The Challenge is Nearly Done!

I have 411 of the 500 kilometers ridden. In case you aren't handy with your conversions, I have about 56 miles to go, and three days to get it. I think, short of some disaster, this thing is done. It's been a trip. This ironically is the highest mileage week of the year for me, even though it is 6 months away from triathlon season.

I am no Troy Young. Most of my miles have been inside. All of Troy's have been outside. He has more miles than I do, too. Don't be fooled by the Strava reporting; he has more miles in.

Speaking of outside riding, both Allen and Scott have joined me outside in the last few days. I don't know how we go out after tomorrow, and even that is sketchy, but it's been a great year of riding nonetheless. Next year promises to be better, for the group at least, because everyone, and I mean EVERYONE is riding right now. The Energy Lab is really doing the job!

To that end, Jimmy's cross-country challenge kicks off Wednesday. What is it? Over 2900 miles of riding in 17 weeks. This will be charted in the lab, though both indoor and outdoor riding counts. Jimmy is preparing the map as I write. It's based on time - hey, it's Jimmy's challenge - and every hour is worth 20 miles.

Tomorrow I run in the morning and ride in the afternoon. 

Okay, there are two Strava challenges of importance going on this week. The first is an easy one - run 33 miles in a week. That one should be a piece of cake, provided I don't get hurt again. I already have 22 miles of that done, so I'm not worried about getting 11 more in 3 days. I'll get 5 of it tomorrow morning. 

The second one is the challenge - 500k of riding in 8 days. That's 310.69 miles... let's call it 311 miles. This WILL be a challenge. That's slightly under 40 miles a day, so yeah, that's going to take some work. What makes it truly hard is it will be done almost entirely inside. 

I already have completed some of it. I have over 100 miles in the bag in two days. That shouldn't make a person cocky though, because any endurance athlete knows the real work comes from the midpoint on. Everyone looks like a world-beater in the first portion; what happens when you get tired?

In some ways I have one hurdle cleared already. Christmas day appeared to be a tough one, because of all the family stuff going on. I would need around 2.5 hours to get in the mileage (by the time I figured in travel). That's a lot of time ripped out of a day when there are three family events. I knew there would be breaks, and I vowed to make the most of them. 

Before the kids got up, I went to the gym and lifted. That's right, I lifted too. Then we opened presents, sat around for a while, then I went to the lab for spin #1. 

That went well, thanks to Denny's Chappelle DVD's. "I'm Rick JAAMMES!"

Went to mom's house for a bit, then sure enough there was time to move again. Back to the lab and spin #2, and even longer one. Combine these two with yesterday's 54.5 miles and you have over 100 miles!

The way I see it, I am up 20 miles. I plan to run and ride again tomorrow, hopefully for 40. If for some reason it doesn't work out, I only have to hit 20. That should make the whole thing go down easier when the time comes. 

Run at Parkview at 8; spin after. Swim in the PM? 

A Christmas Carol

Ironbird was no fool, at least where patterns were concerned. Upon hearing the three tolls of the tower, he no longer wondered if it was all a dream or if there would be another visitor. Whether or not it was a dream, he was along for the ride; all that was left was to see the form of the night's final guest.

It did not take long. At first it was only a sound, that of wet feet on hardwood floors, the flat-footed steps slapped as they struck the floor. Then the ghost appeared. He was short, stocky, and rather bandy-legged. He was middle-aged and furry, not cuddly like a teddy bear, rather gross with a back like a bathroom throw rug. His swim cap was pulled too far down his forehead, and his goggles overlarge. He squinted through the lenses at Ironbird. Removing his nose clip, he spoke.

"Sorry I'm late... had to put in a few more laps. Just getting the hang of this thing, really. I tell you, I've done it for years, but I've just stopped using a pull buoy."

"Listen, I don't mean to tell you how to do your job, but... aren't you supposed to be mute? You know, point with your creepy bony fingers and stuff?"

"That was before. I just didn't know what to say. I've remade myself again, and now I have plenty to talk about."

"Okay... why are you here?"

"Let me show you."

The poltergeist snapped his towel on Ironbird's rear, causing him to wince in pain. When his eyes reopened, he was at a harbor near a very large body of water. It might have been an ocean, except the water was too clear and too blue. No, more likely a large fresh-water lake. All around the harbor were athletes preparing to swim. It was obviously some kind of event, probably a large triathlon.

The two visitors moved in closer to a group of athletes waiting for their wave, listening to their conversation.

"I hear he's completely washed up."

"That's what I heard too. Tired of being hurt, stopped training, that kind of thing."

"Never figured him for such a wuss."

"Me neither. I never thought he'd let himself go like that, either."

"You're not kidding! What do you think he weighs now? 500 lbs.?"

"You're being generous. I can't imagine how his bones can carry all that meat."

"They can't. He hasn't been able to walk for years."

Ironbird was intrigued. "Spirit, who is the individual they're speaking of?" It is human nature to be curious about another's fall from grace, and Ironbird was just as human as anyone.

"Union rules prevent me from just telling you, but how about I give you a huge clue?" was the reply.

Instantly they vanished from the harbor and reappeared in a garage. Where exactly was impossible to say, as the door was down and there were no windows to peer out. Looking around, Ironbird spotted a bicycle hanging on a wall. Curious, he moved closer to get a look at the components.

It was a black and white Kestrel Airfoil with Mavic deep-set wheels, SRAM components, SMG saddle, and a single water cage. There was no doubt about it - it was his bike!

The reality set in instantly, and was confirmed by the ghost's cruel smile. The athletes had been speaking of him! HE weighed over 500 lbs. and was bed-ridden.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Ironbird. "Spirit, these things I have seen, are they images of what must be or what might be? Surely they can be changed, else what is the point of showing me? If they can be changed, they will be changed; I will be a new person, Spirit, if only you give me the chance. I will be a training fool again, working hard every day to improve as I can. I will not lose hope, nor the joy of simply being able to do one more day of exercise. I will be whole in mind, body and spirit! I will support all who share my lifestyle. Give me one more chance!"

Ironbird awoke hugging his Garmin running watch. Light streamed in from the window, and without hesitation he tore open the windows and looked out. It was a glorious day; the sun was out, the air was cool, and the breeze light - a perfect day to exercise. Below, a small boy was walking by. It was the same child from Wendy's the night before.

"You there! Boy! Do you like Wendy's?"

"You know that I do!"

"Of course you do, of course you do. Clever boy. Here, take this $20, go buy yourself a #6 and a large frosty. Keep the change!"

"I will, sir! And thank you!" And with that, the  boy rushed off for his treasure.

Ironbird wasted no time. His watch told him it was Saturday, and he knew there'd be a race at the lake. Donning his gear, he sprinted out the door, loaded up his car, and sped off to the lake. He raced, and though he didn't place in his age group, it was the best race of his new life (so far).

Ironbird was as good as his word. He became an ambassador for fitness, encouraging all to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. As he was advanced in years, he never got faster - no matter. He remembered in his heart the joy of being able to go out there and do it at all, to enjoy this day, this run, this experience, whatever it was. And as long as he lived, those around him new him to be healthy, happy, and always out there staying fit.

A Christmas Carol

Once again, the clock tower tolled, this time two bells, and Ironbird found himself startled awake. He wasn't so surprised this time; still, he wondered if he was having some really vivid nightmares, perhaps induced by fever. One way or another, he reasoned, he wouldn't have long to wait to find out.

True enough, there was without warning the sound of a bicycle bell tinkling below. Ironbird cast open his window, threw out his head, and below saw a tall form sitting on a bicycle. He was taller than the last spirit, thicker, and had a full beard covering the lower half of his face. He had a wide, welcoming smile, and his gestures were open and genuine.

Ironbird knew when he turned around the figure would be in the room, and sure enough it was. The bike was with him, a wonderful work of art and science. Carbon fiber, light alloy, precision components... Ironbird found himself wanting to take a test ride. Once again this was a distraction from the real issue... the purpose of the spirit's visit.

"What shall we do? Where shall we go?" Ironbird asked. "Start my Garmin", said the apparition, "and our journey can begin." Ironbird looked down, saw the device was powered on and had satellite connection acquired, so he was good to go. Pressing the "on" button, in the blink of an eye he found himself down in aero position, rolling through Amish country on a fine early-summer's day, the sun shining brightly in azure blue skies. There was no wind, and the pedals turned over easily, yet powerfully. It was a great day to ride.

"Ah... I love this country" said Ironbill wistfully. "As you should. But do you enjoy it?" asked the ghost. Ironbird responded, "Sometimes, but usually I have a tight schedule, so I find myself watching the computer more than looking at the beautiful scenery all around me. It's kind of nice to be able to relax and look around."

Soon the pair came upon a group riding in a line. They were doing a pace line, and the complete focus of each rider, the near proximity they held to one another, and the fluid way riders moved front-to-back was truly a thing of beauty.

"See how the riders working together are able to perform better than any could individually? The sum truly is greater than the parts. You can't get this enjoyment by working on your own."

This thought weighed heavily on Ironbird. He pondered the opportunities he had passed to ride with these friends, or how he had even chosen to ride alone in an individual time trial. Maybe it wasn't the best way to go.

The spirit guessed his thoughts. "Why would you choose to go it alone so often?" he asked softly. "It's that damn Strava. The KOM race is always on my mind. Sometimes I forget to just enjoy the ride, the friends, the health.That should be enough sometimes - no, it should be the goal."

"Indeed" was all the spirit said in reply. 

A Christmas Carol

The ability of the human mind to deny reality, particularly when it's a reality that one wishes to be untrue, is amazing. Not long after the spirit of Norm had left, Ironbird was quite convinced he had dreamt the whole affair. His pounding heart began to settle, his mind drifted to other thoughts, and before long his eyes were heavy and he drifted off to sleep.

The church bell in the square struck an unusually loud toll at the one o'clock hour, and Ironbird found himself bolting upright in his bed. Immediately the words of the apparition came back to him, as well as the panic that gripped him earlier. Did he dream it? Did it really happen? Would there be another ghostly visitor?

Desperately Ironbird's eyes scoured every dimly lit corner of his room, searching for the minutest motion that might betray an unwelcome guest. To his great relief, and despite his most earnest efforts, his search found nothing. A deep sigh betrayed how his terrified chest had held its breath, and only now released with a great gush.

Laying back, Ironbird was just about to drift off again when he was struck with the urge to look out the window. Why hadn't he done so in the first place? Perhaps the visitor was out there!

Jumping from his bed, Ironbird dashed to the window and looked out. Moonlight cascaded down to the streets below, bright, enough so dappled light shone between shadows cast by the taller buildings. Here and there the streets could be seen, streets that were by now empty. Suddenly, almost imperceptibly, a small figure appeared. It seemed to be a man, perhaps in his thirties, slight built, running along the streets in a forward-foot stride, on the balls of his feet, and with a light carriage. The most unusual aspect of the gait was the circumduction; the runner's right forearm rotated counter-clockwise while he ran, which contributed to the slight left-and-right rocking action of his body as he ran.

The whole thing seemed familiar to Ironbird, especially the circumduction... where had he seen it before? So engrossed was he in this line of thinking he completely forgot about the expected visitor. Ironbird watched as the runner moved in and out of the moonlight, until suddenly, in the very next space of moonlight, the runner was gone.

Odd, thought Ironbird. After waiting a moment more he gave up on the search and turned to go back to bed. His fright was immense when, upon turning around, he saw the runner standing right behind him. Now he had a better view of the character. He was slight (as mentioned before), perhaps 5' 9", 135 lbs., dark hair, glasses, and though it was winter was dressed only in a singlet, shorts, and Nike running shoes. There was something decidedly retro in the clothes, something Ironbird caught almost subconsciously. The singlet was all-cotton, as were the shorts. The shoes were a brand he hadn't seen in years.

Who was this guy?

"I am the ghost of training partners past", said the visitor at last. "I am here to show you the joy you once knew as a runner."

"I have joy in it now," said Ironbird, "the joy of knowing it's done for the day!" It was a typically flippant thing to say, done more to sustain the illusion he wasn't afraid than anything else.

"Touch my singlet. There are things I would show you!" commanded the spirit. Wishing the whole episode to be over as quickly as possible, or perhaps even to convince himself the spirit really was there, Ironbird reached tentatively out and lightly grasped the singlet.

In an instant they were back on the street, running along paths and trails as effortlessly as young deer in the mid-summer days of plenty. The wind blew through his scant hair, the smells of the city and country blending into so many memories. It was so intoxicating some time passed before Ironbird realized he felt no pain at all even though he was running much faster than he'd gone in decades.

Soon they came to a wood that ringed the northern edge of his town. "Do you remember this place?" asked the spirit. "Of course I do!" remarked Ironbird, "I ran here many times in the early days!" The ghost continued, "Look then, at the runners gathering. Do you remember?"

Ironbird blinked incredulously. There, under the spreading oaks and chestnuts of the forest, a group of people began unloading supplies from their vehicles onto picnic tables. There were drinks, water mostly, with some Gatorade here and there. There were sodas, cookies, and the old standby, Fig Newtons. Ironbird laughed at the prehistoric energy food, but it wasn't a sardonic laugh; it was a laugh partnered with the misty eyes of powerful nostalgia.

"I... I remember this run. This was one of our weekly fun-runs. We used to take turns hosting a run, always at a different place, and the host would bring food and drink. We would work out and fellowship afterward. It was so great... so great."

The ghost urged him on. "Tell me more."

"On this run, the rain had been heavy the week before. We were supposed to run on the trails, but being the goofballs we were, things soon got out of hand. The guys started to race, and as the trails were too narrow to allow passing, everyone soon jumped off the trails and ran Indian-style through the woods. Of course the rain-soaked ground began to grab at shoes and feet, adding to the adventure. I can only imagine what any hiker in the woods at that time would have thought - 30 wild men running pell-mell through the trees!"

"Huh. Sounds like a waste of time. Better to spend one's life being as good as one can be and minding one's own business." Ironbird did not miss the reference to his earlier encounter with the previous spirit, and the words stung him bitterly.

The spirit bade him to grab his singlet, and off again they whisked, this time to another park on the east side of town. It was dark, and there were three figures running on a grassy area just off a creek. Looking closely, Ironbird could see it was a golf course, and the three were doing repeats at high speed. Instantly Ironbird recognized the tall runner as Ingersol, the short one was Miller. A younger Ironbird was the third.

"I remember this. On hot summer days we couldn't do these workouts, so we waited until after dark. We used to run our intervals on the grass to help the legs recover. Those two guys were like brothers to me. Those summers we spent together were some of the happiest running days of my life."

"What made it so special?"

"There was a simplicity to it, something so elegant. There was pain, there was always pain, but we were learning how to manage the pain, pushing ourselves farther and farther into it. Ingersol used to always berate Miller for not taking enough! There was also the elation of running, feeling the power ooze from your legs onto the surface below you, the pulse of every step propelling you forward... I felt strong, in control, and filled with the sure confidence I could get better, I WOULD get better..."

"You had hope?"

"I never thought of it that way, but, yeah. Take me home, spirit. Suddenly this pains me too much to see anymore." With that, Ironbird grabbed the singlet and was transported back to his room. With a start he sat upright in his bed as if awakened from a dream. Was it a dream? Had this too happened?

A Christmas Carol

Ironbird Scrooge jogged mirthlessly through the grey streets of his home town. Left and right, children turned away as he passed, some to avoid his gaze, others to utter the curse they dare not say to his face. Mothers hugged their infants closer to them, and the elderly merely shook their heads in disapproval.

Step after soggy step the painful display continued. The soreness of Ironbird's hip grew with every step, yet he limped on, regimented as he was, and had long since abandoned all sensations related to his aging corporeal being. Running was a part of his day, a means to an end, and nothing more.

At an intersection where a traffic light turned red, Ironbird was temporarily stopped, whereupon two young individuals dressed in black pants, white shirts, and ties approached. Their intentions were completely philanthropic; as Mormans, they wished only to provide a path to salvation for what was obviously a very lost soul.

"Sir, would you give us a minute of your time?" one asked.
"We would like to tell you about..." started the other.
"BAH!" shouted Ironbird.

Flashing his trademark salute, Ironbird continued on as the light turned, leaving behind two startled and insulted Mormons to consider the limits of their faith.

Returning to his home, Ironbird attempted to place his key in the door lock. A movement on the door caught his eye, and as he stepped back he recognized the vision of his original training partner materializing on the door.

"IIIIRron-BIIIRRRDDDddd..." it called plaintively, and then was gone. Ironbird was at first completely aghast, but quickly regained his senses. He reasoned his run had taken him into glycogen depletion, and the whole thing was in his head. It certainly wasn't the first time he'd hallucinated on a run!

Ironbird showered and shaved, then decided there wasn't much to eat around the house. Since his hunger had obviously driven him to delusions, he hopped in the most adored vehicle in town and drove (enjoying the envy and jealousy of all that saw him) to Wendy's, where he ordered his favorite #6 - spicy chicken and large fries, all washed down with a couple of large glasses of Diet Coke. Mid-meal a small, hungry child came up and stared at Ironbird's fries. The intent was obvious, but just as clearly rejected. Placing his foot on the child's forehead he pushed firmly away, uttering a clear and sardonic, "HO...HO... HOOOOooo".

Back at the house, Ironbird settled in for the evening. There was a bit of ice cream left, so he fixed himself a bowl and tuned into weekly cage match fight. He was entertained for a while, but soon the day weighed on him, and Ironbird decided to call it a night.

As he dressed for bed, sporting his Captain America underoos, a knock was heard at the bedroom door. Impossible he thought, for he was certain he'd locked the outside door. The knock came again, harder and Ironbird knew it was really happening. Jumping for the only defense available, he dove under the covers, hoping upon hope the intruder could not penetrate the bedsheet force field he'd erected.

Under the sheets Ironbird heard the door open, the sound of something heavy being drug across his hardwood floor, and shuffling footsteps. Whoever, WHATEVER was in the room was right beside the bed now. Gathering all his nerve, Ironbird lifted his sheets to face whatever terror lurked.

And then he saw him. He was of medium height, neither over tall or over short. His body was barrel-shaped and sat upon tree trunks for legs. His uniform was tussled, unkempt, and his saber drug the ground at his side. Underneath his feathered hat was long grey hair pulled into a ponytail so long it looked like a, well, horse's tail. There was no mistake about it, it was him.

It was Norm.

"IIIRRon-BBirrddddd..." he called again. His head was characteristically tilted to one side, his face grimaced, and he lurched forward one more step. "We have unsettled biiiz-nezzzzz".

"What is it you want of me? Who are you?" cried Ironbird, not ready to admit out loud what his eyes were seeing.

With difficulty, the apparition began again. "Don't you know me? It's Norm... I've come to warn you."

"Warn me of what?"

"The path you are on is of disaster. If you do not change your ways, if you do not learn your purpose, you may be lost forever!"

"Purpose? I think I understand my purpose quite well. Live my life as properly as possible and mind my own business (which is something I could say for someone standing in this room right now...)"

"IRONBIRD!" Norm thundered. "Do not test me. By the beard of General Lee, you will not pass through this night without being tested. Three times, in fact. Expect the first at the stroke of one, the next at two, and the third at three. Heed well the messages they give you - for your running soul is at stake!"

With that, the apparition turned to run out of the room. Yet, it wasn't really a run as much as it was a shuffle. The head tilted over to the side, the arms pumped furiously, but the legs never really left the ground.

Yup, that was Norm all right... 

No run or spin today

Had to call a stop today. I did indeed lift, because that was scheduled, but I had to take a day off of running and riding.

It's hard. I want to do more. I have 100 miles already this week on the bike, yet I want more. It's way early to be doing that much, and my head knows it. Still, there are others out there riding like crazy. It's hard not to feel as if I'm falling behind.

The injury was a wake-up call. Though minor, it may well be a harbinger of what's to come if I don't change my ways. To put it in the spirit of the season, my left shin was the Jacob Marley of my exercise regimen.

Hey! That would be a heck of a Christmas post! Being visited by training partners of the past, present, and future! Oboy, I can't WAIT to write this one up...

Okay, some things to remember

Let me start with some important dates and events.

First, there's the Christmas Eve run, Tuesday, 8 AM, First Baptist Church. There is a donation being collected to benefit charity. This year you will be able to designate your gift to either of two entities. More on that later. Running distance will be 5 miles or so, but hey, it's your run too!

Next, the year-end banquet is on, and it will be BUB'S! Jimmy worked his magic, so we will be in the upper room again. Jimmy threw out the idea of doing burger and dessert, but I believe there should be some discussion first. I personally am thinking of revisiting the two-burger challenge. I think I can do it easier!

Finally, there will be a New Year's Day run. Time hasn't been hashed out, but traditionally that's 8 AM at the Courthouse. I'm assuming it will go that way again. I will post if that changes.

Alright, so today was a bit of a free day. I could have skipped either the run or the ride, and since I don't lift on Thursdays, it would have been a complete day off. I opted instead to run and ride. The run was effortless, if slow. The ride took a bit of breaking in early on, but by the end was also quite easy. I ran out of time before I ran out of gas... had to get to the pool in time to see Heatherly and Galloway!

I was looking at the USAT rankings today. The reason I keep looking is completely self-absorbed, I'll be the first to admit. Ever since I became a triathlete and joined the organization, I have wanted to make All-American. I have been Honorable Mention numerous times, and actually did have All-American one year but was rooked because of Tuxedo Brothers' paperwork snafu, but I digress... Anyway, I had a pretty good year this year in spite of everything, and had a shot. And I still do. The tabulation will reshuffle many times between now and the final tally in February, but as of today, the numbers look like this...

In my age group (50-54):

• In Indiana - 7th
• In the Mideast Region - 20th
• In the country - 169th
• Final Result - Honorable Mention

My point total was 85.7. All-American cut off at 86.3. Close, but not good enough. I'd said all along it would take 86-87 points to make it, and I really felt as if Jeffersonville and Boilerman ought to do it - after all, I took 2nd in both races - but alas, the races apparently get no respect. I really don't want to game the game to get the win, but at this point I'm beginning to think again.

Races that have scored well have been Muncie, Chicago, and the Eagle Creek series. I can't do Chicago, but Eagle Creek and Muncie are at least possible... How bad do I want this?

Starting to get better

I think I've figured out the shin injury... or at least, the catalyst.

I've not taken any down time since the marathon - I've run harder. I've added a lot of biking. I added a lot of leg lifting to my routines.

And there was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I think I could have gotten away with almost all of the rest of the stuff, but the lifting was just one more thing too much. It fits the injury description as well. I was running on a treadmill, hopped off and went straight into the leg lift routine. Spasm and that was that.

This week I decided to skip the leg workouts and just run and ride. Runs are limited to 3 miles, rides whatever I feel like. And things are quickly getting better. So what have I learned?

Probably nothing. I seem to have to learn lessons over and over, but what I think I learned (again) is that I'm getting older, and thumbing my nose at risk has consequences. Of all the things to hurt me, the thing I expected least was lifting on my legs, but there it is. On top of that, it didn't even happen in the obvious way. I think I curled my toes up hard enough on leg extensions to cramp my shin muscles because of isometric contraction. In short, I got a cramp. As we know, cramps often lead to pulls and swelling, and since the muscles in this region are located in a sheath, the ensuing swelling caused pretty severe pain. On top of that, since it was a lower extremity, anytime I was on my feet, I got more swelling.

I've kept my leg elevated as much as I can at night, but I've been able to train. It is getting better, and that's the most important part of it all. I'm off Advil, have been for a week. At this point, everything is manageable.

Tomorrow is a ride and swim. That's all!

A short run and a swim meet

There wasn't much time to do anything tonight. The swim meet was in Jennings County, a good 80-minute drive considering traffic. With this in mind, there was no way to get a spin. A short run was the only option.

How short? I've said this week would be only 3-mile runs, and that's what I did. It was done at a decent pace, right at 7:30, but hey, it was only 3 miles. The leg didn't hurt too badly at the time. We'll see how that goes over the next day or so.

The swim meet went as expected - we lost. The team just isn't very good or deep this year. Why doesn't matter, it just is what it is. It's still fun to watch your kid participate in sports, no matter how the team does. At least, that's the way it should be. If you can't enjoy your kid's athletics at that basic a level, you probably don't have your priorities right.

Tomorrow I will lift, run, then ride. I'd sure like to push the ride a little longer, but you know what? I will have to bring some peanut butter fudge if I plan to do that...

A Triple?

Technically, yes.

I lifted first. That was about 45 minutes worth of semi-aerobic activity. Given that I do circuit training, the heart rate does stay up the whole time. So yeah, that's one.

Next came the run. I only did 3 miles or so, but hey, it's the first week back after injury. The pace was under 8 minutes, and actually the running was easy enough to do. I did hurt afterward as expected. I'm glad I only went 3.

Finally, there came the ride. This went well for about 7 miles or so, then suddenly I bonked. I really couldn't stay on the bike for any speed and considered calling it a night. That's when I remembered Galloway's peanut butter fudge still in the lab. That's right, I ate a couple pieces of the candy, and I was good to go.

We had a full house. Roy, Allen, Me, Miller, Denny, Scott, and Jimmy all rode at least a little. I got my 20 in thanks to the emergency rations on hand. Most everyone else rode for an hour or so, except for Denny, who on his second ride did 40 minutes.

Allen couldn't help but try his Svengali nonsense again. As I was leaving he made some comment about who was still on the bike. I mentioned my run and lift, which he dismissed. The only guy I know who declares himself the winner of such an exchange any quicker is Jarrard. Pretty easy if you make all the rules!

Tomorrow I won't be able to spin - swim meet is in Jennings County. I will try a short run. The next ride will be Wednesday night (for me). 

Pepper Burger + Indoor Spinning = Misery!

Okay, so I often have not so good ideas. No, sometimes I have downright bad ideas. Like today. At lunch I went for the Pepper Burger at Wings and Rings. I love the sandwich, and you add their kettle chips... man, ambrosia of the gods. I don't get it often, but I never miss a chance when I'm there.

I figured I would pay for the burger down the line, but I had no idea how quickly it would happen, or that the misery would be shared by others. We were supposed to meet at the lab at 3 to spin; I wanted more miles, so I got there early. By the time I was on the bike, I could tell the gastric disturbance would be a sooner rather than later issue.

If you've never been to the lab, the spinning room is full. Tight. Phone booth tight. Put bluntly, if I flare my elbows while on the bike, I would hit the person next to me.

So I was about 16 miles into a 30-mile ride when the pain became unbearable. I ripped one loose and was immediately sorry. Not as sorry as the fellow next to me, I assure you. One of our members has said he learned in college that, however bad a smell is, your nose registers it for only 8 seconds. That lie was put to rest this afternoon. I singed the nose hair out of the poor fellow next to me.

If I had any class at all I would have gotten off the bike and gone home, but since I have no class I stayed. I promised the miserable wretch next to me I would hold on until 20 miles then go. Small comfort that must have been! I suppressed all other urges for that length of time (about 12 more minutes), then had a walk in another room. That seemed to help, and I was able to get on the bike and complete another 10 miles without incident. The damage was done, though.

I felt so bad after the fact. The more I thought about it the more I realized I shouldn't have put the guys through that. I did get my 30 miles completed, but not without cost. For the endurance athlete, gas is a fact of life. Under normal circumstances you let it fly and there is no harm done. Farting in a phone booth with a captive audience is never a good idea, even amongst friends.

Anyway, I'm thinking of changing the name of the place from the Energy Lab to "Dutch Oven". 

Another successful spin

The leg is getting better, though I'm taking no chances. I will run either tomorrow or the next day, either way it will be short, slow, and inside. I'm not about to go out on slick roads and start this process all over again. Uh-uh. I am confident I'll have my miles back up soon enough, and if a week's running is all it cost, especially at this time of year, no harm done.

I'm wishing Jimmy the best of luck as he faces knee surgery again, this time on the mirror-image of the first one. Galloway says knees are like headlights - when you replace one, you might as well go ahead and get the other one done. Smart man.

I waited until later in the day to spin. I know I was off. By waiting my leg got 24 hours to rest, which I felt was smart. There was also a chance of having company on the spin. Only Jimmy showed. I suppose Allen had his feelings hurt yesterday, doubley really, because I didn't mention his name in last night's ride title AND I rode farther.

So the goal tonight was at least 20. After getting there, I would reassess. There is a method to the madness: I've signed up for a Strava challenge, and it will require 40 miles a day (almost) average for eight days. I won't actually do it that way, of course... more like 60/40, but I'm getting the mind ready for the average. The body won't have any real trouble with it of course... it's the boredom of sitting on the saddle for so long that will be the killer. I will be off during the challenge, so I can even break it into two rides a day, morning and evening. That seems a bit more appealing.

ANYWAY... I wound up with 30 tonight. I'm quite happy with that, as now I have logged 80 miles in the last three days. My refurb 510 worked flawlessly, even after I added my heart rate monitor. Here's hoping the problem is solved!

Back to the lab tomorrow. I won't run at Jimmy's, so it'll be an early start for me. Jimmy and I plan to be riding by 5:15, though I'm sure I will go much longer. Jimmy has a workout appointment at 6:30, but don't let that stop you from joining in!

So far, so good

The new Garmin 510 (more accurately, the replacement refurbished Garmin 510) came in the mail today, and I was able to get it up and running for the ride in the afternoon. Syncing it up to the GSC 10 unit was no problem, and it worked flawlessly throughout the workout. There, that gets the drama out of the way first.

We were off school again today, so I went to the gym in the morning. I lifted, did core, then went to Bloomington with Leisa and Igor. It was a nice break from the last few days of being nailed to a chair elevating my leg. I figured walking around a bit would be a good test of my recovery.

We went to the Trojan Horse for lunch - I went for the fish tacos, Leisa a gyro, and Igor had the tilapia. It was a good meal, not too much, not too little. We did find out Igor is no fan of V8 drinks!

After that we went down to campus to visit the law building. Igor wants to be a lawyer, so this was a chance to visit an actual school. It's finals week, so we had to be quiet. We were able to walk the building, see the library and some classrooms, but that was about it. As we left, we drove around the perimeter of the campus and showed him as much as we could. It was really too cold to take a long walk, and my leg wouldn't have taken it anyway.

A short trip to the mall to spend a little birthday cash (in the form of Dick's credit) was next. Leisa and Igor did their thing, I sat in a chair and waited. I do like mall chairs! Whoever came up with the idea of putting living room furniture out in the general area - brilliant.

Once we got home, I pretty much got ready to go to the lab. I wanted to get at least 30 miles in, so I would have to start before everyone else. What I didn't know was Jimmy and Haley were also starting early, so I wound up being included in their workout - sorta. Hope they didn't mind! We were later joined by Roy and Allen.

In the end it was 30 miles completed. That was right on target, and probably going to be my staple distance, at least until I can run again. I walked to and from the lab, and the short walk is enough to tell me I'm a bit off of running just yet. Hopefully by Monday...

Spin again tomorrow, 30 miles!

Interesting couple of days

There I was, on a cold Thursday night, facing a likely snow day on Friday. The accumulation predictions were going up by the hour, and I was certain we would be out. Things were sizing up to be the perfect fitness weekend, even if everything had to be indoors.

I kicked it off by doing a treadmill run at the club. At 35 degrees and raining, it was the absolute worst running conditions outside, and frankly the very reason I bought a club membership to begin with. So I did the run inside.

It actually didn't go poorly. Though I had only the window in front of me, I was able to pass the time quickly, and dropped the mile speed mile after mile. It was actually a pretty good run. Then I stretched, and lifted my legs afterward. I thought it was a solid workout because I got so much done in such an economy of time.

Something went awry along the way. My left shin, low above my ankle, hurt horribly by the time I got home. It wasn't bone, of that I was fairly certain. It mattered little. The pain was sufficient to make even thinking of running or riding the next day impossible. I couldn't walk any distance without severe pain.

The next day wasn't much better. I kept the foot elevated, iced it, and took pain relievers. That alone should tell you something. I won't take aspirin for the most part. I have to be hurting pretty badly to get to that point. I could take the pain, but I wanted to get the swelling down ASAP. By this time I was sure it was soft tissue injury, but in the sheath on the inside of my shin. Yes, compartment syndrome, though I'd never had anything come on so suddenly. I'm guessing I had a spasm of some kind, pulled a muscle, and the swelling inside the sheath was causing the pain.

So the next two days were spent sitting in a chair with my leg elevated - not training. The lost opportunity drove me crazy, but if I've learned anything, it's that you have to respect injury. This type of thing doesn't get better if you ignore it. It has to be treated.

So I am on Advil and ice, and no running for a week. I was able to spin today for 20 miles, and that went very well (so far). I will spin all week, every day, and if things progress well, I'll start light running again next week. It won't hurt me to take some down time on running anyway, and as long as I can do something, I won't go insane.

By the way, there were six of us tonight in the Energy Lab - Jimmy, Scott, Rand, Roy, John T., and me. It was a good time, the next best thing to riding outside. We ride again tomorrow night at 6 PM. 

More trouble means luck for Troy

I talked to Garmin today. The guy tried to flowchart me, but I've been down that path before. I could finish his sentences before he could, which expedited the process. Sure, it might have been rude, though I wasn't going out of my way to be that way. I was on prep, and due to their hours it was the best time to call. My time was short, I didn't have time to mess around.

The short of it is they are sending me a replacement unit. I will mail mine back in the next day or so, which will get my deposit back. I updated the firmware last night to the latest (2.70 to 2.80), and I wanted a test ride. There was no real hope it would fix the problem since this update was pretty cosmetic, but it was worth a shot. On top of that, I left the computer running for 2 hours on my desk at work and it never froze. There was every hope it might work.

How wrong I was. In a little over a mile it froze. I was running a stopwatch, so I would at least have a time on the ride. I knew the distance ahead of time because I knew the course so well. It wouldn't be optimal, but it was an acceptable back-up plan.

I stopped only once to fix the Garmin, and I figured if it died again, I would ignore it. Almost 7 miles later it died. So I was almost halfway through the ride with a dead computer and I came up with the stupidest plan I've had in a while - I'd see if I could get it going long enough for a try at the highway 37 segment.

This was dumb on oh so many levels. The obvious was the Garmin; what's more, I've ridden 5 days in a row, and run 5 days in a row. I'm tired, my legs are worn out, so there wasn't any real hope of getting it. I guess I just wanted a reason to ride hard.

It started off very well. The Garmin started up, and I was flying down the highway. About 2.9 miles in and 5:52 on the clock it stopped working. I was approximately in front of Appleacres, the hardest part of the stretch, rolling at 29.2 mph. I'll save you the trouble of working out the average... it was 29.65 mph and would have gone up as soon as I hit the light, where the course turns downhill. Guaranteed KOM. Except for the dead computer. The real kicker: I could have worn the 305 and gotten the data on back-up. I even thought of it on the way out the door, but didn't think I had the time to wait for the 305 to acquire satellites. Dang.

So I will be borrowing Jimmy's 500 for a few days until the refurb 510 comes in. He's too kind! He's also a savior - I hate warranties, and I hate the mail. One is a hassle, and the other is too slow. Put them together and you get a slow hassle.

The run later went well. Scott did drag us (Roy, Nathan, and me), which we all knew would happen. However, I didn't suffer, either in the hip (too much) or any other way. As tired as I am, it went pretty well.

The lift later was a bit tougher. I was smashed by this point. Think of it - for 5 days I've done 3 workouts a day (run, ride, lift). My caloric intake has not gone up to compensate. I'm always hungry, and I bonk rather easily. I want to ride that line a bit, because if I can get through Christmas with the weight under control, the battle is won. Much easier to start January already at or about target weight than to be 10-15 lbs. over.

The next few days will be interesting. We are going to get snow, I don't think there's any doubt about that now. It's only a matter of how much, and how much ice that will go along with it. And that, my friends, brings the outdoor riding to an end for the foreseeable future. If it gets really bad, it will also end outdoor running for me. I have no intention of injuring my hips. That's why I have a club membership, after all.

IF the swim meet gets canceled tomorrow night, and that looks like a very real possibility, I think I'll take the Cannondale over to the Energy Lab...

Grrr!

The day I bought the Garmin Edge 510, I should have had my head examined. The first time it locked up, I should have sent it back. Fortunately, it's not too late to correct both mistakes.

Today's ride was the last straw. Three separate times the device powered down and restarted, wiping out everything I'd just done. It was a good thing I was on a known course, so I could at least manually enter the distance and time, but this is not acceptable. If the device doesn't work, it has to be fixed/replaced.

I have factory reset it and updated to the latest firmware. I will ride it one more time to determine my next step. If it misbehaves at all, I will call Garmin even as I'm boxing it up. That sucker will go back lickety-split. I've been assured by both Miller and John T. that Garmin support is good. I guess we're about to find out.

The ride itself today was frustrating not only because of the Garmin, but because I got caught by a train on Woodville Road. That never happens, and today, when I'm behind schedule, it happened. Here's the bad thing about that... that crossing is 11 miles into a 20-miler. If I turn back, that's 22 miles, an extra 6 minutes. If I wait, it's the extra whatever it takes the train to clear the tracks. With no end in sight, I took the only option I could be sure of - I doubled back. I was home right on the 5 o'clock hour, just enough time to get ready for the run, but not without some stress.

The run was fine - at least the 305 is reliable. It might take FOREVER to find satellites, but once hooked up, it works. Well, except for the race in Indy. No biggie. I would have been tied for 5th on Strava for the course, but no biggie. Who am I kidding, that was a biggie. Dangit.

It has been hectic the last two days, and it would have been easy to push the ride off until later. Glad I didn't. The forecast for the end of the week looks disastrous. The numbers keep getting revised, but we're looking at inches of snow plus ice. And... just like that, outdoor riding will be over.

Tomorrow I will try to ride and run again. And lift! Don't forget the lift! If that all gets accomplished, I will have 20 miles run, 80+ ridden, and I will be well-positioned for anything that happens. That's the plan.

Here's hoping the forecast is wrong...

It's like a Christmas miracle!

It looked hopeless. There are only so many minutes of daylight in the after school hours in southern Indiana this time of year, and the SIEC meeting scheduled for after school ate into that precious commodity. In a perfect world I would have rushed home after school, jumped on the bike and ridden south to Mitchell. That would have left me plenty of time to get back for the run, and maybe even enough to add a couple of miles of running.

If that wasn't bad enough, the skies had turned slate-grey, and frankly the prospect of being outside was completely unappetizing in spite of the warm temperature. The already dim afternoon light was made all the dimmer, and for the solar-powered athlete, it was depressing. My head knew it had to go out if at all possible, but the rest of me was looking for the out.

So it was with some surprise I rushed home after the meeting, and in the short trip forced my mind to shift over to ride mode. I'd already settled on the idea of lifting, running, then spinning later; I'm not the kind of athlete that can instantly shift my plans and keep the enthusiasm going, so changing was not easy. One thought carried me through - if I could get the ride done first, the biggest hurdle of the day would be crossed. The run would have company, and the lift could be done in the shortest time and in the dark. It made sense, and for once I let my head rule the situation.

I almost headed to Mitchell in spite of everything. The thing that probably stopped that was my computer shut down within the first mile. Getting it restarted took time I didn't have, and there was no reliable way to be sure I'd make it back in time for the run if I left town. By staying in town I could get 15-18 miles, run, and maybe do a short spin later. It was a compromise, but I could stomach it.

The course was the Jimmy Industrial workout with a twist; once on Hillcrest I would do 3 hard laps. This gave me two intervals per circuit, one on the hill, one on the circle. It also moved the ride along and kept the pace up, and as luck would have it enabled me to get the whole 20 miles in.The best part was I didn't hate the whole thing. It's a workout I could do again in a pinch.

The timing was nearly perfect. I was able to get to the run in plenty of time, though my Garmin 305 took its sweet time finding satellite reception. Once done, we were off. Five of us did the run - John T., Rand, Roy, Bartlett, and myself. Scott had son duties, Jimmy a bad knee, and Miller still recovers from his race I suspect.

The run complete, all that was left was the lift. I ate supper with the family, did the dishes, and off to the gym. It was a little crowded by this time, but I was able to adjust my workout so it wasn't interrupted much, and it soon enough was complete. All told I had a bit over 2 hours activity today, right on target.

Tomorrow I hope to follow a similar total, though it might be arranged differently. If I could get that done, my week would be largely made. Good thing too; the back half of the week looks colder AND busier.

December 1st - Seriously?

We had a good regular group this morning for our Sunday run - John T., Scott, Galloway, Chris, and myself. We actually pretty much stayed together the whole way, and ran just a smidge over 8-minute pace. Regular course, regular players, nothing new to see here, move along.

What was noteworthy today was the weather. It was in the mid-50's, sunny, and very mild compared to recent weather. It was enough to draw out 7 riders to the Mitchell Church of Christ for a 2:30 ride. Ruminate on that... December 1st, 7 guys show up for an outdoor ride. Think back... when's the last time anyone remembers THAT on ANY day in December?

It looked early on like the group would quickly break in half. John T. and Scott took off, Troy caught, James was midway between groups, and Allen, Dan, and I were in the back. At the end of the Super 2 the front waited for the back, and from that point on we stayed together.

We did a slight modification of the regular Huck's Run, giving us right at 21 or so miles. My Garmin gave me some headaches and I was forced to make up a mile I lost to trouble. Why? Sure as I didn't, Allen would be crowing about how he rode more. He promised he wouldn't, but you know what a liar he is.

Gotta say, I'm happy about the distance this week, really training in general. I got all my miles and  much, much more. It won't be easy to replicate that on working weeks, but so what? Gotta be opportunistic, and this week, I was.

The next three days offer great riding opportunities. Beyond that, forget it.

A big week

One must be mindful of one's opportunities, whatever they may be. In this case, a 2-day work week left many hours available for training. Though tired, I was determined to make the most of the time left to me.

The sum of the week went to the tune of nearly 40 miles run, 110 biked, and two outdoor rides (with one day to go). I'll also add six lifting sessions and holiday and birthday meals. The run was right on target. The ride was out of the park. I would have been happy with 60 miles, but the time was there. Might as well make the most of it.

The running was interesting. My left hip has hurt most of the week, so I wasn't all that hopeful I'd get the target, or anywhere close. The week was planned with a 10-mile run scheduled for Saturday (today). The plan altered slightly when I ran almost 9 Thursday - 4 for the race, then 4.5 miles cool-down. I took yesterday off running, then came into today planning only to run 5. Time was a little tight, and I didn't think I needed two long runs this week.

So when the run started today, there was a healthy number of people present, the chief players in this drama being Josh Anderson and Scott Bartley. Both of those guys wanted 10 miles, and initially I begged off. But as Scott and I began to break off the group at the start, I had second thoughts. Why not start out as if we were going to do 10? The worst that would happen is I would have to cut off the end, but that would leave Scott and Josh together to finish their 10. No reason not to start it.

So we went, the three of us. I considered my situation; Josh likes to run hard at the start, Scott at the end. Perfect - I was sandwiched between two maniacs! The fears were not to be fully realized, at least not by me. My hip held together, so it was a cruise. Josh was on cruise control. Scott was the only one who professed any form of stress, but he didn't appear to be struggling to me.

Later in the afternoon Allen and I did an outdoor ride from the church. It was in the lower 50's, quite pleasant except for the strong southwest wind. That was okay inasmuch as we would get to ride home with a strong tailwind. That said, it did seem like we were headed south forever.

I had no intention of going after any segments, save one; when Allen changed our plans to include a much deeper south piece, I planned to go for the downhill screamer. Why? It was only the 2nd time I've ridden it, the first being when I made the segment in the first place. With a strong southwest wind, it'd be a great time to try for it. Allen agreed, and we went a bit further south before turning east.

It was worth it. I'm in terrible shape, and I didn't enjoy it very much, but both Allen and I surpassed the previous time. It won't last long; Troy will not long endure such a brazen incursion into his territory, but for now, we own it.

Tomorrow is a run in the morning, a ride in the afternoon, again from the church. The run starts at 8, the ride at 2:30. All welcome!

Thanksgiving Eve

Isn't it funny how when you have all the time in the world to train it's the last thing you want to do? I was off work today, and it should have been perfect. I could sleep in, run, ride, and lift, all being accomplished by lunch. It almost worked out that way, but not without hiccups.

It was cold this morning- really cold. My iPhone app said 22 degrees, and even as I was checking it dropped another degree. Brrr. This was just before 8 AM, and right then I knew I wouldn't be running yet. Leisa was awake, so I opted to take her to breakfast. After all, we get very little quality time alone these days. Had to grab it while I could.

It was a nice breakfast. I went for the Western Omelette, though that's not really the best choice for a guy staring at three workouts. I did have time to reason out what I'd do. I figured it smarter to start with the thing that least appealed to me. This made sense because if I waited, I'd just drop that workout. Spinning for an hour appealed the least, so I would start there. The additional benefit was it allowed more time to warm up outside.

I can't say the ride was tough, though I sweat a lot. Like two huge puddles of liquid IronBill lying on the ground under the bike handlebars. My stomach was also beginning to hurt a bit. That did not abate by the time I was dressed to run, and the weather had not warmed much either. The stiff northwest wind cut through all clothing, and by now my back was beginning to spasm a bit. I was a bit dehydrated, and the breakfast sausage had a few bones to pick with me, too.

It wasn't fun, but the run did end, and so all my cardio work was finished before lunch. I still needed to go to Bloomington to pick up my wheel, so I ate lunch instead of doing my lift. I figured I'd find a lull in the gym around 3:30, which I did.

The lift wasn't any more fun than the  run. I'm wasted by now, mid-week and three rides done. I weighed myself after the run, and I'm sitting right at 176 lbs. - the weight I typically race. Sure, I would get a more accurate weight if I'd done it in the morning, but I figure my dehydration was offset by the Western Omelette. Assuming that's correct, I'm a bit amazed. Typically I'm packing on pounds this time of year, not losing them. I hope it continues, though I've no real clear reason why my weight is down. What I do know is I can feel it.

Tomorrow is the Give Thanks 4 run. I will do that, and if time allows later perhaps spin. I want at least one more this week, and whether I get it in a lull in the action tomorrow or Friday doesn't matter to me. I would like to have a day off, tentatively Friday, so my hip my heal faster.

First things first. Run tomorrow, at least. 

Alone again, naturally

There was nothing for it but to go on. With another poor night's sleep, there was practically nothing I wanted to do less than run today, but that's what I started with after work. It was the only way. If I had gone to the gym first I would have run short of the mental energy necessary to go out. It would have so easy to say, "Ah, take the night off. You need one anyway." Thing is, it's true; I do need to take a day off this week. It just didn't need to be tonight. If I had taken a day, it's a sure bet I would be sorry later in the week.

One thing I didn't do was press. I kept the pace under 8 minutes, an absolute necessity as far as I'm concerned, but I didn't press at all. The splits on the run were pretty even too, suggesting I'm beginning to find my rhythm. Sure, it's about a minute per mile slower than 5 years ago, but that's 5 years ago. Nothing kills an older athlete faster than his memory.

The left hip hurt the whole run. It didn't get worse, which is good. Still, it's a concern moving forward. I'm kind of wondering how I train for longer races if the hip issue crops up so quickly. Time will tell.

The guys hit the lab again today. Keep it up! It's great so many people are riding so much so early. If this continues through the winter there will be no weak riders in the spring. Sure would make for an interesting riding season next year. Natchez Trace anyone?

Tomorrow I will run, lift, and ride. It only makes sense. I'm off, and there won't be much to do the day before Thanksgiving. On the other hand, Thanksgiving will be VERY busy. Might as well bank some training in case the end of the week gets crowded.

Don't forget Give Thanks 4 on Thursday morning!

Two posts in one day

So the last post was this morning, the next this evening... I didn't plan it, but it's the way it works out tonight. I might have found a viable alternative to my computer banishment in the form of cast-off laptops. I keep one for cross-country, running the timing system and such. It's slow, but for the purposes of blogging it should be fine. Plus I will keep it updated better this way, so I'll give it a shot.

The day turned out better for training than I imagined. After school there was a lift, and it was a good one. For the first time in months I was able to do dips. So what, you say? Dips are one of the best exercises for swimmers because of how they isolate tricep muscles in a swim-specific motion. I haven't been able to do them because of a shoulder injury, but apparently it is sufficiently healed for me to add dips to my regimen. It's been a slow recovery, but I'm happy to say it appears it may be nearly complete.

I wish the same could be said for my hips. I have been working, core, stretching, and doing leg workouts like never before. If it's helping, I can't tell. The hips hurt like they always have. Well, the hip. Left, to be exact. Arthritis? Tendinitis? I have no idea. I just know it hurts. All. Day. Long. And into the night, too.

When I saw Scott at the run, I knew there'd be some fast in it. And there was. What I didn't expect was who would be fast. I warmed up with Jimmy, John T., and Bartlett. Scott edged away almost right away. I let it go until we hit Southland Church of Christ. I had to catch him on the drive because I knew he'd go over the hill. I wasn't going to lose that distance to him this week. We ran down, then up 27th to U Street, then caught back up with the guys. By now we were already working up a head of steam, so we passed through and on. We wound up taking Washington all the way down to 29th, returning to the Hair Company just as the guys got there.

Now I thought we'd pass through again and leave them behind. I had just commented how I didn't feel too bad leaving Jimmy behind when there were others back there - I didn't want him to rehab alone - when Scott said, "Jimmy's about to pass you!"

I thought he was joking. He wasn't. Jimmy decided to go with us, to test his knees. He did a great job hanging in there for as little as he's been able to run. The last mile was under 7 minutes, and the whole run under 8. Not a bad 5 miles for him.

After the run, Jimmy and Scott went to the Energy Lab for a spin. I went home for dinner. Leisa cooked a pot roast, which was great, but then I had to spin almost right away. That's right, I said this morning I probably wouldn't spin. Well, I did.

It actually went pretty well. I had the new Garmin attachment for cadence and speed, enabling me to spin inside with Garmin data. The bike, newly repaired, felt great. The Garmin worked okay, but it did drop out a couple of times. I have some adjustments to make I think, but there's nothing there that can't be fixed.

So... that's 10 miles running and 20 riding already this week. Expressed another way, my week is one-third done in two days. It's just as well. Tomorrow there's a swim meet. Thursday is Thanksgiving. I'll be off after tomorrow, but I have a feeling there won't be much spare time...

Posting irregularity

First, apologies for my infrequent posting. The paradigm shift in my house has left me without reliable access to a computer. I'm left to scavenge what is left over, and that doesn't happen at any regular intervals. In some respects I'm a regimented individual, and I get used to doing things at a certain time every day. Once that time is past, I tend to let whatever task go. In this case, by very late in the evening I don't much care to sit down and try to compose anything cogent.

Next, where did fall go? WINTER arrived so quickly, I didn't even have time to appreciate fall. Wait, let me reduce that font some more, to illustrate the brevity of the season. fall. There, that should do it.

I'm proud of Jimmy. He understands his weakness. He is 100% socially driven in his workouts, and he knows unless he provides group times for his spins, they won't happen. I've known him for a couple of decades now, and I feel qualified to observe the certainty that Jimmy does not spin on his own at his own home. He simply won't.

It's another happy intersection of need, because a few of the boys are joining in over at the Energy Lab. There are the rudiments of a great workout facility present, and more accumulating all the time. Galloway's contribution Saturday was a CD from his son's friend, HUM-V, a white boy rapper with smooth Snoop Dogg style and rhythm. Scott brought a flat-screen TV, Rand fixed lighting, I brought a DVD/VCR player, and Allen brought his personality.

I could have joined them, but I have a few things working against it. Don't get this the wrong way, it may not sound right, it's just my explanation.

For starters, they don't ride often enough. By that I mean there are three scheduled days, and that's it. For me that doesn't work, because the selected days will often as not land on swim meet days, and I simply won't be available. Sure, I could go over on my own, but that defeats the purpose.

Next, they don't ride long enough. Once I get the spin going, 20 miles is my minimum distance, just like outside. More often than not it's 30 or 40 miles, and often I will go 60-80 for long spins. Those boys will wave bye-bye after an hour, and once again I'm left there alone.

Sometimes I have a very limited time to get a spin in, and the timing is down to minutes. The travel time to-and-from the lab, however short, is a factor.

So it's nothing against the opportunity, I'm glad it works for the guys, but it's just not going to work for me. I might occasionally drag a bike over, but it will never be a regular thing. Too much stuff to get through.

With all this in mind, Saturday came and it was cold. The forecast high was mid-30's, meaning the morning temperature we saw on the run was pretty much it. We ran and headed to McDonald's for a quick breakfast and discussed the scheduled spin. Up to this point, I was still considering the move over. It was cold out, no mistake about that. However, the sun was beginning to peek out behind a thin layer of clouds on a broken cloud deck, and it was likely it would break out altogether. The wind, though not calm, wasn't yet strong as it was forecast to be later. There was a small window for a ride, maybe not a full ride, but a ride.

Inner IronBill was talking it up, so loud I could hear him over the dialogue at the table. "Go on, wuss. You can ride outside. Show these guys it's too early to be indoors." Stuff like that. Hey, I'll be the first to admit Inner IronBill is often full of crap, and he was Saturday. But don't we all find ourselves upon occasion listening to the wrong influence?

After dropping by the lab to watch the guys get set up, I made the call. It was outside, for sure. Jimmy told me to pull into the neighbor's parking lot if I went, so after I got home, pulled on the gear, and started out, I pulled into the lot, near enough the south-facing windows for the boys to see me. I know Allen did anyway, as he saluted me with the seat of his pants pressed against the window.

The thing to remember about cold-weather rides is they always start off cold. If you can't ignore the first 15 minutes outside, you'll never go outside. Things you may rely on: your core will be warm in a short while, your head and face will stay warm, your legs won't be bad, but your hands and feet will take the brunt of it, and if they start cold, they'll probably stay cold. Those are the greatest limiters of winter riding in my humble opinion.

It was 34 degrees and sunny, wind was light out of the northwest, and my plan was to spin around town on the south side. I had in mind to do the Industrial workout, maybe adding a bit to the end to get to 20 miles. On my way down Washington, pitching that idea around in my head seemed more and more unpalatable. Halfway down the avenue I knew I was headed to Mitchell. Inner IronBill will not be denied! He was right though... you can't kinda be a man. You are or you aren't.

It was a pleasure to ride south, so much so I was becoming alarmed. It meant of course the ride back would be no fun at all, and at this temperature, a headwind is brutal on hands and feet, however small it might be. My regular path would have been to get to Mitchell and come back on 37, but if the wind was strong, that would be suicidal. The backup plan was to come back on Rabbitsville Road. I went a little deeper into Mitchell just to have the extra miles to play with on my weekly distance, turned north, and knew it would be a long trip back.

That's the beauty of an out-and-back course. Once you're at the turn point, you have no choice but to return. I had 12 miles by the time I turned; the ride would be at least 24. The question remained whether or not I'd have toes when I got home.

It wasn't all that bad, at least not until the very end. By then the fronts of my feet did feel the bit. I'd forgotten to duct tape the air holes on the front of my shoes, and that caused me a bit of trouble. I would correct that for my next outdoor ride and it would be better.

I did ride out again on Sunday, and of the two rides, it was the colder. I was fortunate enough to get my Cannondale repaired on a Sunday, the intention being to test it out on a spin, but when I got home and the conditions were only marginally worse than the day before, I decided to get another outdoor ride.

It went well enough, but my feet got way colder than the day before. The wind was stronger, it was slightly colder, and I didn't have a run right before the ride. I made it, but the last 5 miles were no fun at all.

The up side was I did test the new Garmin sensor. It worked, though I noticed a couple of dropouts during the ride. Nothing significant, and it was cool to see the candence information later.

Running tonight. I doubt there will be a spin. 

A lot to cram in

Work. Run. Swim meet. Swim. Core workout. Yup, it was a busy night. 

I won't bore you with the work stuff. It was a standard day, assignments are humming along pretty well, though the days seem unending as we head into the Thanksgiving break. We're making progress though - only three working days left until break.

The run was scheduled for right after school. This choice was of necessity, because there was no way to guarantee I'd be able to get the core workout, leg lift, and run in the short time I had before the meet started at 5 PM. It was the right call too; despite my run being fast (34 minutes for 5), there wasn't anywhere near the time necessary to go take care of the gym. That would have to come after the swim later.

I did squeeze in a haircut. That wasn't too tough since I do those myself. It did eat up my eating time, so it was a shower and run out to the meet after the haircut. 

The meet wasn't what I thought either. We thought it would be co-ed - no such luck. Nope, they ran a regular meet, with boy and girl events. This meant it would take twice as long. My slim hope of having time to go to the gym before the swim was gone.

To top it off, Galloway, in typical Galloway fashion, was early. I ran up to Steven's to get a sandwich, came back, and set him loose in the pool. As soon as I downed my Jalepeno burger and potato wedges I hopped in the pool. No, I didn't wait a half hour! I wasn't going far anyway. 

Jimmy and Allen showed up a bit later. They were fresh off the inaugural Energy Lab spin session. Jarrard and Greg were there too, so it was well-attended. 

We broke up about nine. I decided it wasn't too late to get the gym done, so off I went. It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Before I knew it, things were done, and now I have the satisfaction of getting it all in. I don't want to have to work it like this every day, but once in a while, it's okay.

Tomorrow will be easier. Only a lift, It's our anniversary, so we're going out to eat. 

Saturday is a run and probably a spin somewhere. 

A brick

Anytime you can get a brick in November, you're doing okay. I got that and more. First a ride, then a run, and the cherry on the sundae, I even got a lift. Since the pool was unavailable to me tonight, it's the best I could have hoped for.

I was watching the weather all day to see if it would be good enough to go out. I wasn't that worried about rain, I didn't think it'd be that cold, and it didn't seem all that windy... still, this time of year it just takes a combination of a few of the factors to make it unsuitable. By the end of work it was 54 degrees, partly sunny, and slightly breezy from the southeast. It was not beautiful by any means, but it was very doable.

I had no illusions about a fast ride - last night's run was a pretty good effort, and my hip hurt all day. Probably a ride was just the thing to help it, but not if I blasted the ride too. And anyway, it's November, way too early to be blasting. That will come soon enough.

I went the regular route, down the cut, Dixie Highway, Yockey, Rabbitsville Road, Woodville Road, Highway 37... I just kept a rhythm. No push, just steady effort all the way. I'd given myself plenty of time to complete the ride, actually with time to spare - always a good idea, because a flat will put you 10 minutes behind in nothing... flat.

The timing was perfect. I had just enough time to switch shirts, put on running shoes, gather up a VCR/DVD player for the Energy Lab, and head off to the run. Scott was indeed there, meaning there would be a faster portion of the run somewhere. Miller was there too, dispelling my Fox News-generated theory that WinD had murdered him, which Obama knew about (but denied).

Along with the speedy duo was Jimmy, Nathan, and the girls Amelia and Chelsey. Miller would run with the girls; the rest of us would soon part ways. Jimmy kept to 3 because of a sore knee. Miller and the girls would only run 4. Nathan was in his silly slipper-shoes, so my choice was obvious; run alone, or stay with Scott. One way or another, I was going to get 5.

Scott finally did break it open, and I did follow. Nathan came along too, more than I thought he'd be able to in those "shoes". The power of the human mind to deny the obvious when it wants to believe something else is beyond comprehension. Nathan talked about how good the shoes were for his running, except by using them he nearly got a stress fracture and had to take six weeks off running... and that's a good idea? Knowing Miller is a full-blown Kool-Aid sipper, I went for the only reasonable mind within range - Rowan. I kneeled down, looked Rowan in the eyes, and shook my head "NO!" He agreed. But I digress...

Scott tends to really bring it home a lot harder, this time hard enough to earn him the #4 spot on the "Miracle Mile". We ran step-for-step on the mile, but somehow his time was faster than mine. Really bizarre. Anyway, we were under 6:30 pace by the end. That's not too tough to do, finally, and there is hope that when tempos start in January that will be a reasonable pace to try.

Tomorrow... sketchy. The kids have an inter-squad meet at 5, the guys want to swim at 8:15. I think those things will fit okay, but I'd sure like to snake a run and a lift in there too. That will prove harder.

Quality 10

I probably mislabeled my run in Strava tonight - I referred to it as "Hard 10". That's not exactly true; it was more like a quality 10.

Like I outlined last night, I did hit the gym after school. First was the core workout, then legs. This all ended around 4:30, and I needed to go home to pick up my running watch and change shirts because the weather was getting colder by the minute. The result was the start of the first part of the run was pushed right up to the limit of being able to get anything significant done before the second part of the run was due to start. For a moment I even considered skipping the first part.

That's when I thought to myself, "What Would Miller Do?" (WWMD)

He'd go of course. What choice did I have? I hit the bricks, and with only 36 minutes, I'd try for 4 miles. I had to get 3, but I hoped for 4 if all went well.

You'd think a guy with as much experience as I have would be able to call this a little closer, and in the old days I would have. The old days are gone. I never know how I'm going to feel, or how hard I'll be able to push, until I'm actually running. Sometimes that's 7-minute pace, sometimes it's 9, I just never know.

Tonight the first mile went by in 7:18, but I could tell by the time the mile ticked over I was running much faster than that. The Garmin's instantaneous pace told me I was at 6:48, and if I could keep that up, I'd be well under the 35-minute mark. That would be just enough to get a full 5 miles in. All I had to do was keep going.

Easier said than done, of course. My lungs were fine, breathing was fine, but it was a constant struggle to stay focused on the gait necessary to keep a comfortable pace. I have two ways of running: one is precise (as Roy described it), with shorter but faster steps, and; the other is a more open, rolling motion. The latter is my faster running style, and I was trying hard to maintain it. Seems like it would be easy, since it was also faster AND easier. Surprisingly, it wasn't. I've spent so much time in the former, it feels more natural, and when my mind drifts, my body shifts back into that mode.

Returning to Parkview I found Scott, John T., and Robin waiting. I begged them to wait until a could open a box of raisins and take a drink of magic elixir (okay, Diet Coke). I drank the DC, loaded the raisins in my mouth, and took off, chewing as I ran. We were a minute late - sorry about that, guys!

Even though I told Scott I wouldn't chase him, my inner argument was already taking place. The borderline schizophrenic with slight sociopathic tendencies already knew if there was any way possible, if Scott took off, we would follow. I would follow. Half of me would. Whatever.

Robin sort of started it rolling. She launched from the start. She didn't speak at all - she was all business - and kept us well under 8-minute pace. Little by little, as we made our way down to the circle, Scott began to lead out. It wasn't much at first, but then again, it never is. I didn't try to match steps just yet. The gap hadn't yet grown too much to cover with a few quick steps.

About halfway around the circle that changed. In typical Scott MO, the gap suddenly opened. I don't know for sure if that was because Robin slowed (she did) or if he sped up (he did), but there was no longer any question about it - the time had come. Either I would let him go, or I would follow. As we exited the circle, I cast a backward wave to John T. and Robin. They yelled, "bye!", and Scott and I were gone.

Was there ever any doubt?

Scott definitely controlled things. I wasn't comfortable, but neither was I truly uncomfortable. Talking was not difficult, though maintaining the gait was, just as it had been earlier. Still, with focus, I handled it. Good thing, too; as usual, the farther we went on the break, the faster Scott went. Things finally got to the point I wanted it to be done, and like magic, it was. My final overall pace was 7:13 per mile, a solid 10-mile effort.

I haven't really paid for it, at least not yet. My left hip is sore, but it's no more sore than it was before the run. If that's the same tomorrow, we'll call it a win. Better, I was able to get everything in tonight I wanted AND still get to Scouts on time. Not a bad night.

Oh, and when we got home, Leisa had made a couple loaves of her delicious pumpkin bread... yum!

Double

Okay, so the decision to bypass the ride yesterday turned out to be the right one on so many levels. My hip was sore, there were tornadoes...

That second one is probably the more important of the two. The weather, when it did turn sour yesterday, did so quickly and violently. There would have been no safe way to ride out on the highway in such high wind - even though the segments would have been legendary. I don't care about things that much... Troy wins if he has the nerves (lack of brains) to go out in that kind of stuff. Not saying he did, but since he tends to lag a day or two before he posts, let's wait and see if a 45 mph segment pops up somewhere...

I had a meeting after school today, and that limited the time to work out. I was able to lift and run, but only 5 miles. After dinner I went back to the gym to spin. There was no other way to get it done since my bike is not yet set up. Besides, I wanted to watch the big screen!

It will be a challenge to get the rest in. There is a swim meet on Thursday, my anniversary is Friday, and there are Boy Scouts tomorrow. Time to get opportunistic and grab any chance I get! I would like to run a bit longer tomorrow, but I have to do core and lift legs as a priority. If that gets done fast enough, leftover time will be allocated to run.

One day at a time, folks...

An unexpected run

I did not plan to run today, but I did anyway. I slept in, more than I normally do anyway, but I wound up awake and wondering what to do. Since I knew everyone would likely be at Parkview, I decided to go and give it a shot. I could always pull out if the hips bothered me too much.

I'm glad I went. I ran, albeit very slowly. It also helped me feel better. My hip actually feels normal today. Hopefully that will continue to be the case as time goes on.

Leisa and I went to Ferdinand to visit the town festival and monastery. It was a good day - relaxed, the weather was fine (if ugly), and it wasn't so far away the drive was a load. We did get to look around a bit. I have to say it wasn't what I expected, but it wasn't a waste of time. I love spending time with Leisa, especially alone.

We took Igor out for the first time today - that is, out to eat. Yes, we allow him to go outdoors. We just hadn't dined out. We tried Chinese, and he seemed to like it. Igor likes to eat healthy, so there aren't a whole lot of choices in Bedford.

He's an interesting character. Very introverted, guarded even, which is cultural. However, Erin and Leisa's charm are winning him over. I am watching the show even as I write this. He doesn't mind female attention, I can tell you.

I'll have to be more on my guard about things. While I was enjoying my family, Troy has been out usurping my kingdoms. My beautiful new time on Highway 37? Gone. Didn't last 24 hours. He's becoming a beast, I tell you. Just remember though... dragons are born to be slain!

Run tomorrow morning. I will try to spin or ride outside, one or the other tomorrow. 

Week Enough

Thirty miles, 40 miles, and no swim. That's a week as far as I'm concerned. Of course that's run, ride, and no swim, in case you're wondering. There is the internal struggle to get more because I have another day left in the week, but to be honest, my hips hurt pretty badly right now. I need to get that under control before I resume volume again.

I'm hoping it's residue from the race and a hard schedule over the year. If that's true, a little rest here won't hurt, and things should resolve themselves quickly. I'm not taking any chances though. I'm doing strength training to help build up core and hips. See, there's a chance they are weak enough to give me trouble.

See what I did there? Week enough? Weak enough? hah!

There are maybe seven weeks until January, and that's when the heavy training usually resumes. Usually. The urge is strong to dive in and get it going. Exercise compulsion is a terrible mistress. I'm not afraid of keeping quality up, I just don't feel ready for quantity.

Tonight I needed a little over a 5k to make the week. I planned to lift, then run 3.2 miles. The lift went fine, though I wasn't in the mood for it. Fortunately the gym was relatively clear and I had clean sailing through all the units I needed to hit. Total time was at a minimum, and it was home to get ready for the run.

It was lucky I planned a short one, because the rain was on its way - or so it appeared. Dark clouds gathered to the south, and I took a brisk first few steps to get it over with as quickly as possible. Effort level was a 7.5 out of 10, steady but not too difficult. It would have been difficult to have easy conversation is how I would rate it. Pace was 6:41, starting at 7:00 and working its way down to 6:26. Sharp, not difficult.

Leisa and I were without kids tonight - they had their own plans - so we hit dinner and a movie. Casa Brava and then "Thor", and neither disappointed. I'll skip the description of the meal - was Mexican, so that means meat, sauce, and a shell. Lather, rinse, repeat. Let's get to the movie itself.

"Thor" was pretty darn good. Casting was excellent, especially Tom Hiddleston's Loki. There is a delightfully sinister quality to every nuance of his character, and Hiddleston seems born for the part. Chris Hemsworth is thoroughly satisfying as the conflicted Norse god, and the movie does justice to his torn allegiance. Even Natalie Portman holds her own opposite Hemsworth, displaying her customary blend of strength and weakness.

Introduced this installment are the "Dark Elves", beings that despise the current universe and long for the return of the old. The obvious dark vs. light, good vs. evil allegory is not lost, but doesn't come off too corny. Hey, it's a comic book. It's not supposed to be too difficult to grasp.

Overall rating: 4 out of 5 hammers

Finally, and "Where'd THAT come from?!"

For once a plan bore fruit. Today was scheduled to be a lift and ride, and thankfully, that's what happened. Well, almost... it was a ride and a lift. Close enough? You be the judge!

I didn't expect it to get as warm as it did. Not that it mattered... I was going out so long as it was sunny and at least 45 degrees. It was much better; 58 degrees, sunny, and windy. It wasn't super windy, I wouldn't even classify it as troublesome. There was simply a breeze, constant and from the south.

I had plenty of time to ride, though it wasn't enough to do more than 20 or so. It gets dark by around 5:15 now, so I needed to be home by then. I left just before 4, giving me right at 1:15 to complete. So long as there was no mechanical or flat, it would be more than enough.

The ride down was nothing spectacular, but neither was I trying for it. It's the off season, or more correctly, the off-off season. There is absolutely no gain for pushing big numbers right now. Mentally, physically, it's way too soon. I geared down and did some spinning and felt good. The wind, though in my face, didn't bother me at all.

I toyed with pushing the distance, but there was no way to get it done. I turned onto familiar paths, found myself on Highway 37 headed north, and went. I'd be lying if I said I didn't think about the segment - of course I did. I even thought I might have a shot at it given I did so well last week without any trying. So yeah, maybe I went a bit harder than last time - a little. But it wasn't an all-out.

Yes, I got it. Surprisingly, because I didn't think I was going that fast. Maybe it's the cooler air, allowing me to breathe and keep producing energy. Maybe I'm tapered. Maybe it was a bigger tailwind than I thought (I've had bigger!). No matter. It's done.

Later I went to the gym. When I got home it was time to look for some tape, because man, I'm getting ripped! ;)

Finally, the night ended at BNL pool. John T., Jimmy, and Allen all got wet. I supervised. Maybe I'll get in next week. Maybe.

Tomorrow is a lift, but probably off running and riding. Probably. 

Sorry about the late post

My writing computer is placed in a central location in my home now, and that means the whole family accesses it whenever. It makes it difficult for me to upload exercise info (which is the worst of it), though I can do some blogging on my iPad. It's not very handy, so I thought I'd wait out my daughters. That was a mistake.

As for the run, I wasn't looking forward to it. It was going to be short, only 5 miles, but my headache grew increasingly intense as the day went on, and my bones and joints were starting to ache. There was no fever, so I went ahead with things, but this is the type of stuff that precedes getting ill. I didn't think the run would be worth anything shouting about.

Nathan, Scott, Jimmy, and Bartlett showed to run. Galloway just showed. His son Chris is helping out with "The Inaugural Bedford Half Marathon", as it has been billed, and there is a meeting Thursday at 10 in the Courthouse downtown. Tim is trying to get the word out, so if you are available, you might drop by.

My move for the run was to go to the back of the pack and stay there as long as I could. My hips were hurting again, and I'm trying to get that under control. I'm still not totally recovered from the marathon, though my training is resuming, so I'll have to be careful with that one. That said, Scott began to lead out, almost right away.

This is the MO (modus operandi to those of you impressed by fellows hurling obscure Latin references into conversations so as to appear smarter); break slightly early, then somewhere along the way really open it up. My internal conversation went something like:

"Let him go."
"No, let him go a bit. You can catch him if you don't let it open too much."
"Let him go!"
"No, Jimmy will only run 3. You can decide if you want to chase him down then."
"LET HIM GO!"
"You not da' boss o' me!"

To the casual observer it looks like I'm a liar - I say one thing, then do another. I don't want you to think ill of me, so let me assure you I'm not a liar, rather I'm a full-blown schizophrenic with slight sociopathic tendencies. There, isn't that better?

So at three, sure enough Jimmy peeled. Bartlett wasn't forthcoming on his plans - is he ever? Nathan had broken with Scott, so that left me to catch. And I did. We did the real 5 too - took it all the way down to 29th Street. It didn't wind up being a scorching run by any means, in fact it was one of the slowest I've done in a while, but it had a couple of up-tempo miles in it. I can settle for that.

That's kind of the give-and-take of running with Scott. Last night I pulled him, tonight he pulls me. My body doesn't want to push, but my head knows I will feel better if I do. While those forces are in play, the competitive spirit jumps in and takes over.

Hey, did I just do a Holy Trinity there? Mind, body, and spirit? Wow. Now I am pushing my luck.

Planning for a ride on Thursday. Hoping for a miracle - sunny skies and warm enough temps to go outside. I am however prepared to do my first spin of the year if need be. Just hope I won't be needin'... 

No ride, but...

Okay, I'm worried. I haven't seen Miller in almost a week. Sure, we've seen WinD. Sure, she offered some excuse about where he is. There has even been activity on his Strava accounts - mostly kudos to other people on their efforts. But has anyone actually seen Miller? I must admit, I'm getting worried...

<Fox News Mode On>"Is it possible WinD has done Miller in, or possibly locked him in the attic? Is she insane? Is he insane? Are they both insane? If they are, would they know it? And what did Obama know, and when did he know it?"<Fox News Mode Off>

It got a lot colder today, which eliminated any chance for an outdoor ride. It wasn't really the temperature as much as it was the stiff northwest wind. Nothing would have made that okay. Not that it mattered. There wasn't time to hit all the points anyway. The short list of the evening went:

1. Core workout
2. Run
3. Shower/Dinner
4. Boy Scouts

No, I'm not trying to earn my merit badges. Our exchange student attends Boy Scouts, and I am the delivery man. Since the meeting happens so far out, it makes no sense to drive home and back out to get him. That rips two hours out of the schedule, and therefore any chance of a ride inside. 

That's more than fine, because the run tonight went over 10 miles. Coupled with the core workout and lifting legs (did I leave that off the list?) that was plenty of training. The week is back on schedule now, as there are three running days left and less than 10 miles to make. Should be a piece of cake. Now I can take one of those running days and get a ride. 

As of now I am planning on hosting a swim on Thursday night. I was told there was a drain problem during swim practice tonight, so there is the off chance the pool may be closed. We'll see tomorrow and I will post. 

Foiled Plans

We set goals for our workouts, sometimes a day at a time, sometimes a week or longer, but it's not always possible to stick to a plan. Today was like that for me. There were simply too many factors to calculate, and in the end, math was never my strongest subject anyway.

I did get a run, though nowhere near what I wanted. I didn't get a ride at all. That particular piece was foiled by weather. By the time school let out, the front was upon us. Even though it didn't rain much, the visibility dropped dramatically. It was no longer safe to be out, at least it wouldn't be long enough to accomplish a basic ride.

I did get to the gym, which was cool, but it was a bit busy and I was slowed down. Not much, but enough... my plan to get 5 miles before the guys ran was too ambitious. I only managed 2, though they were quick. I felt if all fell into place I might pick up more at the end of the group run, but it didn't. Dinner was waiting for me to get home, and I didn't feel I had the option to push on.

After dinner I wanted to help Leisa get to her run, so I started with the swim breakfast. That took a bit longer than I planned, and then there were dishes to do. In the end, it's 8 o'clock, and I don't plan on starting a ride now. It just isn't going to happen today.

That's okay. I have the rest of the week to make it up, and I will get enough riding in before it's over. Running will be the harder of the two, because I have a hard number in mind for that one. I feel I need to get 30 miles in this week, and I don't see yet where that comes from. It will likely take a heroic effort somewhere this week, but after all, I am IronBill.

Good run tonight with the guys. By the way, Roy is starting to look awfully good. Rand asked what got into him. I had an answer - $745 worth of entry into next year's Ironman Florida. Easy answer!

Run, Ride, Both Outside

You know when you can get on the bike outdoors this late in the year you're living on borrowed time. That expression's meaning will be manifest this week as we head into the first serious cold snap and possibly snow accumulation of the new season. Tuesday will be interesting to say the least! I don't think it will impact running that much - I just can't see how any outdoor riding will happen for a few days.

That is unless you work for the government. Those guys are off tomorrow, and if your job has flexible hours, you might be able to join those takers for a freeloader's delight - a run and ride on a federally paid holiday. The proletariat will continue to carry the real weight, as we always have - you guys just go have fun!

The day started with a sharp workout featuring Scott putting the hook in my nose and dragging me through 5 miles at 7:10 pace. Normally that wouldn't be too bad, but this morning my sinuses were stopped up, probably a result of the cool ride I did on Friday. My only satisfaction is that he seemed to suffer as much as I did. It was all his fault - I ran behind him the whole way. Like normal.

Later I did a ride. This time it was Scott who put the hook in our noses (Allen and myself) and drug us around. This time I didn't have the satisfaction of knowing he suffered as much as I did, though it was his fault because I rode behind him the whole way. Seems to be a pattern!

I followed that workout up with a short stop at Wendy's, then off to do a core workout (careful planning there, right?). I've been hitting that hard in an effort to stave off the hip and back soreness. It's working, somewhat, and I'm hopeful it will improve as my strength improves. While I'm on that topic, I'm reminded of one of my Christmas wishes. Hold on a sec...

[mic on] "Dear Santa, I want abs so corrugated they make Miller put a shirt on!" [mic off]

Tomorrow is a lift and run day. With luck, I'll get 10 miles running, upper-body lift, and if I get real lucky, a spin. That's the plan.