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Tales from Today


fun ride with friends in St. George

Today didn't start out too well. Actually, this whole week has been a drag. I am trying to figure out which of the following to blame: being back at altitude, PMS, some sort of minor sickness, or just plain old tired legs. I am still not sure but I know one thing: When it's time for us to move back to lower elevation, I won't be sad. Yeah, it's nice to train high and race low but it sucks to feel like crap during and after every single workout. And I have decided that you don't necessarily feel better after you've been up here for a few weeks (quite the opposite actually), but you just get used to the crappy feeling. So. There you have it. That's my take on living and training at 7,000 ft.

that's what it looked like, minus the shirts, plus goggles

Anyway. Where was I? Oh yes. My swim this morning. I was about to start feeling sorry for myself again when JL showed up at Masters in his swim suit, goggles, and fur hat! He had won that awesome hat at the Kahtoola Agassiz Uphill Race and I dared him to wear it to the pool. So he did. After strutting around with it on the blocks for a minute, he dove in and swam a full 100m. Hat and all. Talk about someone making my day! Thank you, JL! The swim wasn't so bad after all. It only took me about 1,500 meters to warm up...

Next up: Breakfast break with the family. Well, I was eating breakfast, the kids were playing Lego, and Karl was getting my bike ready. Yes, I know that I have a fabulous husband. Last night he put new tires on my road bike in order to stop my one-flat-per-ride-since-January-2nd record. This morning he was cleaning it. In case you are wondering: He gave me a bunch of bike-maintenance coupons for Christmas. Best gift ever!

I was ready to roll with the PnT group. Spring break plus a race in Tucson made for a small turnout but luckily there was one other girl: my friend, Jena! Yay for someone to talk to. Even though I disguise myself as a roadie (road bike, socks, never a sleeveless jersey, gloves), the guys still won't talk to me. It doesn't really bother me, I just think it's funny. They warmed up a little after an hour when there were about 10 of us left but I am not sure if I prefer silence or remarks such as: "Do you tri?" (How did they find out I am a triathlete?!?) or "You have a nice pair of legs. They look so strong, it's almost scary!" (Which means that it's really time to get down to racing weight because I am not interested in carrying these thighs up the St. George hills! Easier said than done...)

Have I mentioned that group rides like this are my absolute favorite? Well, let me tell you again... Of all sports and workouts, I love nothing more than getting my butt kicked by a bunch of roadies who know how ride! Love the speed, love the tactics, love how nothing but the wheel in front of me matters for hours at a time, love the sprints (which I always lose big time because I don't even attempt to pick up the pace), love the challenge. Huge group rides with a no-drop policy are (most of the time) my worst nightmare. If I want to be waiting around a lot, I ride bikes with my kids... On this ride people get dropped right and left and if you aren't paying close attention all of the time, you are going to be one of them. And we know what that means: solo ride all the way back. Unless you can put your head down and try to limit the damage by working together with someone in the same situation. Which is what happened to me today: I got dropped but hooked up with 'guy-in-black-kit-on-Trek-bike-wearing-Specialized-socks-but-don't-ask-me-what-his-face-looks-like' and we were able to meet back up with the lead pack during their pee break. Phew!

...

Soooo, I don't really feel like finishing this post the way I had intended to. It's been a week and not even I am interested in how the rest of the ride went, so I am sure neither are you! I had hoped to join them again this Saturday but, alas, I am sick. Not terribly sick. Just a head cold which I am trying to keep from moving down into my chest because, once it's down there, it likes to stay and I'd rather be back to healthy soon!

It has nevertheless been a great week of family camping on Mount Lemmon. I'm sad it's over because we had a lot fun and I wouldn't mind riding that mountain at least once a week for the rest of my life! More on that later...














Comments

Jason Q said…
Did you swim at the University of Maryland?
March 29, 2013
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