Yay Sammamish Valley Cycle

I am in love with this store: http://www.sammamishcycle.com/

After all the difficulty I've had with my bike's shifting, I took it to Sammamish Valley Cycle, and the first guy who saw me (RIGHT AWAY - no waiting!) took my bike back into the shop area, threw it up on a lift thing, and fixed it. Not only that, he also dug out all the glass and gravel that had become embedded in my tire (he called them "future flats"). And while this guy was fixing my shifting problem (the thing that holds the derailleur on was out of place or something), he gave me lots of good cycling advice and was just super-friendly and fun.

AND THEN - when he went to ring me up, the charge was $10. Yes, $10. I would have paid, oh, I don't know, my first-born child to make my bike work properly again, or at least $40 or something. I wished the credit-card slip had had a tip place, I would have given him a big one! So I need to figure out something to do to express my appreciation.

I did this on Sunday (after church, before I went to the hospital, using all the energy I could muster - so strong was my desire to get that bike fixed), and today was the first day I rode on the happy-shifting bike. Well, it was lovely - it shifted better than it ever has. BUT, I need to remove the 34-tooth chain ring I put on the front because I was being a weenie and put the 36 back. It's never going to shift perfectly with that 34 on there, and that was a crutch that I really don't think I need anymore.

That said, I'm not 100% yet. I felt good enough for a decent ride in, but Danielle and I kept the pace down and chatted the whole 22 miles. I also lifted weights when I got to the gym (in my cute purple plaid cycling skort!), then came on to work.

So I'm happy. I missed my bike. I love my bike. I'm a little obsessed with my bike. But, I really am going to cut the volume and most of the intensity, because Sunday scared me a lot and I don't want that to ever happen again.

Addendum later on: I rode to Redmond Town Center with a girlfriend to go out to lunch, then was halfway back up the 520 hill when I realized I needed to pick up my car from John - at the bottom of the hill. Lest my friend think I was weenie-ing out of finishing the hill, I completed it with her, then turned around and flew 30 mph+ back down. :-) John yelled at me when I got to the shop that I was supposed to be taking it easy...but that's my hill! Plus, the downhill part makes it worth it. Plus I did eat bread at lunch. Plus I should stop making excuses and remember: training volume needs to be lowered or I will not race well.

Today's data:

Food:
Pre-workout: Vitatop, 100 cals
Workout: Sport beans (my new favorite biking food, too bad they don't have protein): 100 cals
Breakfast: Small piece banana bread, ham, cheese: 405 cals
Snack: Fruit, 60 cals
Lunch: Salad from Cosi with fat-free dressing and a piece of bread: 490 cals (the bread alone was 265, but totally worth it)
total so far: 1155 cals
Snack: Apple (when I wanted a brownie, but seeing people I know in the cafeteria stopped me. Yay for not eating in secret) and two little chocolates: 140 cals
Dinner: Sauteed shrimp, jasmine rice, asparagus, berries: 600 cals
total today: 1895 cals Woo!

Exercise:
Bike to work
Lift weights
Calories burned: 900
Bike to go out to lunch, including the 520 hill: 250 cals (est - wasn't wearing HRM)
total burned: 1150