Getting Stronger

This training stuff is working, I am getting stronger. It's sooooo easy to lose fitness, and soooo hard to gain it. You have to work your ass off (literally). It's a very cool feeling to get stronger and feel your fitness, strength, and ability increasing.

I've done some big workouts the past couple of days. A long run on Friday, and then a long ride Saturday. I happened to chose a tough route for the ride, with lots of hills and one big climb. I thought I was climbing pretty well when a big group from Pro City Cycle in Victoria blew past me. A couple of them were friends I hadn't seen in a really long time (Mike, a super-fly former pro-mtn biker, and Jen, a pro triathlete). We chatted briefly then it seemed like only a couple turns of the cranks and they were way up the road. Given their pro histories I would expect no less, but it was a good shot in the arm to work even harder.

I cracked in the last 30 minutes of my ride, and wasn't sure I was going to make it home. I wasn't bonking, but my quads were super sore from everything I'd thrown at them this past week. But pushing through is what makes you stronger, so I kept going, even though I was cursing each hill as it stood between me and the house. Why did we buy a home at the top of a hill? Great, it will never flood...

Today I'm feeling sluggish (I woke up to a cold a couple of days ago), and am lounging around. I have another couple of hours on the bike to do today, but with the daylight now I can get that in anytime. It's a nice feeling not to have to rush out the door. Then an easy week coming up - how I love those!

I am running better, I am riding harder, I can do more push-ups in 30 seconds, so I am getting there. My swim is another story... it's so hard to know I used to be a good swimmer, and am now flailing in mediocrity. That 40X100 on 2 minutes Tim has planned for my birthday is going to hurt. Seemed like such a good idea when he first suggested it, and now it's just two weeks away. How did that happen?

Thursday we're off to LA for the Tour of California. Jason and I are super-excited, lots of the big guns are racing and it will be a blast to see the show. As much as Humu likes the southern California lifestyle, she's staying here this time with a housesitter. We'll take some pictures for her.