vicious cycle.

I've been working more, and on the road more, so I've been less happy. When I'm not happy I work out more, which makes me happier, until I overdo it and get burned out, when I become less happy yet. So I work out more, trying to get the happy back... layer that with my love for beer (I'm like a chocoholic, but for beer) and the effect that lots of working out has on drinking tolerance, and I'm sure you can imagine that I'm an absolute one-girl clown college lately.

Yesterday I did more than an hour of sprint intervals on the bike (changed a tire, so no flats!), then came home, changed, and took Molly for a negative splits 3 miler. This morning I felt pretty toasted but went out on a 7.5 mi long slow run, where I saw both a charity walk and a charity run on the lake front. (They need to build another lake, this one's getting altogether too crowded.)

Funny story, though: on the way there I thought the riverfront trail under Michigan was finally done, so Molly and I ran down there... and found some guys welding. Guess it wasn't done. One guy, though, says, "that's a beautiful dog!" and starts talking dogs with me, he himself owns a rescued bloodhound and a rescued English bully. He stops his coworkers from welding and escorts me through the construction area. "I'm only doing this because you have such a nice dog." Huh. All three guys smiled and waved, and I waved back, and avoided a 1/4 mile detour up the stairs and over the road.

My back is slowly getting better. I've started actually stretching after workouts (huh, what an idea!) and Molly loves it. A while back the NYT had a totally silly article about doggy yoga that I marveled at (how could a 70# pitty do that?) but now I know that Molly just likes it when I'm closer to the floor. And I've been using Audrey's foam roller daily, which helps too. Little by little...

I'd love to hit up some trail today, but I have a new niece to visit. Tomorrow, I'm working the Wonder Lake Crit.