Standing at the Trailhead of Winter

After not running for more than a week, other than the mile and a half in the horse pasture, I went out and got in three miles. It actually felt kind of good. One thing I'm learning from running is that my body is better and/or worse depending on the time of the month. The closer I get to "that time," the worse my legs and arms feel when I first start out. Heavy, tired. Right after "that time," the better I feel all the way around. Lighter, energetic. I'm learning I get about two and half weeks of feeling really good when I run. Then I have to suffer through a week and a half of rottenness. Unfortunately only a week and two days separate me and the relay I'm running in, and I'll be closer to "that time" than I want to be. But I'll run it and give it my best shot. I still have a goal of running the 5k under thirty, and I was so close at the duathlon when I felt horrible and actually started "that time" the next day. And I'v...

Getting ready for my first longer ride, so I went 25 miles this morning on a new route. The first half took me up to the lake where I stopped to check my pace per mile and to get a drink. I also talked to an older gentleman who asked me if I'd ever been on a longer bike ride, one that spans a couple of days. We chatted for a minute or two then he went on his way to fish, and I went on my way to start home. As I sat there, looking at my pace per mile for the ride to the lake, I basked in the six miles during which I maintained 18 miles an hour or faster. Two of the miles were at 20 mph. Go me! With the glow of triumph enveloping me, I started the trek back. Less than a quarter mile into the return ride, the glow disappeared, the breathing became labored, and the legs started to feel the burn. When had the wind come up? And this wasn't just a slight breeze. This was a 10 mph, blowing the cattails by the roadside wind. To add insult to injury, after the two hills leading away from...

The plan is set. Four rides scheduled for September and October, starting with a 20 miler and ending with a century ride. The registration forms have been filled out, the checks have been written, and the envelopes have stamps affixed. There's no turning back now. Well, there is, but when I think about the money I'm paying to participate, backing out isn't an option. With a month and a half to train, the 20 miler shouldn't be a problem. I've ridden 20 miles before. The second ride will be a 40 miler. The third will be 62 miles. I'm really banking on both of those getting me mentally prepared for the last, the 100 miler. Just thinking about doing a 100 miles on the bike makes my buns twinge with rebellion. But I'm excited, way more excited than I ever was thinking about the sprint tri or the 5k. And today I got my new phone that I downloaded an app onto that will track my rides. I'll be able to see my time for each mile, my average speed overall, and how ...

After biking with a friend a little over a week ago, and he telling me I'm not a runner but am most definitely a biker, I started looking into biking events. I've found out there are many rides not far from where I live, and I can choose the distance I'd like to bike for the event. Totally going to go for it. And I've talked Hubby into riding with me for the first one. So, for our first ride, we're going to do either the 25 mile ride or the 40 mile ride. Hubby would really like to do the 10 miler, but that's not gonna happen. Even if I have to tie a rope onto him and drag him along behind, he's going to do at least the 25 miler. A cool thing about this event is once we reach the 25 miles mark, we can decide to call it quits or keep going and do the 40 miler. I'd like to do the 40, but we'll just have to wait and see. Part of me feels like I'm giving up with the running. I keep saying I'm going to continue running, and I'm going to keep tr...

For the next few days I'm staying in Indiana with my mom while my dad takes a very much deserved vacation. Mom has MS and relies on Dad as her caregiver. He seldom takes a break, so when he does, I come over to help out. Help involves lifting Mom from the couch to her wheelchair to the commode back to her wheelchair and back to the couch. The lifting can be difficult. Thankfully my beautiful daughter is here this go round to help me out. With both of us lifting, we get the job done faster, with less stress on my back and legs. And actually, I'm kinda diggin the squats I'm doing each time we go through the process. It's going to be a lower body workout several times a day for the whole week. I am also thankful for the biking I've been doing for the last four months. The strength in my legs, bum and back help tremendously. Last summer I was hurting doing this kind of lifting, but this time I'm there with the muscle, baby. A pretty good feeling. Yesterday I ran in ...

Really nice lake ride this morning. Early, while the temps were still in the 60's and the air was still. Absolutely no wind to speak of. Perfect. A friend joined us, and for the first time in quite awhile, I actually pushed it. Our average speed was in the 16/17 area, with a high speed around 26. That's the kind of ride I'd love to do everyday. This evening, after the sun sets, I think I'll go for a run. Having a day where it's actually possible to get to workouts in doesn't happen often, so I need to take advantage of it if I can. I'm seriously looking at a Garmin, thinking if I know my pace while I'm running, I just might find it within to ramp it up. I'm so comfortable at my current pace, and with no one pushing me, I just plod along, finding all kinds of reasons not to put a bit more effort into it. It's no wonder I'm not getting faster. Maybe, just maybe, the Garmin will be that little something that gets me motivated. Sinking that kind ...

Yesterday I was working on a new piece, one that I was loving with each word appearing on the page. It was just one of those moments of writing where the idea, the expression, the character, all of it meshed in a truly satisfying way. I had reached what was almost the end when I thought it'd be a good time to take a short break. I knew how I was going to finish it off, so a stretch of the legs, a breather of the mind would do me good. I clicked on save, clicked on yes when the dialogue box asked if I really wanted to save, and the document disappeared. I thought it had gone into my personal documents file on my laptop. Only it didn't. I have no idea where the document went. After six hours of searching for it, implementing suggestions from my wonderful, helpful friends, I called off the rescue. Apparently there's no recovery to be made either. The document is gone. Well, I'm sure it's here somewhere, but it's hiding really, really well. So today I rewrote the pi...