5 Mile Run (BA)

CHICAGO -- Expecting to put in two or three runs, this was a fairly disappointing performance over the weekend...but the body just didn't want to go, so I played it safe.

Still, waiting until Monday morning, I remained with the blahs and didn't set the world on fire with my run along side the proud legs of Craig. As it turns out, I crapped out partway through thinking I had done around three. MapMyRun put it right near 5, and I ran three quarters of the rest of the 7 mile loop, so 5 is fair as a result.

It really made no difference as there just wasn't the spark I usually get from a run. It was a nice day, hardly any wind, fine temperature...just couldn't get the mental game going. I've been groggy for a few days now...since Saturday afternoon. Might get some tennis in later today, but I might just skip it, too. Might have just slipped a gear somewhere along the line.

All in all, I'm glad I got the run in. I'd hate to have been in Chicago and done nothing.

60 Min Bike (A) --167--

COMMONWEALTH -- Rocked out an hour in the living room, this time later with Maggie already in bed. Took in a special on Food Network HD on Corned Beef and then the last half of a rerun of Project Runway. I'm in denial about Top Chef being gone, so I'm trying to rekindle that loving feeling with pretty much anything Bravo puts on. Except, well, most of the things Bravo puts on. Really bad movies.

Feeling stronger each time, but who knows.

60 Min Bike/4 Mile Run (AA) --164.5--

L.A. RIVER/LOS FELIZ BLVD. -- It's a rare opportunity to try something new with running, which makes it always a fairly pleasant experience. Thanks to some poor planning on my part, I didn't get anything in yesterday. So I thought, "Well, we'll do 'em both tomorrow."

Hopped on the bike (pumped up the tires more...definitely way underinflated last time) and went out for a spin. Ended up biting it again with the same mistake, right foot uncleat leads to left side owwie. This time at a four-way stop on Rowena and Griffith. I hit the stop a shade before this Mercedes, but I treated it like I was in a car, so I just started out...and he started out. Realizing that if we came to blows in this disagreement I was not in the safety of side-curtain airbags or much else, I stopped quick. But...like a dumb bunny, I was cleated in. No bother. I'll just lie here for a bit.

That all faded into the rearview as this ride was great. Lotsa folks out today...Sunday at 11a. Sunny and mild. Perfect weather. I ended up staying in the big gear the whole time this ride (unlike last time) and really tried to focus on my "stride" during the long stretches of open and, mostly, flat. It was great.

One nice part was actually getting passed. There was one hoss out there today and he snuck up on me and passed. The cool part was, I got to watch his stride and his gearing, where his knees where, how his feet looked...everything. It was cool. He was obviously pretty good, judging by his rad outfit, insanely expensive looking bike (everything was sparkling despite the age of the bike...like he cleaned each part and taken it apart many, many, many times to upgrade gear.) Plus he was really going quick and making it look easy. I love seeing people like that.

So the bike closes out and I'm thinking about the run. I get some water, change shoes and shorts and head out. So weird running after biking for that long. It's like your legs don't really remember the right stride...like getting off a boat after a few days. Plus, you end up running way too quick because you're trying to keep that same wind feel and scenery roll, I guess. I caught myself at a red light and realized I was practically panting to catch my breath.

As I adjusted the speed, it occured to me that it's pretty hard to judge your speed after a bike, too. I guess I usually judge my early run speed by my stride and general heart rate. But I couldn't feel my stride as normal and certainly was pretty much numb to feeling what my cardio effort was. Really cool though. Bank said it was 72 and simply beautiful day for a run. It was like heading into the second hour of a run...but without nearly the fatigue. The legs felt spent, but in different areas than needed to run. Kinda cool. I just kinda got lost feeling the run for the first half.

Inspired by two runners in front of me, I felt confident enough to finally find my pace, dust 'em up a hill and get to work. Really surprised at how good I was feeling. It was seriously like being shot out of a cannon into a much better running body. It felt like the old days of 10 mile runs being easy as pie. There were some penalties, however. By the bottom of Vermont, my legs felt like they were kind of puffy, like swelled up and heavy. Being new to this sphere, I figured it best to avoid injury and walk...perhaps walk it in even. Another surprise: not 10 seconds after walking a few steps, it's like the legs just emptied and felt (relatively) fresh. So I bounded up the hill and down Hillhurst and then felt the heaviness as I headed up Commonwealth. Another 15 seconds and felt good again. Weird. Finished it out as usual.

Felt very tired by the end, but strong. And as time went on, my opinion of this run grew exponentially...from, "Hey, got it done" to "That was pretty fun, actually."

I'm going to go eat my ass off.

60 Min Bike (A) --168--

COMMONWEALTH -- A pretty standard go of it during the last Top Chef of the season. Fortunately, the Real Housewives of Orange County -- a show I wouldn't admit liking, even under oath -- starts up here right quick, I think. That should be a good one to bike through.

The push today was AOK. Nothing much other than focusing on the spin until commercials, where I'd shift down and try to kick my own ass. Maggie slept as usual without complaint.

Got through pretty swell. Felt like a million bucks. Hoping to get a seriously solid run in on Friday and a seriously rad bike on Saturday. Love to mix in some tennis somewhere in there, too.

0 Mile/Min

COMMONWEALTH -- Breaking an unwritten rule here of posting to this without a workout of any kind...

...but I just dug a piece of gravel out of my hand that has been there since spilling on my bike.

Rad.

4 Mile Run (A-) --166.5--

LOS FELIZ HILLS -- Weird run. Went out on the hills course as I was getting burnt on the Blvd and hadn't done a steep hill in a while.

So I sped it up. Really got up those hills better than I remember I could, especially at this stage. Clock said 83 degrees...it was sunny in the early evening. I wasn't well hydrated.

All these things and still it felt somewhat easy. And unlike other times when I've thrived on that, I got kinda pissed off. I have no idea why. I just blew through the run and kind of just promised to forget it even happened.

But why? The mysteries of this game.

60 Min Bike (A+) --168--

LA RIVER -- Beautiful day for a bike, run or anything outdoors. Mild weather, crisp blue skies and lotsa folks out on the trail.

Gotta get used to all this stuff. Gotta figure it all out. What a good ride is. What gears I should be in. What is 'fast' and what is not.

One more lesson today...one I hadn't had much trouble with since the guy at the store tipped me off. I got my right foot uncleated but had too much lean in the other direction and ended up biting the sidewalk. A little kid walking past with his mother took a great amount of amusement in it, which I thought was pretty awesome. I learn a lesson, he gets a chuckle. Everyone wins.

Generally an awesome morning outing. Toward the south turnabout, some guy was right on my tail. I went further down to turn around and he just blazed off. he must have been .25 mile or more ahead of me by the time I got to Los Feliz Blvd again. But his pedaling looked effortless. Not fast. That was another impressive experience. There are people out there who are really fast. And I'm not one of them. No one passed me today (though that guy would have) and I caught a couple rec leaguers...but a tough lesson of 'putus backus inmyplacus' is coming and will likely be repeated a thousand times in the coming months

75 Min Bike (A+) --169.5--

COMMONWEALTH -- Another Wednesday night, another Top Chef and bike in the living room. But this was the finale, so I've got next week's reunion and then I need to find another show to bike through.

Maybe playoff baseball?

Bike went great. I put the new tube in Monday night and it seems to work. Patched the old one and had fun doing that. So I can't wait to see what will happen to the bike next that I can not know how to fix without calling for help.

But the biking part of the bike went great today. My legs are either really firming up to the task or I'm just getting better at pacing. Who knows. I really felt like I was pushing it for most of the duration. Who knows.

But another few miles into the pegs and endless love for all.

4 Mile Run (A-) --167.5--

LOS FELIZ -- Ran the Blvd route to a miserable conclusion. It was in the wake of an ill-advised lunch of chicken sandwich and slaw at about 2p. The run took place at around 4p. Dumb.

In addition, it was fairly warm, with the bank therm at 89 degrees with full sun blazing. Dry. Hot. Bent. It actually went better than expected for the first 3.5 miles of slog (not a quick pace, I'll venture) but was a mess for the last mile. Mind, body and spirit all running in different directions. Bad juju. Bad run generally. But it happened. So there it is. You gotta have them here and there.

45 Min Bike (AA) --168.5--

LOS ANGELES RIVER -- So there's that.

Pulled up my skirt and set out for a real bike. The second actual ride of any consequence on the mean streets.

The LA River Path is awesome. Miles of open blacktop with surprisingly good scenery...the hills of Burbank, Griffith Park and Glendale/Pasadena all around. And the downtown skyline on the return trip south.

The bikers on the path even give a friendly nod and wave. Love it. Felt great the whole time. Just flying (compared to running, that is) along and enjoying it. Started south from Los Feliz and warmed up. Funny thing about the path during that time of day is there are a handful of cyclists, some city workers and some vagrants with bikes. A great mix of folks all enjoying the day.

One of these folks was an ex-con doing his community service by hacking up weeds along the path. So I come flying by him at speed in my little helmet and shorts and my brand new bike and see the glimmer in his eye as he considers lopping my head off with the machete he's carrying.

So I hit the end and head back north, enjoying what must have been 20 minutes of nonstop movement. Awesome. Hit the north end (past the 134, practically in Burbank) and start back.


Anywho, as the love cycling and all things wheeled is seeping in and my underlying dread of bike-related catastrophe is fading...I notice the ride south is considerably harder than the ride north. The wind seems to be stiffer...so I hunker down. But this seems silly. It's much, much harder. Then I notice it's more bumpy. Then I notice, my back tire is flattening. Then I get off and see it's completely flat.

Then I attempt to use all the tools that I don't know how to use (pump, tire tool, inner tube) and laugh as I realize this is the back tire. I have no idea (even if I could use these tools) how to remove the tire.

So I grab my cell phone, which I brilliantly took with...and called the Beckster for help. Walk back to a spot near the zoo, put the bike in the car. It's almost unbelievable that this tiny, stupid like sand-burr thing flattened a tire. Ugh.
Just about to learn how to change tires. Knew it would happen...wished it wasn't today. The problem with starting new things after you've done another such thing for a long time is knowing how many tough lessons you'll be learning in the days, weeks and months to come. Lesson two (first was how much drivers suck) is under my belt. A few hundred more (hopefully none involve crashing) and I'll be a real biker.

At least my knees are happy.