the bike as well. This is in part due to Steve from PV Bike as he is a true master in the art of fitting and has really helped dial me in and just due to how this bike rides.   If you are ever in Southern California, I highly recommend a trip to see him. Back to the bike- It is very stiff in the bottom bracket, super responsive and really gets rolling.  Right now I am running the forward seat post with a 100mm stem.  It puts me out over the bike but just about where I would be on my previous setup.  As a frame of reference I have a long torso and short legs.

Shimano Di2… what can I say beyond- EXTRAORDINARY!!! I think that once anyone rides with Di2, they will never go back to standard shifting.  I have tried every way possible to make it fail and I can not. It is very smooth, extremely responsive and just a treat.  I love having shifters on the pursuit bars for when you are out of your aerobars and being able to shift both front and rear at the same time is pretty fantastic. Couple this setup with the Pro bars and I feel like my entire setup is just too good!!   Truth be told, I am feeling very spoiled as the setup that Orbea, Shimano and Timex put together for us, is much better equipped and has more advanced technology and research put into it than my other mode of transportation:

I always like to bring Timex related surprises to certain individuals in my life who really are, just great people. Last week I brought my PT (who has really helped me both physically and mentally the past month) a Timex watch and running cap from from the giveaway box at home. She couldn’t have been more excited.

However, this is the card she brought in for me today from her daughter Keila. Absolutely priceless!

Actually, I’m really just going on the Paleo Diet! No sugar, no gluten, no dairy, no processed foods…lots of lean meats, seafood, veggies, fruits and nuts :) The main reason behind doing this is because I truly feel my energy levels spike and diminish like crazy throughout the day. Without added sugar or caffeine, I’m really hoping to be more consistent with my training and moods on a daily basis.

I have done a lot of prep getting vegetables cut, meat baked and recipes lined up and lots of grocery shopping. My first attempt at cooking was making these delicious Carrot Banana Muffins above. I have such a sweet tooth and thought that without cookies and baked goods I’d be dying but these definitely do the trick. Check out the recipe below and let me know what you think!

2 cups blanched almond flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon celtic sea salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup dates, pitted
3 ripe bananas
3 eggs
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
1 ½ cups carrots, shredded
¾ cup walnuts, finely chopped

1. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon
2. In a food processor, mix dates, bananas, eggs, vinegar and oil
3. Transfer mixture to a large bowl
4. Blend dry mixture into wet until thoroughly combined
5. Fold in carrots and walnuts
6. Spoon mixture into paper lined muffin tins
7. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes

Makes 18 muffins