Buck

Can we discuss the fact that it is August 2nd (almost 3rd) and it's been in the 70s-80s with minimal humidity and overall awesome-ness?! I LOVE THIS WEATHER and am insanely grateful for it. Although, I must admit, I feel like it's well deserved after six months of arctic agony.

Last week I worked out a lot comparatively to what I've been doing all summer. Admittedly I didn't quite make EVERY scheduled workout that I'd planned, but overall it was an okay week. One day I swam just under 2 miles in the morning then biked home to go on a 42 mile bike, then a 6 mile run. Unfortunately during the bike mother nature made her monthly visit and brought crazy cramps with, so my planned 6 mile run turned into a 4 mile shuffle. This is upsetting for two reasons: 1) My workout turned mediocre, 2) I did this workout exactly 1 month before the Chicago triathlon. If mother nature shows up during the race like she did during this workout, I will be very upset!

-Noteworthy things:
*While on a long bike through forest preserve I was zoning out completely and then suddenly realized there was a buck in the middle of the path like fifteen feet in front of me. "OH BUCK!" I shouted (play on words to avoid expletives...? maybe) and fortunately that startled the darn thing enough that I didn't die and more importantly damage my bike in a collision. I am living in a cement jungle, but the wildlife is not far away-- there are even rabbits hopping around this city, it really blows my mind.
*On that same ride when I was on my way back from the trail, I DEFINITELY got stuck IN a Jewish funeral procession. How do I know it was Jewish? The hearse said "Jewish Funerals" on the side. It was the longest procession ever. But I just rode along with. I hope that wasn't rude. Whoops.
*I went to a spinning class led by a man named Don. He is definitely in his late 40s/early 50s and had the personality of Niles Krane from Frasier. He wore a sickly tight tank top (not like the uber sporty and cool ones people wear... more like the complete opposite of sporty and cool) and had several gold chains around his neck and an earring in his left ear. His shorts were spandex and he had tall bike socks and his hair was in a semi-mohawk. He was quite the character. I wasn't a fan of his workout. He made us do climbs for two songs then we'd do one song of pseudo-sprints, then back to a standing climb for 8 minutes. I actually like climbing but value the variety of a good spin workout. The clincher was the fact that like 2-3 minutes into the eternal climbs, he'd say "Don't forget to breeeeeeeathe people!" and he sounded like he had a stuffy nose (but I have a feeling that's how his voice always is..) and it was just comical, I'm not going to lie. If I haven't been breathing for the first two minutes of a standing climb, chances are I'm going to be ...dead by then.

Anyways, I really hope to keep some of the momentum that I had last week as I go into this week. We'll see!

I signed up for a triathlon on August 16th in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. What can go wrong in a place called Pleasant Prairie?! I just can't go into the Chicago race with the mentality left over from the last race. This will be an Olympic Distance which is very nerve wracking, but it will be a good opportunity to practice before the Chicago race at the end of August. I'm nervous but a little excited, too. I want/need to get my bike tuned up. I'm trying to decide if I should do it before this race or the next one. It'll probably end up being a matter of when it's most convenient.