the hilarity of cold rides, a racing team, and MORE snow

As previously stated, there was a plan to meet my buddy for an outside ride on Saturday, when high temps were to reach 28 degrees. We were supposed to meet at 10am. I got a text around 9 saying we should push it back to 10:30 to see if it warms up any. hahahaha. Like a half hour was going to make a difference. I was honestly questioning our sanity, and was thinking a 3 hour trainer ride would suffice. BUT, i told him that if he was going, I was along for the adventure.

After bundling up in two pair of tights, a nice warm cycling jacket, wool socks, shoe covers and thick gloves, we were off. The sun was shining and after a half hour, the cold wasn't that bad, surprisingly. As we're heading up the first (of very very many) hills, he tells me of the conversation between he and his wife that morning, which had me laughing so hard I could hardly catch my breath. He told her he was going out riding. She called him a retard. And he said "She's usually right, but she let's me do what I want."

Then came the debate about Cadbury cream eggs. I LOVE them. Seriously. I could eat like 10 of them. He recounts a tale of a conversation he'd had just nights before about how his friend has only one fault with his wife "she fucking love those things. they're like chocolate covered snot". the descriptions only got better from there.

After two hours, I started to get cold. And whiney. But we hammered out another hour. And then busted out our 30 min run.

I proceeded to go home, eat and nap. Which would be a theme for the weekend.

Sunday morning was the scheduled Splash 'n' Dash, a 1k swim indoors followed by a 5k run outside. Driving up to Kettering, my car read as low as 5 degrees. And it ended up on 11. Coach had started a bunch of smack talk between those of us on the team, specifically pitting us girls against the guys. The focus was on the swim. And I'm happy to report that I spanked all but coach (and fellow teammate, Missy, but she's unnaturally fast and i don't even consider her in competition in the water) in the pool.

Our team made a great showing.the 7 of us that showed took 3rd, 6th, 8th, 10th, 11th, 13th and 16th overall. (there were no age group breakouts) We also got sample sizes for new unis! After an additional 40 min run, we gathered to discuss swim technique and drills to work on.

And then I headed home, where I ate and took another nap.

And then got up for an hour spin while finishing up Food, inc. before heading to the grocery....where I spurged on all organics. Seriously, WATCH the movie. I don't know how anyone could watch and not be affected.

Luckily, today is President's Day. No work. And no fighting snow covered streets. because we got another few inches overnight. UGH!!! And we're supposed to have a few more by end of day. And just after Clubber went potty outside twice yesterday...

friday thoughts

 - why am I always having a good hair day on the days I need to hit the gym at lunch?
 - riding outside tomorrow. should be interesting. high of 28 degrees. will be testing new cold weather gear.
 - Splash'n'Dash on Sunday. I'm actually going to do it this time. 1000m indoor swim followed by 5k outdoor run. then more running with teammates.
 - will also be trying on new team unis.
 - speaking of which, Triple T tri top designs are out. they look tight. per usual.
 - looking at going some place warm soon. wait. even TX and Atlanta are getting dumped on with snow? f*^k!
 - thank you Lincoln and Washington for President's Day. and that I have a job at a bank. three day weekend in store!
 - the above is much more exciting to me than valentine's day, which is just another day. I guess I don't understand why we only show our love one day a year through obligatory flowers and candy.
 - not that flowers and candy aren't nice and yummy...
 - because the tulips sitting on my kitchen table are beautiful. and the chocolate covered strawberries were delicious.
 - the half hour on the treadmill at the gym just now seemed to take FOREVER. much longer than the 80 laps on the indoor track on Wednesday.
 - tomorrow will be the 5th and final day on the bike for the week.
 - and Sunday will be the 5th and final run. but only the 3rd and final swim.
 - perhaps I should get in the pool more?
 - I'm leaving early again today to kick off this 3-day weekend.
 - and I'll be hanging with an old high school friend. should be entertaining.
 - Oh, and Winter Olympics start this eve. I like the Olympics.

I had forgotten...

 - just how much I don't like bundling up and wearing tights and having cold feet for a run.
 - that I eventually warm up. even when it's only 20 degrees outside.
 - that sometimes, delaying a run is the best way to get myself out the door.
 - how nice it is to run without music; to hear myself breathe, listen to my footfalls and let my mind wander.
 - how beautiful the sky looks as the sun is rising.
 - just how quiet it is outside in the early morning in the winter in the Midwest.
 - how great it feels to go at a nice easy pace. even up hill.
 - that sometimes, when I feel tired, a run will wake me up.
 - that hot coffee tastes amazing after a chilly run.
 - how quickly I can get ready for work when I'm crunched for time.
 - that sleeping in is over rated :)

Baby, it's cold outside

What a week it's been! It started out on Monday as being nice and warm outside. Like 55 degrees. Tuesday, it was a little chilly as I got up and went to swim practice. I think it was in the 40s. I wore flip flops to practice. By the time I was headed to work, the temps had dropped into the 30s. And they kept sinking from there. It was a crisp 19 degrees on my way to practice this morning. Ugh. I just tried not to think about how I was going to have to strip down and get wet.

Luckily, it only takes a few hundred to get warm in the pool. Tuesday, we did a total of 4k. That included 29x100. It was all at easy pace, so it didn't really hurt.

I had a minor melt-down between swim practice and work. A good friend of mine happened to call in the middle of it. So, he picked me up for lunch...which was much needed. I have the most amazing people in my life.

Anyway, after work, I got on the trainer for my first focused bike workout of the off season. Twenty minutes in, I was dripping sweat. I'd forgotten what that was like! And having a focus for the ride makes it oh-so-much-easier to get through! I do so much better having a schedule. I mean, I'm going to exercise anyway, so it's better that someone else design what I'm supposed to do and how much of it I should do. If it were up to me, I'd probably just run five days a week, swim a few days, lift a couple days...and then, when I get back on the bike in the spring, I'll be wishing I'd been on it more in the winter.

Anyway, Wednesday morning was a run with strides. It was all of 17 degrees. But I just chose not to acknowledge that small factor. I just put on some layers and acted like it didn't matter. Those first ten minutes were COLD though. Then the sun began to rise and I couldn't help but be smiling at how beautiful it was on the bridge as I did my strides.

Luckily, I made it through the work day...and onto an easy spin. And then more cleaning. And baking. And watching movies.

Practice this morning was, um... tiring. Lots of sprints. Lots of kicks. A "half hour of power", which is as many hundreds as you can do on a specific interval. My lane was 1:20. And we ended with a timed 100 and  a timed 50. Did I mention it was 19 degrees out? I think my hair froze on the way home.

Tonight is nothing. Except cleaning out the car and maybe getting some groceries. Tomorrow is another cold ass run. With hills. And I can't wait!

I hope i have power

So, I absolutely love running in the rain. Yesterday after work, it was raining. It was also about 37 degrees. I like both these factors.

I set out for my run in an IM cap, a lightweight fleece, capri tights and my Zoots (cause the water flows oh so freely through them). Oh, and I had on gloves. I felt good from the onset. And I headed toward downtown. I passed a couple guys with shit-eatin' grins and waved. These were the only other two crazies out last night.

A couple miles in, I started to feel my upper body warm up. I unzipped a bit.

A mile later, I was regretting that move. The cold started to settle in. I think it rained down my top. That didn't help.

The last couple miles my pace kept creeping faster. And I think it's because all I could think of was getting the run over with and into a hot shower. I was running with my hands covering my frozen nips. My legs had long gone numb.

I walked inside and stripped down and literally had to wring out my clothes in the bathtub. Even my gloves. Immediately to a hot shower where I felt like my skin was burning off. I thought for sure I'd lose some sensitivity due to nerve damage and frost bite. It was hard to eat after such trauma. I don't know if I was more upset that I was so cold or by the fact that I felt betrayed by my instincts to love the rain running.

I piled on layers and cranked up the heat for bed.

And I awoke to 54 degrees and wind. Like crazy blustering wind. Like, the kind of wind that is scary to be outside walking your dog in kind of wind. And then the radio told me that we're dropping to 18 degrees by this evening. And more wind. Lots of it. Like 60 mph gusts. Remnants of Ike kind of wind. So, I jumped on the trainer and finished watching Whatever Works before heading into this dreadful place work.

It is now 31 degrees. And it is still wet out. That means we'll have some glorious ice out there. And there are almost 10,000 people without power because of the crazy wind. Ugh. I hope I'm not one of them. I'll have to jump on the trainer for warmth.