Howling Beast

Sitting, staring, drifting...... this describes my attempt to begin this next posting.  I am quickly pulled from this far off gaze by the sound of two awesomely horrible hounds that seem to announce every waking moment. As always the two howling hounds are met swiftly by the tenacious sleep destroying mutt next door. As she viciously attacks the steel curtain that separates her from immediately turning into Miss Submissive my attention returns, I take a deep breath and look back on a great week.

This week I found myself venturing outside of where I've been before, grabbing a peak at personal fresh tracks.  Saturday was my first bike beyond the 56 mile mark and Sunday I happily returned to runs past an hour and 20 minutes.  Surprisingly I felt great on the ride, that is until about mile 55 where roads that moments earlier were flat and fast became tough, slow, climbs. Miles 55 to 67 were tough but got through them nonetheless.   What I don't recommend, however, is heading to the park a couple hours after your first ever 60+ mile ride for the basketball courts.  Saturday night I found myself much lesser of a man and struggling to move as it seemed some devilishly strong spirit had a strangle hold on my lower back.

Speaking of being lesser of a man, this was an fantastic moment on my bike Saturday.  I have just made it up my last big climb of the day (not that big of a climb, but still some tougher peddling), I let myself coast a bit down El Toro as it turns into Chapman road.  I'm approaching the light where the 241 exits to Chapman just beyond Irvine Lake. A sense of accomplishment is slowly creeping in as at the light I'm going to turn around and head home.  The light is red, which I'm somewhat happy with because I'm going to take a moment and grab a drink before heading back toward the finish line.  I unclip from my left peddle and begin to slow.  I'm just about at the light and go to unclip the right shoe so I can stand for a second and catch my breath, take a drink and turn it around.  This sounds easy enough right, nope... I can't get out of my right peddle and now I HAVE to stop because I'm at the intersection.  One more last ditch effort to remove my stubborn foot from the peddle, nope not happening... and now, with my weight on the wrong side of the bike, I begin a slow.........awkward...... unavoidable....fall to the earth.  Bike hits the pavement, half on the road, half into the rocky ditch just past the curb, my foot still attached to right peddle.

Lucky for me there were vehicles at the intersection.  One waiting to exit the freeway on to Chapman, others approaching from the same direction I had just come from, all most definitely loving what they just witnessed.  See, my fall was one of those falls that you know I'm not hurt, I'm just dirty and embarrassed.  I slowly pick my self up, take a bow and head back home with a sheepish grin that won't remove itself from my face.

After my ride and after I learned He really doesn't have game, I reveled in the the therapeutic giggles and playfulness of Miss Mya Velazquez and the back pain slowly slipped to a mild inconvenience....the advil, ice pack and cinasticks may have helped as well.

Sunday the howling beasts greeted me early in the morning and I awoke for the day to sore but functioning legs and lingering stiffness in my back.  I managed to scoot through an hour and 35 minute run in and around raindrops, a good morning gust of wind or two and a bit of the Southern California sun peaking in and out of the clouds that earlier were in a much worse frame of mind. The run felt great as if a nice cool down from a long grueling Saturday ride.

The rest of the day had me at Target to pick up paper towels and a few other necessities for the house. Apparently it's impossible to pick up just what you came for at this establishment they refer to as Target (it's a soft "g"). I exited Target with the following necessities:

• Air Mattress
  
• Comforter for my spring break road tripping sister
  
• Starburst Jelly beans
  
• Pump for the air mattress
  
• Turbo Tax
  
• ummm......Tent? (come on, they're right next to the air mattresses, and I AM camping soon)
• Paper towels

Learning: Stay on your bike and away from Target

More to come.... 

**note: heeding advice from someone who tends to constantly leave me with a smile on my face, I ask, I beg, I solicit your every thought. Your comments and encouragement are most welcome ;)