9 and a Half Weeks

Well, my off-season break was *supposed* to last 9.5 weeks and end on November 1st with getting back to training.  But someone's coach was impatient - or perhaps had some idea of all the shenanigans I was up to - and I've got a schedule starting tomorrow.  Kicking off 2013 with a bang...er, rest day.

At least I fit in the last of my stupidity this weekend so now I can get back to normal.

I spent most of yesterday in a daze from the side effects of my Tdap vaccination on Friday - not fun stuff.  The dogs still had needs though, so they got a nice hike on the trails before I went to bed for the rest of the afternoon.

Today I dragged myself out of bed after 9+ hours of sleep and went down to Morgan Hill to do a little 5k I'd signed up for, since my friends were doing the marathon and half-marathon.  I haven't exactly been running a lot since IMC.  I don't think I've done more than 10 miles in a week since then.  But oh well let's just go out and run this thing for fun.  There were a ton of kids at the start line so I went out a bit hard just to try to drop most of them.  I ended up running in no mans land on my own but for one kid for most of the surprisingly hilly race - I'd get passed by a 10-year-old boy as he sprinted by and then pass him when he slowed down, back and forth for 3 miles.  In the end, I outsprinted him to the finish, something I'm proud of since those little bastards can't pace for shit but usually they can out kick you.  My run was a couple minutes off my PR - though the course also measured a bit long - but I haven't been doing speedwork so I expected exactly the time I ended up with.  On the upside, I was 2nd in my AG and 3rd overall woman!

If that weren't enough, I went home and Jeff wanted to go ride Mt Hamilton again.  So I did.  We parked at the bottom and rode to the top, then back down.  In the fastest time I've ever done it (like over half an hour faster than in April). We even gained some bonus mileage when the road was closed for an accident ONE FREAKING MILE from the base of the mountain so we had to go up and over on a side road to get back to our car (I was not in the mood for more uphill at that point).  But it was fun to get in one last long ride before I settle down to proper work for the winter.  Not exactly advised or smart (mea culpa) but my first chance to spend quality time with my husband all week too.

It was so clear (and warm and sunny) today that you could see all the way to downtown San Francisco and beyond that Mount Tam (the tallest dark shape just right of center).

It's a twisty turny road of switchbacks to get to Lick Observatory at the top.

I feel like I should emphasize that other than ~2 stupid long bike rides, I've basically been super low volume for all of these 9 weeks.  And I've tried other stuff, had some fun, slept in a lot...and did not live and breath triathlon.  So with that...time to get back at it!