Good Intentions

I had every intention of biking this morning. I got up when the alarm went off - 5:30am. I wrapped a blanket around my shoulders and turned the news on just in time for the weather report. Currently 51 degrees in Tampa, windy with bands of rain. Doppler radar showed rain right over my bike loop, and out in the woods, it's always a little colder. I turned off the TV and climbed back into bed on my way to sleeping in to 8:30. Nice. So much for 3 x bike rides this week.

Got me some new running shoes yesterday - the local Sports Authority was running a deal with the Gasperilla folks and I got half off my entry fee with my Nike purchase - saving $20. Nike's really run small - I had to get a size 15 - but they fit just fine. Ran with them last night and they felt great. It sure is nice running in new shoes. About 7 mile in, it started raining - crap! Not on my nice new Nikes! So instead of 10 miles, I ran 8.8 miles. Small sacrifice to keep the new shoes looking and smelling good for a while.

I got the Nokon cables in the mail this week - the brake set came missing a part. The place I got them from, ICYCLES, made me mail the whole kit back instead of just sending the part I needed. None of my LBS's carried the Nokon cables, so I had to order out - hence the aggravation. I bid on Ebay for some used Profile Design Sonic Stryke aerobars, but didn't win, bummer. I want some bars that will allow for internal cabling, so if not these, I may have to opt for the Ironman Carbon Strykes. Either way, I'm tired of wrapping my aerobars. I also got a set of replacement brakes - Kool Stop - for my new (used) Dura-Ace brakes.

I also modified my workout plan for next week. It would have been an easy week, but with my hamstring nagging me 2 weeks ago, it was like an easy week. Plus, I'd like to taper a bit for Gasperilla - and put out a good effort at that half marathon. So next week's a big effort week, to round out the cycle, and then it's a week taper for the half mary. When I registered yesterday, I got their race shirt - really nice cool max, tight, light weave, and a neat design - I tried it out on my long run last night and no nipple bleeding, so the shirt is a "go" for Gasperilla.

My running's improved with the focus and increase in intensity, and my bike seems to be hanging in there - biking is so time-intensive, and lately my work has been getting in the way of everything else. Swimming has been taking the biggest hit; I've been to the pool only once in 2 weeks! That's got to change - I'll try and take small bites out of that next week with 3 lunch miles and at least one long swim on a day off. Just hope the weather cooperates. All of our pools are outdoors, and the slightest bit of rain or cold air and it seems like the pools are closed for half-hour blocks until they can "re-evaluate". Feb 25th the schedules go back to normal at the YMCAs - right now the pools are only open during my work hours (and until 7pm - get off at 6, drive to the pool, change and I'm left with about 30 minutes...).

I'm really enjoying reading about raceAthlete's team trip to Temecula for the bike camp with Mel and Floyd and crew. Sounds like it was a great trip with some awesome people. Thanks for keeping us posted on it.

Only 8 weeks until my season-opening Triathlon - gosh the "off season" went quickly. I hardly feel ready to start up again. Two more training cycles to ramp up for that race - granted it's a "C" race, but it's still a race. It will be my litmus test for St. Anthony's - my "A" olympic and early season race - the Tri-America Triathlon has some different distances - 2k swim, 37mile bike and 9 mile run - and it's in the hills of Cleremont - so I'd better be ready. It's time to crank it up a bit.