Today's Musings

It's been a hard week on the pedals. 
• I started off the week with 22 miles in Chippewa Falls (WI) while on Labor Day vacation. It was dark and dreary that morning, not to mention cold. I wasn't in the mood, but headed out anyway, knowing odds were likely that I wouldn't be back in the area. The ride was just blah for me, and I found myself on the verge of a cold the rest of the day. I jacked up with vitamin C, slept and all was good.
• On Tuesday, I taught Spinning class. My gym got new bikes (yeah!), but they are different and require new adjustments. My settings weren't right and the whole ride felt miserable for me. I deal poorly with change...

• Thursday, I procrastinated all morning and didn't get out on the road until the afternoon sun was blazing. I headed out my usual route towards Hanna City and was enjoying the saddle for the most part. On the way home, I decided to take a detour and adventure down new country roads. To my dismay, I eventually noticed my rear tire was leaking air. I stopped to air up the tire and navigate a new (shorter) route home. Of course, the most direct route was Middle Rd... I know this one well and avoid it for a reason... it's hillier than heck!! I struggled on the inclines and breezed down the big declines... and then I hit construction. Out in the middle of nowhere. No turning around; no side roads. My only option was straight through. The road ahead was complete gravel... and more hills. Most dangerous ride ever... with a bad tire. I stopped several more times to add more air and eventually made it home. Ugh.

I've been scheming 2014.
• Now that I started my fall racing schedule, I'm looking ahead to the spring. The only race I know for sure (cause I'm already registered!) is the Shamrock Marathon in early March. Everything else will revolve around that. Honestly, I'm not even completely thrilled by the prospect of another full marathon. I sat down the other night with the calendar, only to realize proper training should start right after Thanksgiving. Crap! I normally don't like to get serious until January...
• Other races I'm looking at include Diva Half Marathon (Branson, MO) and Lincoln Half Marathon (Lincoln, NE). Both the weekend of May 4, so I'll have to pick either/or. I'd like to find a double-state weekend in April if I can pull it off...

Another hot race coming up!
It's miserably HOT here in Illinois again today. We are suppose to get rain tonight to cool things off a bit, but I won't believe it until I see it. I'm heading up to the Windy City to run the Chicago Half Marathon. I won a race entry thru TooTallFritz.com, and have no intentions of running 'fast'... just enjoyable. Hopefully, the heat will control itself, so I can look cute as pie in this brightly colored outfit...

Perfect example of how one can assemble a race outfit
based soley on the SOCK OF THE MONTH at ProCompression!

Have you picked out your 2014 races yet? Which ones are you running?

Do you take 'great care' in picking out race outfits, or just wear whatever?

Got a big race this weekend? Where? How'd you do?