I was supposed to work a track meet tonight. Funny how a stormy forecast worked out in my favor...
If things had gone as scheduled, there would have been a track meet starting at 5. I would have had time for one workout. Perhaps if the meet went quickly there would be time for another after, perhaps not. Either way, it would have been a long evening.
The AD asked me what I thought of rain chances a little later in the afternoon. By then, the weather bureau began to upgrade the possibility of severe storms. Shortly after a line of storms developed over central Illinois, and it began marching east, sealing the fate of the track meet.
I was free! This meant two workouts. Two workouts, IF that line of storms didn't reach us first.
I got on the bike and headed into a biting headwind from the southwest. The plan was simple; get south as fast as possible and reap the tailwind coming home. It was a great plan that began to unravel almost immediately.
Look at me!
Look at me!
Look at me now!
You have to ride south,
And you have to ride hard!
I can ride low with the wind in my face,
And I can ride TRUTH all over the place.
But that is not ALL that I can do, oh no...
With these slick pedals
I ride a fast pace.
(How could you ride fast
With shoes that still lace?)
From the far southern reach,
To the big final hill,
Adoring fans yell,
"There goes IronBill!"
And then, in the south,
The clouds started thickening.
As the ride wore on,
Their pace ever quickening.
Could he get home
With his cell phone intact?
(It camped unprotected
In his cute fanny pack.)
And then, what happened?
In Bedford they say,
His muscular legs
Grew three sizes that day.
Now that the power
Of Steve Jobs poured through,
IronBill had the strength
Of three Millers, plus two.
He whizzed down the highway,
Going thirty-five plus.
Even managing to pass
A worn-down looking bus.
With the ride all complete,
And the bike put away,
Came the very first drops,
Of the rain on the way.
*Apologies to Dr. Seuss.
I didn't really think anyone would want to run - after all, there was a thunderstorm on the way. To my surprise there were several present at the office. Miller, Kathy, Bartlett, Robin, Jimmy, Mark Ryan... wow. I was happy to see the run would happen in this crowded week, and we started on.
About a half-mile in the rain started. It was warm, the rain felt quite good, so we kept going. The strength of the rain only increased as the run proceeded, but never did it dampen our spirits. The sun finally popped out at the end, by which time we might have seen a tenth of an inch or so. There had been light thunder and lightning, but I'd rate the "storm" as an "Ambient Noise Storm". Harmless, and just the thing to make you fall asleep on a warm summer's eve.
Tomorrow is going to be a quick run or ride, depending on weather, then Leisa's dinner.
Wednesday, ride and run?
Thursday, ride, Lighthouse, 5PM.
If things had gone as scheduled, there would have been a track meet starting at 5. I would have had time for one workout. Perhaps if the meet went quickly there would be time for another after, perhaps not. Either way, it would have been a long evening.
The AD asked me what I thought of rain chances a little later in the afternoon. By then, the weather bureau began to upgrade the possibility of severe storms. Shortly after a line of storms developed over central Illinois, and it began marching east, sealing the fate of the track meet.
I was free! This meant two workouts. Two workouts, IF that line of storms didn't reach us first.
I got on the bike and headed into a biting headwind from the southwest. The plan was simple; get south as fast as possible and reap the tailwind coming home. It was a great plan that began to unravel almost immediately.
Look at me!
Look at me!
Look at me now!
You have to ride south,
And you have to ride hard!
I can ride low with the wind in my face,
And I can ride TRUTH all over the place.
But that is not ALL that I can do, oh no...
With these slick pedals
I ride a fast pace.
(How could you ride fast
With shoes that still lace?)
From the far southern reach,
To the big final hill,
Adoring fans yell,
"There goes IronBill!"
And then, in the south,
The clouds started thickening.
As the ride wore on,
Their pace ever quickening.
Could he get home
With his cell phone intact?
(It camped unprotected
In his cute fanny pack.)
And then, what happened?
In Bedford they say,
His muscular legs
Grew three sizes that day.
Now that the power
Of Steve Jobs poured through,
IronBill had the strength
Of three Millers, plus two.
He whizzed down the highway,
Going thirty-five plus.
Even managing to pass
A worn-down looking bus.
With the ride all complete,
And the bike put away,
Came the very first drops,
Of the rain on the way.
*Apologies to Dr. Seuss.
I didn't really think anyone would want to run - after all, there was a thunderstorm on the way. To my surprise there were several present at the office. Miller, Kathy, Bartlett, Robin, Jimmy, Mark Ryan... wow. I was happy to see the run would happen in this crowded week, and we started on.
About a half-mile in the rain started. It was warm, the rain felt quite good, so we kept going. The strength of the rain only increased as the run proceeded, but never did it dampen our spirits. The sun finally popped out at the end, by which time we might have seen a tenth of an inch or so. There had been light thunder and lightning, but I'd rate the "storm" as an "Ambient Noise Storm". Harmless, and just the thing to make you fall asleep on a warm summer's eve.
Tomorrow is going to be a quick run or ride, depending on weather, then Leisa's dinner.
Wednesday, ride and run?
Thursday, ride, Lighthouse, 5PM.
What is this Lighthouse place?
ReplyDeleteIt's a bookstore on Highway 37 South, just past the US 50 light. We meet in the back parking lot so we can avoid taking a large group of people through the road cut during rush hour. It's a nice 31-mile tour of Amish country.
ReplyDelete