it's ok, it just takes a while.

As usual, we went out for some red loops at Kettle while waiting for the group to assemble. Halfway through that short 1mi loop, I was already wondering if the ride was a good idea. It was a super easy trail but I was breathing hard. I was off the back from the start since I stopped to tell Amy we would be right back, but it was just painful. I was on Jen Mosley's Santa Cruz Juliana and it felt all smooshy and I couldn't stand and climb without feeling like the bike was eating half my effort. I was thankful for its cushyness, though.

I'm learning that the first thing I feel on any ride or run is like I shouldn't be there. The slowest paces and tiniest hills have turned into huge efforts and I just can't do what I used to. I can't help but think part of it is because I'm not doing intervals or speedwork, but much of it is certainly having to support the 10" alien. It's frustrating. I never had to warm up much before. Now it takes my body a good 20-30 minutes to get into a rhythm and stop feeling so damn awkward. Even then, I'm slow.

Either way, Saturday's ride was pretty sweet. We split into a group of fast guys and then the women and children- -they did the full 30mi but we stayed in the Muir trails. Evan fell off the back of the rest several times and he and I pretty much rode as buddies. He did way better this time than he did last time. We followed the ride with a pretty fun picnic and it was just the day in the woods I needed.

More importantly, though, Audrey's home! I scored some tickets for the beer party at the Half Acre Brewery next weekend and was so thrilled to remember that Auds can come with! WOOT. More pizza, more good times to come.

Doesn't even stand a chance.

This is my lunch box. Usually, each morning, Ben packs a lunch in it with pride. Lately, each morning, I pack a lunch in it with haste. This week, its contents are lucky if they make it till noon. I'm amazed at how constantly hungry I've been this week. I'd call it embarrassing, but I'm trying to discover a mental cave to go to where I say to myself, "Who cares? I'm married and pregnant, who'm I trying to impress?" It is this mental cave that allows me to leave the house each morning in pants with large, wide elastic bands at the top and frumpy-feeling shirts that tie in the back, with seams just below my boobs. There is no such thing as stylish maternity clothing- it's all a lie. And there's no such thing as race weight when you're 5 months pregnant. Time to suck it up.

Ben returns home tonight. I hope he doesn't hate me for the new frumpy clothes. We have some Rad Plans for the weekend which I'm excited about. Saturday we're riding trail with a nicely sized group of nice people. Only, I loaned my Spot to teammate Ariel for Dirt, Sweat, and Gears, so I had to borrow a bike to ride Sat... and Jen offered up her Juliana. When I picked it up last night, Jen handled the issue of pressure in the rear shock as delicately as you could imagine-- pointing at the weight-to-pressure chart and saying "I'm not sure what you need..." and I just came out and said, "I'm there," pointing at a weight that usually would send me off on a 10 mile tempo run. Either way, Saturday will be first soft-tail ride ever. I really hope I don't like it, though one can't really judge how much they like a bike (or its suspension) when carrying 10 extra pounds and pregnant, I've decided. But riding a Santa Cruz will no doubt result in me randomly shouting out, "and it's Steve Peat!!!"

Then Sunday we welcome home a woman I've missed very badly in the last few months- Audrey. If you're free, why not come join in? It's been a long, cold, pizza-lacking, random-bits-of-Chicago-architectural-history lacking winter without her. I have designs in my mind of making an absurd cake for the occasion, but we'll have to see if reality will allow it to happen.

Digging in the dirt.

We had trail work day at Palos on Saturday. It was awesome. I always forget how much I actually enjoy trial work. I should do it more often. It was too wet to ride and freezing cold, so after the 3 hour stint re-routing Dynamite Road, we just had lunch n' beers and called it a day. I guess my teammates took the keg and finished it off, but I didn't partake. Much.

Spent Sat night and Sunday in Milwaukee with the family. Sunday my mom and I went to a crazy store called "Destination Maternity" where they sell $78 tank tops. This place was so high tech that the strap-on belly for trying on clothes came in different sizes based on how far along you already are. In the clothes, I was sort of between sizes and my mom kept pushing me to get the bigger size- thanks for that vote of confidence, mom- so my pants are all rather saggy-butt. I somehow left with clothing in sizes M, L, and XL. Either way, the place has a zero returns and exchanges within 10 days only policy (WTF?) so I guess I'm as good as stuck with them. At least I feel like I have something summery to wear!

Back on the wagon with a 4 miler this morning. It's amazing how I used to just start running and within a block feel like I was in my rhythm. Now it takes a solid mile or two. I think I'm going to start running 5's soon, since the first two miles are awkward throw-aways and it doesn't really feel good till mile 3.