pressing on, then...

5 mi this morning. I set the alarm last night knowing I had to do that run today or it would be another under-mileage week. So this morning I suited up without looking out the window, without checking the weather. It had to be done. It was about 10-15 degrees colder out today than it was earlier in the week, but the sidewalks were clear. An automatic 30 second time bonus on my pace, what a relief. It's not that I'm unbearably slow, it's that I've been careful on the ice. I'm back to about where I should be.

I'm sitting in my diabetes compression socks today (they're like $50 cheaper than the fancy sport-specific ones and do the same thing!) because I'm trying to keep it together for Massive Workout Weekend. It started with 5 this AM, then 90 min on computrainer at Element tonight, then 2 hrs on trainer at class tomorrow, then 10-13mi run on Sunday morning. I think I'll be taking Monday as a rest day.

Ben and I went to look at a new car last night, and it was a hoot. We're both too darn nice, and the salesman was just sooooo pushy. We just wanted to get a sense of the car and try driving it, he nearly convinced us that we had to have it. I finally rescued us by saying "y'all are about to close and I don't want to keep you from your family," and we got up and walked away. It was crazy. The techniques, so calculated.

Winter is so last week.

The clock tower near my work is back to functioning and set properly, so now for my whole walk to work, it's telling me what's up. Today, it was saying I needed to walk faster. I attempted to heed its call, and ended up on my ass. It wasn't the first time- I cut my 5 miler this morning to 3 after doing similar acrobatics. This snow/ice mix is really trying.

I did the workout DVD again last night, and thankfully I can report that the second time was easier than the first. Tonight I have trainer class, which will be special in that I'm trying out a new saddle. I bought it completely blindly off the internet, but I believe in WTB saddles. They've never done me wrong. From the looks of it this one will rock, too. (Which is the opposite I can say for, say, fizik saddles, which have never done me right.)

I guess there's nothing interesting to report.

Ramping up.

Things are sort of coming together for my sort of season. I am keeping my running mileage above 20/week now, which I should have been doing for more than a month, and really I should be in the 30-40 range, but hey, it's an improvement. And I'm sort of starting to do a workout DVD because I sort of realized that running and cycling has left me with a core and upper body that would make a cup of jello jealous.

I sort of got the upgrade to a Category B official this weekend, which is sort of funny, because I am still pretty torn about whether I like officiating.

I did commit to a first race of the bike season, though, at Sylvan Island. I'm 80% sure that I'll race novice, since I got stomped in "open" last year. (I didn't realize that "open" meant I'd be lining up with UCI license-holders.) I haven't been on my MTB since cross season and haven't been on trails since probably October. Uff da.

...and some times, it just works.

I skipped my run yesterday because we took Audrey to the airport. It's super hard to see a good friend leave for a month+, but since it's about her getting better, it's a little easier to swallow.

This morning, I headed out to run yesterday's, then turned it into 5. And it worked. I'm still not back to pace, but I'm halfway back to pace, which is 30 sec faster than I was on Wednesday. Woot.

Jessica in MKE made me this scarf. I had sent her a crocheted cupcake scarf earlier, which I didn't make because I SUCK at crochet. Now it's my move next. Plotting... scheming...

And this weekend I get to sit through two days of 7 hours a day USAC official training. I wish I could flake. I really want to flake. Man o man, that's not how I want to spend the weekend.

Marathon fail. And new bike day.

I have trouble believing that people are still reading this. I haven't had anything upbeat or useful or positive to say in quite a few weeks. I will try to turn that around... but not just yet.

First, I'm officially off the marathon training beat. This weekend I once again ran 10, and it went fine, but it wasn't the 15 on the plan. I don't see any way to catch up at this point. Big Sur, I wish I knew ya... but there's always next year. In the mean time, I could run a half tomorrow if I wanted to, and I do plan on still running the Cary March Madness half on March 20 with heart.

(It's easy to be all, "I hate myself for failing to complete my training plan." It's also easy to think, "How many Americans even run a mile? The fact that I'm still on track for a half is nothing to sneeze at." Finding a nice medium between the two, I'm sticking with, "mmmm, I like mango.")

In the meantime, in the true spirit of American consumerism, I made myself feel better this weekend by selling the Kona and picking up Rachael's old cross check. OMG I have a cx bike! There go all my "It's the MTB's fault" excuses. I might have to, erm, "race." It's actually the first time I've ridden a SRAM road group and retuning my head is taking a minute, but I'm in LOVE with the DT Swiss wheelset, and with new bars, a shorter stem, and a Julie-friendly saddle, I think it would be pret a aller.

Audrey's fundraiser last night went swimmingly, with more than 50 people raising more than $2000. It's just fantastic to see folks coming together for her-- even folks who don't know her. The bike community in Chi is full of a lot of great, stand-up folks. I'm so thankful to know some of 'em.

Fundraiser for Team Audrey

Naturally, it involves PIZZA. Info is here! See you next Monday.

This week is brought to you by...

The extremely practically-built touring bike, which makes me look like I'm 50 when I'm riding it, but rocks my socks off... and which allows me to navigate deep trenches of slush and snow while remaining upright, being totally visible in the dark, carrying large amounts of stuff, and not getting wet in the slightest. 26" wheels, generator lights, heavy racks, and full fenders with mudflap FTW. Right now I just want to give Grant a great big hug.

In other news: buy my road bike. Register for this awesome women's clinic. Then race the Gapers Block Crits. Enjoy.

Audrey should be released from the hospital today, and is staying in town till next Thu when she treks to Phoenix. Ring her up and say hi!

sometimes it's hard to know what to say.

I've spent the last 9 days trying to be with my friend Audrey as much as possible while she's in the hospital. That's meant before work, lunch hours, and sometimes after work too. She's so effing strong. Our teammates signed this card for her.

Last night we had a super bowl party in her room, even brought over a blender and some NA margarita mix. It was pretty rad.

Anyway, I fell off the workout horse pretty much entirely for about a week. Had 2 days of work travel thrown in too, and I was exhausted. This weekend I got it back though with the 2 hr trainer class Sat and a 10-miler Sunday. That 10 was more plodding than running, but it was forward progress, so it counts.

I've also been sewing us curtains, knitting a sweater, and reading a ton. Winter nesting.