…like a meandering herd of grazing sheep.

Yesterday was the start of training. I’m using the same training plan I used – and widely complained about – last year. It’s free, it (mostly) automatically loads onto my Training Peaks and Outlook calendars, and I already know when it’s ugly and stupid. I say “mostly” because the swim workouts show up as notes, rather than workouts. And one of the ugly and stupid parts of it is the fact that the workouts on Garmin cannot be sent to a Garmin device. I have to re-create the workout and then load it. On the plus side, that means I am creating my own workout. Continue reading →

via Photo Challenge: Danger!

I have a lot of yard work to do this weekend, and I want to bake, and the house really needs tending. But I also need to get in bike ride. I’m still a little timid after the mishap last ride,* but I know I can address that issue and I also know I must get back on the bike.

* I checked the quick release lever on the back wheel. Because I couldn’t close it, I loosened it by a quarter of a turn. I should have found a lever to use. While trying to get going after my first stop, the rear wheel came out of the drop out and I fell over, skinning my knee and elbow. It sucked, but I know I need to tighten the QR – even if it means I can’t get it open myself.  Continue reading →

It’s a dozen days after I DNF’d the Badger Mountain Challenge 55K. I knew I’d want to take time to recover, but I’m not liking the way my body feels right now. The first week, I walked most days the first week. I made it a point to get up from my desk at least once an hour and walk to the breakroom and back. I went on a short – but very fun – mountain bike ride the Friday after BMC. I got off to a good start on my recovery. Continue reading →

BMC50K was my first attempt at an ultramarathon. And it was my first DNF. I am not ashamed of choosing to quit when I did.

Continue reading →

This Saturday is the day. I’m as ready as I can be. Continue reading →

This past weekend was difficult. I had a minor epiphany on Sunday, and that may prove to be the thing that saves me. Continue reading →

My run last weekend made me realize it was time for new trail runners. My original Lone Peaks only have a little over 200 miles on them, but since the foot didn’t bother me during ten miles the next day wearing different shoes, I knew it was time for shoes. Continue reading →

Week 18 was a very productive week. I ran 42 miles last week; I’m confident that’s the most I’ve ever run. (The training schedule called for 47, but I still think 42 is pretty good.) Continue reading →

I’ve been hesitant to write, because I don’t want every blog post to be a rehash of “OMG I’m so nervous I won’t be able to do this but I’m going to be optimistic and do my best.” Seriously, even if I’m the only one who’ll ever read this, I don’t want to keep writing that.

The sun is out today, which is a much-needed treat. Besides the ridiculous amount of snow and freezing rain we’ve had this winter, we also haven’t seen the sun as much as we usually do. I can handle the endless cold; endless cold, endless grey, endless “how is it possible there’s still snow on the ground in February?” combine to be too too much for me. There’s a reason I fell in love with the east side of the Cascade Curtain, and it has a LOT to do with our weather. 300 days of sunshine: that’s what I signed up for, not fog and grey skies and temperature inversions. Continue reading →