Altered Mental Status

This week was supposed to be a low week for adventure race training -- I've been trying for a minimum of 12 hours a week for the past month. This week looked like it would be closer to 9 hours -- I knew I wouldn't be heading out for a long trail run or ride after Sunday's duathlon, meaning that my usual 3 or 4 hours on Sunday would be cut in half and I knew that Monday wouldn't amount to much training-wise as I had to be at work early and stay late.

But, fortunately, my brain decided to step up to the plate this week. I got in a quick ab and lifting session on Monday, managed to drag my non-morning ass out of bed on Tuesday for a 45-minute trail run. I'd planned on getting home from work, having a beer or two, flopping around the interwebs and having dinner with Bill, but had an unanticipated bout of motivation when I got home and headed to the trainer for an easy 45-minute ride that quickly turned into a 120-minute ride when I decided to stay on the bike.

On Wednesday morning a 16-mile trail run with Abby was penned in. However, the weather, and our own ideas of what constituted sane training, prevailed. Instead of hitting the trails, my family room looked like this at 6:30 in the morning:

Half of our six bikes in the family room -- one for Bill
to ride after work (hiding in the back), one for me,
one for Abby.

Fortunately I don't have to go into detail about the three hours Abby and I spent on the trainer as she did it here.  

For the rest of the day my legs felt a bit lazy but I was satisfied with getting in a decent chunk of time on the bike, even if it was on the trainer.

Bill fled from me before the crack of dawn on Thursday -- a 9 a.m. flight to Clearwater for Phillies spring training, a.k.a. an excuse for a bachelor party. I was half-nice and drove him to the train station that would take him to the airport, as opposed to being all nice and taking him the entire way to the airport. On the way back I ditched the car a few miles from home and headed into Wissahickon Park for what I'd hoped would be a 90-minute run -- thanks to Monday's long day I could afford to go in a bit late to work.

The weather was pretty much fantastic (mid-40s, sunshine), the park was empty (except for a few bulldozers sadly digging up a trail for no reason I could figure out) and I was pissed I had to eventually make my way to work.

After chowing down on some newfound electrolyte chew thingies for breakfast (they were sort of delicious, sort of worked and I sort of should have paid attention to what I was eating because I tossed the empty package at the first trashcan I ran past... no idea what brand or what flavor) and falling into a steady pace I glanced at my watch and realized that I was more than 45 minutes in. A fun time was being had by all so I decided to skip cooking an actual real breakfast at home in exchange for an extra half-hour running.

Ready for rocks and water. Also I think
I am wearing two different socks.

 Most of the trails were in sweet soft shape because of the rain the day before and my legs actually felt less tierd and more energetic as I continued on. The iPod shuffle gods were in tune with my mindset and kept presenting happy morningtime songs as the minutes and miles ticked by.

One section, however, had been particularly drenched by the rains the day before and had decided to cease being a trail and start being a river, giving me the chance to splash around before making my way back to the car. I tried not to run anything over as I zoomed home, repaced the planned-for omelet with a glass of milk and made it to work at an acceptable time.

Following two days of multi-houred weekday training sessions, this run completely reminded me that I like training for hours. I love running on trails, slowly feeling stronger, climbing into bed before midnight and actually being tired. I also freakin' love running with an iPod that takes pictures with a poke of the finger

That is all.