Late August

Late August Regression of endurance efforts I have been sick yet again. My fitness is low. My left foot is in chronic distress. My apartment is near squalor. A truck tire is abnormally worn down, screaming for attention in it and in the suspension. 3 vehicles needing repair. Too much more to lust. Oops I mean list.  How did it get like this? I've spent so much time "out there" riding, running, etc. for top fitness. I don't regret it, however I need a  recess from the endurance training. A need for a more balanced life. I can get back to "ironman" fitness later. Just short runs and rides for now. Wellness with doctor and dentist visits are overdue. I've put them off.   My left foot needs pro help or at least rest; rest (little or no running) is cheap and easy. But I can't avoid the darn walking at work situation. I must try to improve it there yet again too. I may cut back on the blog as no event or heavy training will be going on. Then again there are non-training and event things to blog.  I am bummed out about not doing the marathon or even a half marathon in October. I just don't feel like paying to run and not do better than before or even much worse due to lack of training, chronic stress and injuries. I'm glad to have done two big centuries, a 3 day bike camping tour, and gotten into trail riding this year. I will volunteer at Spinx runfest and maybe the gran fondo Hincapie. That should be interesting.  I cheer for fellow athletes competing in events just completed and coming up. At least one has signed up for one (IM Canada) about a year away.  Getting back to endurance/ multi-sport racing: when that occurs is unimportant as long as the to-do list is under control and the health issues are dealt with. 

Zoot Ultra Tempo

Zoot tri shoes I recently bought a pair of triathlon specific shoes. They were a deep discount ($63 vs. $140) and I couldn't resist. They are Zoot Ultra Tempo 4.0 shoes are meant for triathlons specifically. Features: sockless wear; they are light at 9.1 oz each; have an elastic string instead of regular strings so as to tighten the shoe with one hand. They feel like slippers. Not great for a marathon, but best for sprint to olympic distances.  This purchase signifies that I just know I will get back to multi-sport/triathlon racing (or at least that is my hope). When and where are TBD. 

Mid august

Mid August I find myself just sitting and watching the Olympics a lot lately. Can't motivate myself for much. Watched the 10 km women's swim (condensed). 1st and 2nd so close after 2 hours of swimming.  7/9 Thursday: Went for a trail ride in woods near the apartment office on a muggy overcast day. Took pruning shears and cut back vegetation. I made about 4 laps total (maybe 20 minutes of riding) and was dripping sweat. A thunderstorm popped up and forced me into the office. The power went out.  7/11 Saturday: after work I found the motivation and discipline to run nearly 6 miles. I think the cooler temperatures, compared to those of the last month or two, helped me to get out there. Oh yea, near the end of the run, I almost ran into a skunk. About 2 feet away. In milliseconds I thought it was a cat coming out of the bushes then oh no it is a skunk ( i made a yelp) evasive action, run away, run fast. Did not get sprayed. So lucky. Not my first encounter with one in this town.  Did you hear about the blind skunk that fell in love with a fart? Also just before the skunk I did a sprint interval, but with something I learned watching a 200 or 400 meter race at Olympics. Commentator said it was good the guy was bringing his hands up to eye level. I tried it and arms are forcefully thrust to do this. I felt fast. Look forward to trying it again, especially at the track sometime.  I pondered getting fast again. Thought about committing to doing a marathon at the Spinxs Runfest on October 28. Found out there is a Gran Fondo Hincapie the day before. Maybe I can volunteer for that event.   But the thing is I'm having problems with my left foot. All the walking at work in boots is not friendly to them. I may need to stop or scale back my running even further. 

Early August

Early August 7/1 Wednesday. Andy and I  went to Oldenburg, Indiana to ride with his friend Steve Leak around that hilly area. Great route along creeks and tree shaded rolling hills. The Hill Top Road was very steep up to 17% at one reading. Climbing out of a river. One of the forks of the Whitewater River. Buena Vista, Enochsburg, Hamburg. 45 miles and 2300 feet of vertical. It's great to ride an entirely new route.  7/3 ran in Huntington to the Spokesman bicycle shop and looked around briefly. Ran along River Rd and back up Byron. Did 60 pushups along the way. Hot and humid- had to walk alot coming up hills. About 4.2 miles estimated in 45 minutes.   7/4 rode solo out of Huntington on IN 5 up to Bracken Rd. And over to IN 105 and up to IN 114 then to North Manchester in about 53 minutes. 19 miles estimated. It was hot and I went in a CVS to get cold water. Down across the covered bridge and south then east. Went down county line road toward 800 N but had to walk over big piles of gravel (road closed at small bridge). Went thru Bippus and over to IN 5 and back home. Got into garage 1 minute before a huge storm let loose with heavy rain and lightning. 38 miles approximate in 2 hours. Only 592 feet vertical so pretty flat and fast.  So you can see there are 2 Indianas. One is flat and the northern 2/3 and the other is very hilly and in the south.  7/5 drive to SC