Tapering....

It is just not easy to do! I go to the Tri Club BBQ yesterday and was listening to all the long ride, long run stories of the weekend and wanted to be out there getting stronger too! This sport is just plain nuts...I could not wait to be finished with my last long ride and now I am longing for 5+ hours of suffering on the bike. But well... 6 days from now I have 11 hours of suffering, I mean fun to look forward to.

I did have a great ride on Saturday, race bike is off to CdA, so I am on the road bike and head out toDel Dios. Drizzle, again, what's up with that???? Just me and cruising along, through RSF which I love and out and up Del Dios. Could not do the Harmony Grove loop as I was only riding 2 hours. Lots of people riding, waves and hellos. On the way back 2 roadies come up and cruise past and have a good pace going so I let them go- I am tapering after all. But they soon slow down and ride along and I am gaining on them. Ugh, hate this, speed up, pass a girl, and the slow down. I ride on their wheels for a bit and then go around them. You got it, within 1 minute they pass me again. We are coming to a climb so I fall back, feign I cannot keep up, and ride there for a bit and I see the casual glances over their shoulders. About 1/2 way up I let the hammer down and blow by them and see them react and jump out of their saddles and chase. Mind you, I am tapering, not hard riding, but I knew my turn off was about a 1mile up and they were going straight, as I overheard them. It was great fun, dropped them both and turned off and resumed my steady ride back home. Hee, hee.... gotta have some fun once in a while. And it is nice to have some power in my legs!!!

School is out...kids are home.....enough said

Friday we had a grand idea for a bonfire at La Jolla Shores! We packed up wood, hot dogs, s'mores, boogie boards.... you name it. Added 2 more kids and headed to the beach in the cold- 65 degrees and zero sun. Well, we and many others had the same idea. NO fire pits, so now what. It was cold, windy and none of the occupants of the pits looked like they wanted 10 +teenagers and families to saddle up. Would you? So we head back to PQ and our friends brought over the portable fire pit and we have our bonfire in the back yard. Few adults and 10+ kids and mayhem. Dad and Kathi were going to meet us at LJ Shores for the bonfire and I calledto say we were headed back home and they were welcome to come. Thank goodness they had the sanity to stay home- this was far from anything relaxing. Hot dogs burning, marshmallows dripping, dogs begging and 11 in the jacuzzi built for 8. The Jacuzzi was hot. but the pool was 75 and it was cold outside. But with enough sugar in their bellies all the kids were swimming and having a grand time. A grand start to summer. 10:30 I threw everyone out and left most of the mess for the morning. I sent the dogs out first to do ground clean up. Amazing they hoovered up all the crumbs, bits of marshmallow and thanks to Zen's agility he even cleaned the table as well. 50% of the water was gone from the Jacuzzi and the pool was a bit cloudy.... no harm all restored and back to normal. Next time, we stake claim sooner for the fire pit- but that will have to wait until we return.

2 days and I am off to CdA. Need to lay out all the gear, nutrition, pack and repack (which I will do a few times) I only do this for a race, for other trips, throw it in the bag and go, little stress, but for a race! Check, recheck and recheck. Butterflies just thinking about it. Sunday was a day off- ugh ! Restless but followed KP's plan. Today I went on a run, expecting to feel like Ryan Hall, but was slow, sluggish and tired- Panic...not the taper, feel good run. I have been here before but nevertheless is not easy.


PS... like the new logo. Website is under construction and logo'd gear coming soon.