Don't I get a down day???

Well training is going great.. Week 4 is down and so is my tough month with training, racing and events.  I haven't had a day off from training since May 3rd. This past weekend was the toughest to say the least.  Since I didn't complete my long ride last weekend due to Leaning Tower Tri, I had to make it up on Friday.

3 hour long ride

So after riding on Thursday in the cold and wind, I went off on a 3hr ride on Friday.  I rode down to Willow Springs to meet up with Stephanie I and then we rode the trails. The ride in the streets was definitely a challenge, the cars didn't care for a rider and some of them showed it by zooming past me barely missing me.  It's not like there wasn't any on coming traffic, but it was more they were annoyed or something and just didn't care.  Unfortunately, I couldn't make it any more over onto the side because of the pot holes and sewer grates.  Regardless, I just slowed down and let those assholes pass. Once I got to the trail, I met up with Stephanie and we headed west, we decided to go to Lemont to her cousin's house so we could refuel and hit the potty if we needed to. We had some hill challenge and I was pretty good at it. There was a few tough ones, but I managed and survived.  Once we got back to the start of the path, I still had an hour more to ride, so I did the smaller loop and then headed back home.  I finished under 2:57 which I was happy with that.  I didn't want to push it, since Saturday was Soldier Field 10 Miler.

Soldier Field 10 Miler

Saturday morning was another early morning for me, I so can't wait until I can get to sleep in.  But its race day and what more do I have to do but get up early and head off to the start line, even on my Birthday.  So today I turn 43 years old, really I don't feel it at all. I know that in the last couple of years, I gained a lot of strength and improved my health tremendously, so this race today, I'm running to show that I can do it and do it better than last year.  And that is exactly what I did.  I got to start the race with great friends who wanted to start celebrating my day with me.  Amir, Precious and May were great to hang out with at the start, even though we lost each other after that, it was great to have them by my side.

As Stephanie I told me at Leaning Tower, I was racing my own race.  I didn't care where they were but just knowing that I had my plan and I was going to stick to my plan.  I didn't want to injure myself or push myself to the point that I was no longer having fun, but I was going to be safe and finish under my goal of 2:00.  The race seemed to be the same as any other race, but then something happened. Just after the 1 mile mark, just past 31st street, there was a crowd forming screaming and yelling. I stopped to see how to help, and it turns out that a runner was down. They didn't fall, they were just laying there, and as I stopped I saw her seizing.  Everyone that stopped either helped to form a wall around her to protect her or call 911 to get medical.  Two separate runners stopped, a nurse and doctor, once a coarse marshal showed up I took off.  I couldn't stop thinking of her and just hoped she was better. I got back into my groove and kept moving. Around mile 6 I had to make a pitstop at the port-o-potties and that added time to my run as well.  I really didn't care, I just wanted to finish. I knew I would be under a 2:00, just not sure how much under a 2:00.  I could see the finish, well at least the gates to the stadium, so I knew soon I'll be on the 50.  And there I was, I finished with a 1:53:57, that was 10 minutes off my time from last year... OMG It was awesome, I was still thinking of the girl on the course, but I was happy with my finish and I didn't care it was slower than I thought but I had good reasonings.

Bike the Drive

And yet I am up early again, and this time Rich is joining me.  We have our annual Bike the Drive with Kathy today, Joe sleeps in so we'll see him after.  This year we decided to hit the ride and then head off to Kuma's Corner for some grub after wards.  Poor Kathy was still dealing with jet-lag that she could only complete the south loop, but Rich and I went on to hit the north loop. It turned out to be a really nice day for the ride. The winds weren't too bad, but at least it was sunny. There was definitely a lot more riders out there this year than last but it was still fun. There were still the regular idiots riding, and I was amazed at some of them. There were those "riders" who were all geared up and you can tell they know to ride, but they just didn't follow the rules of the road. One dude got so close to me and never announced himself, Rich yelled back at him and he was just like whatever.  I swear it totally amazes me.  But in the end it was a great ride and couldn't wait to meet up with Joe & Kathy at Kuma's Corner for some YUMMY food :)

Week 4 is done...

This was definitely the longest week with most hours/miles logged:

127.37 miles
11:31:30 hours
5,280 calories

8 more weeks to go!!!