Eleven lakes, one summer

I had the crazy idea to try and bike around all eleven Finger Lakes this summer.

At first I thought it was just that, crazy, then a coworker told me it could indeed be done.

And actually it doesn't look too bad.

The big two, Seneca and Cayuga, will have to wait until after the half ironman, and until I'm preparing for the Highlander Cycle Tour. I can probably knock out some of the smaller ones two at a time!

Conesus Lake
Starting point: Long Point Park
Miles from Rochester: 34 (40 mins)
Miles around: 18-19
Can I swim there? Looks like it
About the route? No signs that it's not paved, but I'll want to double check
Some links: A map of the route, about the lake, another map, a blog

Hemlock Lake
Starting point: Hemlock Lake Park
Miles from Rochester: 38 (45 mins)
Miles around: 24-28
Can I swim there? Doesn't look like it
About the route? There are unpaved options, but doable on the road bike, appears hilly
Some links: Blog, a map, another map

Canadice Lake
Starting point: Tack onto Honeoye or Hemlock Lake
Miles from Rochester: 40ish
Miles around: Short
Can I swim there? No
About the route? There aren't a lot of details about this one, at all!!! From looking at the blogs, it's best to tack this one onto the Honeoye or Hemlock Lake loop. Looks like it's mostly unpaved, maybe I could rent/borrow a mountain bike...
Some links: About the lake, a blog, some trails,

Honeoye Lake
Starting point: Sandy Bottom Park
Miles from Rochester: 37 (50 minutes)
Miles around: 18ish
Can I swim there? YES! 
About the route? Paved
Some links: A map that starts in Ionia, a map that goes further south, another map, about the lake

Canandaigua Lake
Starting point: Kershaw Park
Miles from Rochester: 29 (40 minutes)
Miles around: 42-55
Can I swim there? Yes!
About the route? Lots of options, research and queue sheet ahead of time! Very hilly, do on fresh legs!
Some links: Blog, about the lake, a map, another blog (there are a ton of maps)

Keuka Lake
Starting point: Keuka Lake State Park or Indian Pines Park
Miles from Rochester: 52 (1 hour 15 mins)
Miles around: 57
Can I swim there? Yes, at the state park or Indian Pines
About the route? Looks paved but hilly
Links:  Use this map, since it goes in the Y, blog, info about the lake

Seneca Lake
Starting point: Lakeshore Park in Geneva
Miles from Rochester: 47 (1 hour)
Miles around: 77 miles
Can I swim there? Some places.
About the route? Appears paved and not as hilly as the others
Links: About the lake, more about the lake, map that includes ice cream stop,

Cayuga Lake
Starting point: Cayuga Lake State Park
Miles from Rochester: 54 (1 hour)
Miles around: 101 miles
Can I swim there? Yes
About the route? Flat in the middle, hilly at the ends
Links: About the lake, cue sheet, map

Owasco Lake
Starting point: Emerson Park
Miles from Rochester: 65 miles (1 hr 15 minutes)
Miles around: 32 miles
Can I swim there? Yes!
About the route? Rolling hills
Links: Map, info, another map

Skaneateles Lake
Starting point: Shotwell Memorial Park
Miles from Rochester: 69 miles (1 hr 20 minutes)
Miles around: 40 miles
Can I swim there? No
About the route? Hilly!
Links:  Map, forum, map and details, map and cue sheet

Otisco Lake
Starting point: Otisco Lake County Park
Miles from Rochester: 78 miles (1 hour 30 minutes
Miles around: 16 miles
Can I swim there? No
About the route? One steep climb, gradual decline
Links: Map, Details

Duathlon practice

I'm a little nervous for the Rochester Autumn Classic Duathlon Sept. 30, mostly because it's going to be my first multi-sport event. So this weekend I got a little practice in.

My mom came to visit this weekend bearing gifts! She brought me some cycling gloves, clip in shoes that fit my hybrid, and best of all -- smaller tires! Now I can go faster. If I'm pushing, I'm riding around 16 mph. If I'm taking it easy I'm going around 14. Before it was 11 and 14! This made me very happy. Thanks mom :)

I did two rides with my mom while she was here. On Saturday we rode the canal trail to Pittsford where we got dinner and gelato. Then Sunday, via my mom's suggestion we rode the duathlon route at Mendon. The hills were killer. Absolutely killer. I loved it!

The main thing I'm nervous about, though, is transitioning to running. I haven't been running much lately, so this morning on the advice of some Facebook friends I went out for another brick workout. I rode to Pittsford and back, which is 20 miles, and got off the bike 5 times to run -- 3 times running one mile, twice doing a half mile.

Running right off the bike reminded me of the last few miles of my marathons. My legs were completely numb and I had no sense of how fast I was going. I thought I was chugging along at a 12 minute mile, but when the laps on my watch reset I was running closer to a 9:30! Ooops! (At least I'm getting faster again).

But each time I feel like I'm recovering and getting into the groove of the run faster, definite plus!

I'm a little sleepy now... hello Netflix.

The interval class from... you know where ;)

I think I finally mastered the art of the interval cycling class today. This playlist was a doozy.

I managed this one twice in a row today! Average heart rate 153, max 192. 979 calories burned! (For that, I cracked open an Angry Orchard hard cider... one of my new favorite gluten free things!!)

Wilco - Summer Teeth -- Warmup

Rolling Stones - Honky Tonk Woman -- Easy climb

Metro Station - Shake it -- Make the climb steeper, really pushing the heart rate in the second minute of the song, then take the last minute to recover

Honey you'll survive

I realized I never got around to posting my spin playlist from last week, but last week's and this week's playlist are pretty similar!

I've got the Friday class again this week. I think I'm going to do a 1990s dance party :) Suggestions welcome! I will post it when I get it done.

I was a little nervous in building this playlist. Monday I was subbing for a very popular instructor. His classes are tough, and his room is always full. His taste in music is nowhere near mine, so it was a major change for the class, but they seemed happy!

This class ended up being super-tough. I wore my monitor, and burned 500 calories!

Onto the playlist!

Warmup: REM - Stand

Hill: Weezer -- Beverly Hills

Recover: Florence and the Machine -- Kiss with a Fist

Pyramid climb: Fun. -- We are Young (Perfect for a pyramid climb, the song slows down then speeds up again)

Recover/sprint: Pat Benetar -- Hit Me With Your Best Shot (I use this song a lot but it's so perfect, a one minute recovery then a 30-second sprint)

Rolling Hills: Fiona Apple -- Fast As You Can

Recover/Jumps: Flo Rida -- Club Can't Handle Me (just a super fun song)

Static climb OR Strength Drill: Bruce Springsteen -- Born to Run

Recover: Modest Mouse -- So Much Beauty in Dirt

Jumps: Matt & Kim -- Good Old Fashioned Nightmare (I've said it before, I love it love it love it love it and it's so perfect!)

Small hill: Michael Jackson -- Black or White (I always catch someone dancing when I play this hehe)

Rolling hills: Queen -- Keep Yourself Alive -- I just discovered this song and it's also perfect, I do two-tier hills, some out of the saddle, alternating with quick sprints on a flat

Cooldown: Arcade Fire -- Keep the Car Running

Stand, you're gonna run again :)

What a crazy week! I'll schedule a post to go tomorrow with an update on how I'm doing injury-wise, to sum it up in one word: Better!!

In the meantime, my spinning playlist for the week (a few repeats from last week) :)

Warm-up: Lenny Kravitz, Stand

Hill: Doors - Hello, I Love You

Hill with jumps: Matt & Kim - Good Ol' Fashioned Nightmare -- How am I just now discovering this song -- it is AWESOME and PERFECT for spin!!!!!!

Thursday update

I've been a bad blogger this week. It goes hand in hand with hitting a small bump in the road with my training, but now I'm back on track! I even cleaned my kitchen. A few random ramblings:

I've decided to go back to the beginner's marathon schedule, at least for a few weeks, in an effort to not kill myself. Maybe I'll add speed work back in later, but right now my main focus needs to be mileage building and hill training.

Traffic has been down on the blog lately, but today I hit 1,000 hits for the month. As usual thanks for reading! Music Monday and weekly goal updates will resume next week.

Lurking around Columbus for work today, and when I come back it'll be time for treadmill hill repeats, cycling and the NROLFA. Long day! Is it the weekend yet?