Spring has sprung
The 2010 spring season has brought many blessings.
It's wonderful to be back in my house! I'm all settled in, and couldn't be happier with the way things have turned out. The improvements made during the renovation are all working out wonderfully, and I'm thrilled to everything restored & returned to the way it was or better.
Well, admittedly, the lawn is still a trainwreck (as it always has been), but that's pretty low on my list of priorities ;)
I've been blessed to meet many new friends both in & out of recovery, and both in & out of the running/triathlon communities. Life is good! One recent acquaintance has me particularly excited about the future, and I'm thrilled about that.
The '10 race season is off to a great start too! This season's training saw a slower & rougher start than last year, so I was getting frustrated, but then it finally began to click & fall into place...
My first "race" was the MDRA Mudball Classic last Saturday, and it was a hoot! I love that race because it is so laid-back and it has such a fun & celebratory atmosphere. I love getting to see my MDRA friends there, and it was the first time I've seen Steve this year - we had a great time catching up, and he gave me some awesome info for my IMWI training - thanks Steve!
Last Sunday, I enjoyed my (then) longest bike ride ever - 45 miles out-n-back on the Gateway Trail. Good stuff!
Last Sunday, I enjoyed my (then) longest bike ride ever - 45 miles out-n-back on the Gateway Trail. Good stuff!
This weekend, I had this season's first half-marathon on Saturday morning - the Get In Gear. It went very well - though it wasn't my fastest half marathon split, it was much faster than I anticipated. I really couldn't be happier with the results. The weather was rainy & cold - you all know how much I grumble & whine about that weather before a race, but once I settle down into my pace out on the course, that weather is always just about perfect, and I'm all smiles.
Congrats to my friends Rachel & Willie who both PRd their 10Ks, and Mary who PRd her half-marathon. And to Steve, who massively PRd his half on Saturday (not GIG) - 1:22 - wow!
Congrats to my friends Rachel & Willie who both PRd their 10Ks, and Mary who PRd her half-marathon. And to Steve, who massively PRd his half on Saturday (not GIG) - 1:22 - wow!
After that race, we celebrated with yummy Day By Day Cafe breakfast with my wonderful GF and my dear friend Rachel and some of her friends - a perfect way to cap off a great morning! I even got in a great swim that afternoon at the Midtown Y. A leisurely evening spent with my lovely GF capped off a fantastic day :)
On Sunday morning, I woke up early to head out to the Minnesota Ironman Bike Ride. I was just planning to do the 65-mile route (they offer 30, 65, and 100 mile options). It was cold & rainy again this morning, and I came very close to not doing the race at all once I got there and realized how wet & chilly it would be. But, I decided to man up & press on...
Today's BIG mistake: I picked up a course map at the check-in table, but stupidly stuffed it in a jersey pocket without even looking at it. My reasoning? "Well, surely the course will be very clearly marked at the split points, and I won't need to worry too much about looking out for that turnpoint..."
Admitting that, I know all my Herk peeps out there are shaking their heads: "Route study, and then clock-to-map-to-ground, Hydro! C'mon now!!!" You'd think such preflight & inflight skills would still be second nature to me, but I arrogantly decided to blow off my pre-mish planning. Trust me - lesson learned!
Admitting that, I know all my Herk peeps out there are shaking their heads: "Route study, and then clock-to-map-to-ground, Hydro! C'mon now!!!" You'd think such preflight & inflight skills would still be second nature to me, but I arrogantly decided to blow off my pre-mish planning. Trust me - lesson learned!
OK, so off I go... I had planned to be self-contained on the 65-mile route. Though there were rest points along the way, my plan was to do the 65 without stopping - I had enough water & fuel on the bike to make it happen. Well, that was the plan, anyway...
The first 50 miles were cold & wet. It was rainy, chilly, and windy. There was a rest stop at mile 50, and I finally decided to take a break to warm up a bit. I peed, grabbed a cup of coffee, and jumped back on the bike. I admit that it occurred to me then that I didn't recall a 50-mile stop being part of the 65-mile course, but I still didn't understand I had missed the 65-mile course turnoff (which was quite a ways behind me at that point). But do I stop then to confirm my suspicion on the course map like any sensible person would? Of course not! Ugh. So...
I start getting excited as my Garmin tells me I'm at the 60 mile point, but as I look around, I notice that it does not appear that I'm anywhere close to Lakeville (the Lakeville senior high school is the start & finish of the race). "No worries!", I reassure myself, "Surely, I must still be on the 65-mile course"
...It was then that those uncomfortable past-life memories of "Uhhh, hey Nav... What's in SCNS right now?!?" started to surface in my mind... As the Garmin mileage ticked closer to 65, reality set in - I am still out deep in farm country, and am definitely not on the planned 65-mile course!
...It was then that those uncomfortable past-life memories of "Uhhh, hey Nav... What's in SCNS right now?!?" started to surface in my mind... As the Garmin mileage ticked closer to 65, reality set in - I am still out deep in farm country, and am definitely not on the planned 65-mile course!
The legs were understandably sore at that point (after all, my longest ever bike ride till this point has been those 45 miles a week ago), but I was still feeling fine overall, so I decided to suck it up and push out my first-ever century (100-mile bike ride).
Those last 50 miles were drier - only light occasional rain, but the headwinds & crosswinds were brutal. My decent average speed over the first 50 miles dwindled to a frustrating crawl through those winds. I made one more rest stop at ~80-mile point for more sugar & coffee, and then finished my first century with a big smile on my face!
I'm very tired right now, but my body feels good - sore, but it's a good, contented soreness, and nothing hurts - I'm very happy about that. I'm looking forward to a great season of many great race events coming up!
These last two weekends have combined all of the wonderful things about my spring so far - time spent with with my amazing GF, other wonderful & dear friends, and good/fun/successful training events & races.
Tonight, I reflect what a huge gift that sobriety has been in my life - all of the many blessings I enjoy today are only possible because I am sober. By God's grace, I will continue on this path, but it's a journey I take one day at a time. And I like it that way - it keeps me humbled & grateful for each day I have in this incredible new life of mine.
I hope your spring is off to a wonderful start as well!
