So we had a "date" to run at 6:30 on Saturday. My long run and test run - had some mile repeats to do by heart rate and then track my speed. She was game. I am up 5:30 and walk Zen and it was hard to say what the weather was like, because, well it was dark. As the sun came up the clouds loomed....optimistic! We will be fine.
The heavens open up and it pouring..not CA rain but Louisiana rain. We communicate via text and I decide to run over and meet her at the designated spot. I jump in the car, we say hello and chat and I jump out and she has to make the trek back to IB. Sorry.....
I run across the park and home and decide that maybe I will run in the rain. I run a mile and decide it is not so bad and then I nearly slip....that's it. Okay I am the girl who falls on a dry day running on asphalt, who knows what may happen on the slippery street with rivers running in the gutters. I boogy home, strip and change, grab my bottles and head to the gym. Nothing like 1:45 on a treadmill. I am thinking, cook I can watch the Olympics....ah no. Saturday AM and they have Fox News on the TV in front of me. Yippee....conservative, right wing "news" I can sort of see ESPN and catch some Olympics recap and the far TV has Saturday AM cartoons. So I listen to the iPod. I love the looks from my treadmill buddies who come and go in 20-30 minute bursts. I am camped out with 3 towels, 2 large water bottles and a gu. So I got it done, pace was good, I was bored to death but NO, I am saying NO hip pain. YeeHaw!!!
So the whole reason I am running early on Saturday AM is to get to Riley's lacrosse game, which of course is cancelled due to the rain. Ah well....work out is done and I head home and the kids are waking up and we have a big pancake family breakfast. Nice way to start the weekend.
Sunday was big ride day and we had a nice little group.....rolling at 7:30 but there are always issues, John had a flat and had to replace the tire, Rachael was a bit late and of course as she drove up the people who had been waiting then had to pee. It gets quite comical after a bit. But we were on the road by 7:50 and headed to Ramona. Early flat for Beth but we fixed it and we rolling soon. We had a short group: Beth, Randy and Terrish and a long group with Ryan, KP, Rachael, John and I. As soon as we hit SPP, Ryan left us and decided to do 2 laps...he has his groove on and went with us. Right on ya mate, as they say down under.
When we hit Ramona, OMG the clouds rolled in, temperature dropped and we were freezing. Visions of last week haunted us all- cold and rain. Descending 78 was miserable and I flatted twice, double the bummer there. But as soon as we got to San Pasqual sun was out and the it warmed up 10+degrees. Thanks to Rachel's handy thermometer we knew that it really was cold or really was warm!
Around North County Fair the "short" group turned off to head back for their 63 mile ride and we headed out through Elfin. I must say it is not like Beth was wimping out and riding short, she tacked on a 2 hour, HOUR, not mile transition run. The girl is going to rock her first IM. Secretly, okay well not secretly since I am publicly writing this in a blog, I am glad she is young and not in my age group. Spectacular day- everything is so green and beautiful. JB left us at El Camino Real and took the short cut home and we rolled to Sorrento Valley and home. 95 miles and it was great! Kudo's to RG, she totally impresses me. She too is an IM virgin and foolishly or gallantly chose St George (slated to be the toughest WTC Ironman) for her first. She piles on the miles with the best frickin attitude. I am blessed to train and have so cool friends. We finished the ride, picked up Zen for a short transition run and the training for the weekend was done!
All games were cancelled for the weekend but we had some good friends coming for dinner on Sunday so time to start cooking! Rounded off the night with some terrific wine, thanks to TB, and good conversation and a good sleep for all.
We are in a good groove around here....Riley has stepped up her commitment to school and is now bringing home A's on a regular basis. I am so proud of her efforts and being amenable to our ideas and accepting help from John when needed. The rewards are so big and she wants to keep the streak going.
JD made the Varsity lacrosse team and he is super psyched! Try outs lasted 6 days and the final day was Saturday for 3 hours in the torrential rain at times. He has been tired every day. Now his challenge begins to keep his grades up and balance lacrosse + club soccer is getting ready for state cup. The boy eats, sleeps, studies and then it's lacrosse and soccer. No time for anything else right now....he loves it and it definitely keeps him out of trouble.
So glad Terrish found you guys. It sounds like the start of your group rides are just like ours. It's so funny that people always have to go to the bathroom right as the last person shows up.
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