TOUGH WEEK

I looked ahead in my MAO program last week and saw that this week was going to be tough. Not only was I coming off a race but beginning speed work and power work in the weight room. We decided to try to do bike speedwork in Fort Desoto (instead of the trainer), site of many races and beautiful park to just spend time in. Did that onTuesday which was windy, almost as much as the race on Sat! Got going around 6:15 pm and rode hard speedwork for about an hour total then went for sushi after which was a nice treat. Did run speedwork on Weds PM which, for some reason, I found quite tough. I pushed myself probably too hard, which, normally, is not an issue. Went to the gym afterwards for weights and had a stiff/sore neck. Didn't really think too much of it since Advil relieved it. Actually, comparing to last summer when I did the same speed session gearing for IM Hawaii, I was running faster this time but suffered to do it! Got up on Thursday 4:30 for 1:15 run in the quiet of the early morning and felt not too terrible, just slow to keep the HR down. I started to notice my body not feeling right, neck sore and some blemishes on my face and knew I was getting some recurrence of the shingles I had the same time last year. I don't know why but I must be pushing things a bit and work has been a bit of stress, but I never use that as an excuse. So, we decided not to go to the hills Sat and rode here instead. Luckily, it was quite breezy for our ride so it was a good 3.5 hr effort with nice brick afterwards. Our long run today, 2 hours, felt quite special but we actually knocked it out better than the last one we did. This week proved to be quite tough and one that, if we recover well, will definitely elevate our fitness. I remarked to the Dane as we embarked on our 2 hour, 14.6 mile aerobic run this morning that, I never used to train this much for an Ironman, much less a half Ironman (before last summer and the MAO progam)! So, things are rolling along. My health is a bit on the razor's edge but that's training as working age-grouper. I'm feeling a bit better and expect to be quite well for the upcoming week. My Jayhawks are out, but the Gators are still in so Final Four is one to watch again this year. Go Gators!

FIRST TRI OF '07

Well, the first tri of the '07 season was interesting to say the least. I signed up elite because there was prize money and you never know who will/won't show up to contest it. I also wanted to get a chance to race out front in this new race (international distance tri at Ft Desoto) and, since I made the qualifying time to do this, why not? Anyhow, the weather was the story of the day. We had a front come through on Friday which made Saturday morning quite windy (20-25mph) which is always worse at the Fort. It was also quite chilly, around 62* at home. The good thing was that the water temp was near 70*! The race directors were trying to decide whether to cancel the swim and make everyone do a duathlon which is not what I wanted to do and I sure whined about it! The problem was the water was quite rough with serious current. The powers that be decided to cut it to 1/2 mile (from .9 mile) and just walked us up the beach so we could swim back with the current which I was happy with. So, we finally got going in the "swim". There wasn't much actual swimming for me as I was just getting clobbered by waves then trying to dolphin-dive back out into deep enough water to try and swim some more; this was killing my legs! Got out of the water, happily, with numb feet to take on the wind on the bike. I was happy that the Dane suggested using my Zipp 303 on the front because I was able to spend more time in the aerobars being able to control the bike in the cross winds. Out of the water behind 3 other girls, I had a sluggish start on the bike for some reason but rode the second loop much stronger, into T2 in second. I charged out of T2 with still numb feet in attempt to catch the next competitor. I was able to catch her just after the first mile split and didn't look back. I was able to catch up to the Dane on the second loop ( he passed me on the bike with an awesome ride) and we ran together for a bit. I tried to press on not wanting to be caught by anyone and was elated to cross the finish line as the first woman. The Dane was very gracious not to try and outsprint me at the end which was wonderful of him! We did hear from someone who GPS'd the run that it was closer to 7 miles than the scheduled 6.2 which explains the slow run splits. I was really happy to win this race and feel my fitness is in a good place with a lot of room for improvement still having not begun speedwork yet. I didn't get to see where my swim was too much because of the conditions but it was good enough. We start speed work this week in the build up towards Florida 70.3 and hopefully this will give a further boost to the run and bike fitness. I feel stronger than I did at this time last year and have the MarkAllenOnline program to thank, it's paying off already! We were able to celebrate a bit with friends for St Paddy's Day and slept in today which rarely happens! Thanks to everyone who gave me words of encouragement it all helps! Next race is Escape from Fort Desoto on 4/15 which is the traditional "beginning" of the tri season and one of the funnest races of the year. Hope everyone had a fun St Paddy's day, we sure did.

BACK TO THE FORT

Seems like the weeks are just flying by. Pushing the clock ahead one hour doesn't help this perception! Anyway, last weekend we did a ride to Fort Destructo (also know more commonly as Fort Desoto). We enjoy this ride because we can get in some true solo TT (Time Trial) work in the Fort without fearing being run over or stopping for lights! The TT loop is about 10 miles, flat and always windy. Not much "true" TT work due to my HR restrictions as I am abiding to my Mark Allen Online HR zones, but still some good work into the wind. When I finished the TT loop, I stated to the Dane and Marky Mark that that was the most enjoyable loop I've ever done there! I can say that only because I'm usually only racing (and in pain) there and it isn't pleasant. We have done other training there as well but I haven't been back since seriously following the HR ceilings in my program. I will say that I felt a bit stronger and didn't mind the wind as much and, consequently, had a much more positive experience as a result. I would call that progress, mentally if nothing else. We'll see this weekend as we have a race at the Fort on St Paddy's day. It's an "almost" Olympic distance race (the bike is 23 miles, not the standard 25). I am looking forward to racing in my new 2XU wetsuit which I just got; did an short open water swim on Monday with it and loved it. So far, so good. Water's cold but not too bad, 67* now. We do have a front coming through the next couple days so the weather could be interesting. It'll be windy, always is. The water may be rough but it's rough for everyone. I'm looking forward to racing and leaving my HR monitor at home! Happy St Paddy's Day.....and GO JAYHAWKS & SEMO (in womens NCAA Tourney (and Gators)!

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE.....blah, blah, blah

Last weekend (I'm getting lazy with this blog thing), we went back to the hills for 3 hour scheduled ride. It was finally not too cold so decided no time is too early to start riding out in the sticks, plus we are getting sick of our local sites, or lack thereof. Anyhow, haven't been to the hills since probably September of last year so this was going to be difficult, for me anyway. We had a nice, small, sane group (I know, hard to believe) so that was nice. I didn't obey my MAHR because this is truly impossible for me going uphill with any speed. I also don't know my way around and it's easy to get lost so getting dropped from the others was not an option. We took a different way back to add on about an hour after about 30-something miles and it was really fun. The wind was howling and the hills were solid with some steady climbs. I was jacked because it reminded me so much of Kona, without the heat. Here, I dropped back from the main group to have, invite if you will, the wind into my face and actually enjoyed it. Riding into the wind is a skill and attitude has everyting to do with how you approach it. It can be very defeating if you let it get into your psyche and taunt you, however, it can be powerful to look at it in a different light and embrace the fact that you are getting stronger just for the wind being there. This will only really make sense (or not) to those who ride and especially to those who have ridden in Hawaii. 20-30 MPH winds here are a "nonwindy" day in Hawaii, in my experience. So, I've gotten into a new place in my psyche (scary) and plan to work on that and embrace the wind with this newfound joy. Wonder how long this will last! I truly feel my experience in Kona last October will strengthen me in many ways. I look forward to our trip to the hills this weekend, weather permitting. Like the Dane says "the wind is your friend".....unless it's in the form of a hurricane, tornado, blizzard, etc!

BRRRRRR WEEKEND

I know, it's nothing compared to you sorry souls north of where I am but for us, it was downright cold. Coldest ride of the winter on Saturday. If you dress right, it's not so bad but my poor feet always suffer no matter how much protection I give them. Anyway, did 3.5 hour ride with a 30 minute brick on Sat which was pretty good. Sunday was a 11.2 mile (1:35) run in the 20-30 mph winds, then a short swim (cut short because I was freezing) then weights. All in all, a good training weekend. Feel pretty tired but that's what's supposed to happen. The Dane was with me for all the workouts as usual and we suffered the cold together! So anyhow, more base training to come and hopefully, not much more cold temps! We'll be following the Tour of California on Versus for the next couple weeks, itching to watch some good bicycle racing again! Stay warm.....
P.S. I'm really not that heavy! All those clothes are not flattering to the figure!

CHILLY WILLY DU

Did Chilly Willy (www.chillywillydu.com)again this year and was able to squeek out another overall female victory but it wasn't easy. I figured I had a big target on my back this year and really wanted to defend my win from last year. I had a good opening run (5k) and went onto the bike (10 miles) with a lead but not very much of a lead. I lost that lead at around 6-7 mile mark (can't remember exactly when) and lost it bad! I have been riding the trainer quite a bit (see last post) and this leaves my legs quite tired which showed on the bike! I can run just fine with tired legs but pushing over big gears into the wind I don't do so well with tired legs! Anyway, the girl who passed me got a bit of a gap (probably 30+ seconds) which I had to deal with on the second run (another 5k). She is a good runner too so I really had my work cut out for me. The run route is on pavement for the first half and sand (some soft and some packed) for the second half. I'm not a very good sand runner so my plan was to run hard the first half of the second run and hold on for the second half in the sand. I managed to catch her just as we hit the sand and she held on pretty well. I went into the well pretty deep to hold the lead and won by only 6 seconds! Close battle......again! I hope this isn't how the whole season is going to go! I'm glad I was able to defend from last year. I think my fitness this early is pretty good and right about where it should be for mid-Feb so I'm happy about that. The Dane came in 5th overall (I was 12th overall for the whole field of 200++) which he did mostly on the bike because he came off the first run right behind me and rode like a madman on the bike! He did very well and I'm proud of him. Overall, a good race for both of us I think. The next race will be a new Olympic distance tri (1.5k swim/40k bike/10k run) at Fort Desoto on March 17th (one of my favorite holidays, St Pattie's). Looking forward to getting my new wetsuit (2XU) and trying it out on a few open water swims before then. Until then, will continue to slog away in the aerobic training zone! Looks like it's paying off!

WEEK OF TRAINER RIDES

Last week did all of my rides (only did 3, not 4 as scheduled) on the trainer. I used to be the person who would never ride the trainer because, for one, it's harder physically (no breaks) and also because it's tougher mentally (staring at the walls). I have become at peace with my Tacx Flow trainer and we are now quite friendly. I have to say, if not for Spinervals (I must have the entire library) I probably would never be able to write this! I'm starting to really feel recovered from last season and motivated for 2007. Sounds crazy that it took a few months but I think that's normal considering the level at which I competed at the end of the season (age is also a factor). Anyway, I get good quality rides on the trainer and I can be sure to stay under my MAHR because I control the intensity every moment. I did 2:10 on Sat due to rain outside and really didn't have a problem being on that long. I did feel it in my legs, of course, but mentally handled it well. Good signs. This weekend, we have the Chilly Willy duathlon which is fun. I have won it twice and would like to win again but it all depends on who shows up! Either way, I will compete as hard as I can and do the best I can. I found a new triathlon on St Patrick's Day at Fort Desoto, Olympic distance, which I think I will put into my schedule as a good prep for Florida 70.3 in May. Long run Sunday was 1:35 and my avg HR was good and low. The Dane got back last Friday so that was excellent to have him home! I'll report back after Chilly Willy.

NOTHING NEW

Nothing special going on this past weekend. The Dane left on Saturday for Europe for a week so on my own for this week. We had a nice ride Sat, 3 hours in the saddle. I kept it under my MAHR except for the brief spike when we almost got sideswiped by some old guy in an SUV! For those wondering, MAHR means Maximum Aerobic Heart Rate which is the basis of most of the Mark Allen Online training. I'm trying to be more compliant with it this winter. Not as hard on the bike as it is on the run! I ran 9 miles in the cool wind on Sunday which was pretty boring by myself. By mile 5, I could feel the soreness from the 1/2 marathon last weekend - not totally recovered yet! Swimming was chilly this morning. I had one good session last week where I felt things were coming around in the water but now I feel back to slogging away mode! Need to add more swims but don't have the facility or time this point. We're working on that for February. Stay warm....

JANUARY HALF MARATHON

http://www.clearwaterhalf.info/

I wanted to write this while I still had the fresh sting of pain in my legs. Let's just say any worries I had about losing my mental toughness after last weekend's 10K are gone. We (the Dane and I) always treat this half marathon as a catered long training run. We're typically not prepared, ie. no long runs, for it and just want to measure anyway. Unfortunately for us, others are quite prepared for this "race". I use the term "race" losely however, I raced until the last inch of this one. You see, I ran toe to toe, shoulder to shoulder with one of my biggest tri AG competitors Sharon B. for whom I have the utmost respect. We started the race and ended it together and pushed each other the entire way and took no prisoners the whole time. I would not have pushed as hard if it wasn't her on my shoulder but I felt the need to represent, if you will. She is one classy competitor and neither one of us wanted to "win" over the other after the 13.1 miles we covered together but,someone had to outsprint the other and I have clearly lost any footspeed I once had!! The best part is we both had a big smile at the finish and she actually apologized for winning this battle. Class act in my book. The reason I mention mental toughness is that we began the race with a solid 7 minute per mile pace which I, personally, knew I wasn't prepared to handle but was willing to stick with my racemate as long as she was willing. We held this until about mile 11 when the stiff headwind and final bridge became a cruel reality and we both were suffering and slowed. The final stretch was pretty funny because I tried to actually sprint but I am far from the days of 58 second 400meters and it showed. We took one and two in the AG so it's all good. In the end, after talking to her, we both elevated our effort above what we felt was possible on the day and we will both improve for the effort in the long run. So, thanks to Sharon B. for pushing me today. I still believe so greatly in the aerobic training that I'm doing through Markallenonline.com and will continue to swear by it. I ran almost one minute faster than last year with less actual running mileage and ALL of it being aerobic other than two 10K's. Props to all who showed up today and bettered themselves on a tough, windy day. The Dane was the proud winner of his AG.......I'm not worthy! So, will try and recover from this and move on to the next challenge, Chilly Willy Duathlon which is super hard/fun. I hope that everyone gets to challenge their own previously determined barriers, it's painful but well worth it.........

I MADE THE TEAM!!

I was so happy to find out this morning that I was accepted (or invited, if you will) to the MarkAllenOnline.com elite triathlon team for 2007. I really wanted to get on this team but didn't know if I'd make it because they have so many really fast girls in/around my AG. I really believe in the coaching system they have put together and am using it again this year. We'll see how everything goes. Yipee!

ANOTHER 10K

This one didn't feel very good. Ran in the St Pete Beach Classic 10K on Saturday hoping to see some improvement in my fitness although I haven't done anything other than aerobic work the past month or so (running-wise). I did run a little bit faster than the 10K in Dec but really had problems with side stitches again which really slows me down. I ran 41:19 but really didn't feel very good. I was 8th overall woman but only fourth in my AG, tough going! I did run a little faster at a lower average heart rate so I guess that means my engine is improving, who knows. I'm starting my Peak Performance program with Markallenonline.com this week, 18 weeks out from Florida 70.3. Decided to scrap IM Coeur d'Alene due to the Dane's heavy work commitments and will do IM Florida in Nov which we're already signed up for. We may do Buffalo Springs 70.3 in June instead which is pretty competitive and does have a few Kona slots. So, I have a schedule to follow now but am quite sore today so today's run will get moved to tomorrow. We have a 1/2 marathon this coming Sunday which I'm looking less forward to after this 10K but it's just a long-run workout.

THA SISTAHOOD

So, you are curious about the title of this blog, you should be. The Dane and I are watching his favorite program, NOVA. They are showing a program about Great White sharks in the so-called red triangle off the California coast. There were two female great white sharks who seemed to hunt together which is unusual for the species. They were referred to as the 'sisterhood'. This struck me for some reason. As a fierce competitor, I envy the predatory nature of this animal and would love to mimic my racing in this fashion. I then decided I should coin a phrase, if you will. "The sisterhood" came about in my mind as catchphrase for 2007. Girls, jump aboard if you dare. Seeking only those who wish to fulfill the predatory racing spirit of the Great White. It's all about the spirit, not necessarily how fast you race. Just race and live with passion to improve yourself, as I do on daily basis. I hope to see more of my Sisters down the road.... Let's all improve ourselves in '07 and have our best year ever!

HOLIDAYS 2006

We just got back from spending 3 fabulous days in Ponte Vedra Beach (near Jacksonville) relaxing and spending time with some of my favorite people. I got to spend time with my old college roommate/best girlfriend and her husband/sister/mother and the Dane got meet these great people. We had a wonderful time there and the place that we stayed (Ponte Vedra Inn & Club) was really pleasant. It's hard to describe when you meet back up with people that you haven't seen for some time and it's like you were never apart! We really had a nice time and a "honeymoon" of sorts as the Dane's father stated, funny! We had a really nice week off (work) between X-mas and New Years and did some good training. I am starting back with Markallenonline.com Jan 1st, so had a chance to crank up the miles/yardage this last week of '06. Swimming four days straight last week was hard but essential in getting "back into the program" so to speak! I look forward now to getting back into a healthy training/eating routine! Went a little off track with the eating/socializing the past couple weeks but it was fun and well worth it! My toast on New Years was to remembering a great '06 and to a better '07. 2006 will be hard to top in my book but I have a lot of things on the schedule and really look forward to having an enjoyable and successful time in '07. I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays even half as much as I did and looking forward to wonderful things in '07! Happy New Year to all, set your goals high!

EARLY MOTIVATION TO BECOME STRONGER!

On the trainer already after, what, about 6 weeks from 70.3 World Championships (add three weeks from Kona). I always feel this is a good time of year to, first, relax and second, work on weaknesses. One of my major weaknesses that I always seem to be behind on (even though I DO improve a little every year) is bike power/strength. So, my goal for now is to do the big gear work at least once per week on the trainer. It's very difficult physically but my motivation is coming back around after a successful '06 race season. I got a good tip from Lisa Bentley's husband about one of my fav short course athlete's (Emma Snowsill) workouts so I'm pretty focused on this type of training. I haven't ever really stuck to big gear work so I'm more committed to it this winter. I will continue longer, aerobic miles on the road since the weather is usually cooperative, unlike Colorado! Glad I'm not there right now! Swimming is hard again. It's amazing how quickly swim fitness goes down the drain but that's what I get for being a runner! We'll get in a good week next week because the Dane and I will be off and can get to the pool four days, at least.
I hope everyone has a safe holiday weekend and gets to spend it with someone they love, I will!

10K'S ARE HARD!

Can't remember the last time I ran a 10K (open, not in a tri) but I think it was 5 years ago. I ran the same race this year, although the course was a bit harder because the little draw bridge from 5 years ago was replaced with a monster bridge. So, I guess I should be happy that I ran faster this year than in 2001! You won't see my name in the results though because this is an annual bandit race - I like to say I just didn't get there early enough to register, sounds good. Anyway, leading up to this race, I have only been running 3-6 miles at a pop at around 8:30 pace for the most part, which is my aerobic pace right now. I didn't place myself up front at the start as I didn't have a race number on and didn't want to get lectured by the race management. This ended up being a real pain because when the gun went off, I was stuck behind a large group of joggers and had to meander around them for the first several minutes up the bridge. I finally was able to get in a good pace by the top of the bridge. My only goal for this race was to try and break 43 minutes. I don't know what I was basing this on, just sounded like a good number. Anyway, I had some pretty bad side stiches after the first couple miles which I was clicking off at 6:36/mile pace so had to slow down a bit. I ended up running about 41:40 which I was really pretty happy with. My average heart rate was 177 which was a solid tempo effort. I was happy with the fact that I competed well also. I ended up running the last mile or so with a couple of really fast girls and toughed it out pretty good. I was limited mostly cardiovascularly but my legs felt pretty good the whole way. It's a long way off my PR, but I'm pretty sure I won't be getting anymore run PR's! The next thing on the schedule is another 10K and a half marathon in January. Looking forward to these because it's nice to run hard every now and then during base phase which gets a little boring. Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU!

Ok, so I've just watched the NBC coverage of IM Hawaii. I am passionate about this sport so it touches me. I am not normal. Nobody who knows me will argue that!! It's now safe to say, watching this coverage, the first one I've competed in, I am more motivated to return than I was to get there in the first place! I didn't think that was possible. That is hard to believe because I was hellbent on getting to Kona and didn't care what happened after that! Words mean nothing, action is the only thing. In this sport, that is a cruel reality. I am so inspired by stories that I hear. I think that is what will keeps me in this sport as long as my body will allow! I love Desiree's happiness, Michellie's readiness, Natascha's professionalism, Jo's candidness and Lisa's absolute determination. I've had the pleasure of meeting Michellie and Lisa and have had conversations with them. I don't know if any other sport allows that closeness to the elites as triathlon and that's part of the sport that is so cool. I also have met a few other pro's but these two individuals stick out in my mind. They are really nice, "regular" people I've really rooted for them and they are awesome! I appreciate that Desiree is a college runner, as am I, and only "just" learned to swim seven years ago! Wish I had that kind of talent!
The Dane has left for Europe for a week and I am alone to fend for myself, yikes! I realize how much he means to my whole life now, more so when he's gone. We have had a good week of run frequency, swim technique and bike when we can. The goal in December is to recover and have time together, training is sencondary. But...
I am sappy, I am inspired by the stories that are shown. I think, you have to be dead if you aren't inspired to be better than you are! I hope that we all can be better than we already are now. I'm already planning on it......are you???....

All I can say is that the Gators should get a chance for the national championship. I can pontificate on why I come to this conclusion but the Dane is tired of hearing it so I'm sure others will be also! We rode the mountain bikes today locally (no real trails) which was fun. We saw a fox den and a hawk hunting a smaller bird (they almost ran into me) and some other cool birds. We want to do more mountain biking on more trails when the Dane gets his whole set up squared. It's so much fun! Ran six miles off the mountain bike and felt pretty good. A little impatient with the "aerobic training zone" since it was unseasonably warm (sorry for those of you freezing in the Northing states) but got through it fine. Ended up running five days this week, started back swimming and with the weight room - I have some serious issues in leg strength! Plan to fix that! GO GATORS!!

OH, THE SORENESS AND SWIM DREAMS

Amazingly enough, I still have some calf soreness from Turkey Trot a week ago! Wow, didn't think I ran all that hard. At least I don't have the quad soreness also like the Dane! That's why I bailed from the 10K! We started back in the pool today also, 5AM. ughhhh. It wasn't too hard to get up this morning though because I was dreaming about the swim at St Anthony's! More like a nightmare, you'd think! I actually bit the bullet and signed up for St. A's. I haven't done that race in several years due to concerns I have over massive congestion on the bike course. For 2007, however, the RD created a new division, "elite age group division". I happen to have a qualifying time for this division and, since this wave goes off before the masses, congestion shouldn't be a problem. So, I no longer have any excuses. I will likely get my rear end handed to me but it will be a B race, afterall. I will be prepping for Florida 70.3 race in May and, hopefully, Ironman Coeur d'Alene in June (if I win an entry from Florida 70.3). We'll see. More on the 2007 schedule to come.

TURKEY TROT REPORT

We decided we were not too sore anymore to do the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. Didn't do anything all week prior except a 3-mile run on Weds morning for a quick quad check. Nope, not sore anymore. I decided to run the 5K because I don't think I have the motivation for a 10K at this point. It was chilly at the start, low 50's, but perfect for running. Lined up at the front with the rest of the mob and off we go. The first mile is mostly a gentle down hill which levels off in places but is a straight shot. Went through there in 6:05. What! What am I doing running that fast when all my training all summer and fall was slower than 8-min/mile pace. Oh well, my legs felt pretty good but I was starting to breathe hard around mile 2, 12:35... slowing down now! Figured at that point I could break 20 minutes if I don't slow down anymore, easier said than done! I did manage to come in at 19:56 which I was very happy with. I haven't gone under 20 minutes for a 5K in a few years. Yipee, another coffee mug (award for top 100) to stack in the cupboard. The Dane ran well also, getting close to going under 19 minutes. He decided to run the 10K also and I figured I would start it really slow and stop if I didn't feel great. I got injured two years ago getting greedy with both races to I'm pretty cautious about that now. I turned off the jets after going through the 2-mile marker and ran back to the start in time to see him finish. All in all, another fun event to kick off Turkey Day which we spent with the Tavenese crew, feeding us awesome food as usual. I'm pretty sore in the calves now so we will just be riding through the weekend, no running until Monday. Then, I'll start just doing some shorter (4-6 miles) runs most days of the week. Have to get back in the pool eventually, probably not this week though. December training will consist of running frequency to keep the legs durable, weekend riding, and back in the pool in another week or so. Gotta go and work on the garage, our project for this weekend. GO GATORS!

POST IRONMAN/IRONMAN 70.3 WORLD

So it's really weird to take five full days off and just go to work every day like regular folk. I have actually accomplished a few household chores with all the extra time. Nothing exotic, just things like laundry, hanging some little curtains, replacing old flag pole holder, etc. It's the small things sometimes! We did ride about 24 miles yesterday followed by a 3-ish mile run which wasn't terribly pleasant due to deep seeded quad fatigue that reared it's ugly head. It was cold this morning, about 48*, but we got out for a 40-mile ride anyway and tried running again. No surprise there, the quads are still sore/tired. Lucky for me, I have a massage tomorrow after work. I may get in one short run before Turkey Trot on Thursday but who really cares. I'm not going to have any running PR's for some time now, I think! Turkey Trot is just for fun though......that's what I keep reminding myself! Can't wait for the long weekend upcoming! Stay safe!
p.s. the picture above is from the Mauna Lani resort just north of Kona