This Sunday Funday was just like old times. Nothing to do, nowhere to be, just riding the bikes, having fun, and killing time.

We started out with brunch at Beer Kitchen. With Tom in tow, we met up with our friends Stormy and Matreena. Matreena is a fitness competitor and trainer. She always has some rather helpful tips on her blog. Click here to find out more! Stormy is an amazing tattoo artist and is currently working at Windhorse Tattooing. Recently, he has gotten himself into fitness competitions as well. They make a great team!

After having stuffed ourselves with delicious food from Beer Kitchen, we needed to get out and enjoy the fantastic weather and also ride off the full bellies. We made our way up to one of our favorite places, The Gaf. We ordered our drinks and sat outside to enjoy the air. After a brief R n’ R, we headed on back down to Westport, and as we rounded the corner we heard the base sounds from Sunday Solace at Californos. Of course we had to stop in there to say hello to all of our good friends attending the last Sunday Solace of the season.

Last, but certainly not least, we made our way over to tea drops. This seems to be a mandatory stop for us as we finish the day. What better way to finish a great day but with some bubble teas?! One word, YUMMY.

What can I say about this day? I guess I could say it was damn near perfect. I just love days like this!

Sunday was a beautiful day! The weather was about near perfect and Mandy was excited to get out and try her new Origin 8 pedals and Molletta Design toe straps. Piece by piece, she is putting her own signature on the Vilano. She wants it looking good for the KC Bicycle Calendar shoot that we have coming up in a couple of weeks!

 We started off at our usual spot in Westport to get our legs warmed up. We both were a little tired and sore from the training that we put in the day before at Smithville Lake.

As usual, it was a casual Sunday Funday. We stopped by Barnes and Noble to pick up a good book; Panera for some good lunch; and last, but certainly not least, a stop to enjoy some delicious bubble tea from tea drops. We are addicted.

Here’s a video of our usual Sunday Funday. More cyclists are welcome to join us. What that means is… EVERYBODY is a cyclist in our book. So grab your bicycles and join us on a fun outing!

[Mandy] We had plans to get up at 5:00 Saturday morning and be up and running at Smithville Lake by 7:00 before the heat set in.  Our friend Tom came along as well; he’s training for the KC Marathon too and wanted to get in some mileage.  Tom and I were running 15 miles that day, and Christopher was running 5 (his longest run EVER!).  Thankfully it wasn’t as hot as it had been lately, and although it was kind of humid outside we got a bit of a break in the weather.  Taking a Claritin first thing in the morning has become a habit; it helps my lungs open up and combat allergies and the humidity on my long runs.  We splurged a bit the night before and had Mexican food for dinner, and I was banking on the extra calories to fuel me on those grueling miles.  The first few miles were a little rough as I struggled to breathe and settle into a comfortable pace.  By the third mile I was smiling and feeling better, and the 3 of us trotted along together talking and enjoying the scenery.  After Christopher completed his run, he hopped on his bike; Tom and I continued on to finish up the remaining 10 miles.  I was so proud of my husband for running his 5 miles, and to top it off his shins and knees were feeling much better!  I didn’t feel especially great during my run, but mentally I felt focused and determined, and I tried to maintain a consistent pace throughout.  I was happy to discover that I didn’t need to stop for water or refuel as much as I had been lately.  I took an energy gel with caffeine at miles 8 and 12, and I think those were well-timed.  The added caffeine was also a plus!  By the end of the run I was grinning ear to ear and very pleased with my 15 miler!

[Christopher] OK, as for my longest run EVER… it actually felt pretty good. Well… good in the meaning that I was not in pain. I am still yet to experience this “runners high” they talk about (I think it’s a lot of baloney). I was a little nervous as to how it would turn out, considering that I took off from running all last week. I was suffering from shin splints and my knee was pretty weak, so taking some time off from running was a smart thing to do. The only issue I really had was my calf was cramping a little. After stretching them out a couple of times, I was able to get in 5 miles. Nonetheless, it was pretty successful. I would like to have my pace picked up a little more by September 10th, but for the most part, I’m happy with the results. It is nice to be able to jump on my bike after the run because I get to simulate how it will be for the Wakarusa Off-road Challenge. I just need to get the kayak from my brother to practice that a little before the date. It’s coming up quick!

Sunday, we all got out to loosen our legs up a little. We grabbed our “fixies” and headed to Westport for some light riding. It was a little warm, but a little better than it had been. We stopped in for some bubble tea at Tea Drops about mid-ride for some cool down time. I will say this, Frozen Lemon Bubble Tea… so good. I’m thinking this is going to be a regular Sunday stop. We put in another 45 minutes of riding and then decided to call it quits. We headed to Minsky’s for some pizza and drinks.

We are ready for some cooler temps! It makes the riding and running a little more enjoyable! Keep in mind, anybody that wants to join us, feel free. The more the merrier!

Cheers!

M&C