I think this city is more humid than when I left it. However, I will contain my complaints in this regard as I knew I'd feel the watery-air more so after having been out of it for 9 glorious days.

I returned on Saturday afternoon after what seemed like eternal traveling... I woke up at 2:30am west coast time.. left by 3 to get to the airport shuttle by 3:15 which ended up being 3:30 as it was in a different location than we'd thought... to the airport by 5:00 for a 6:45 departure. Arrived 30 minutes early at noon to hop on the Orange line of the El, transferred to the brown line and get off at the Western stop and trekked the 0.6 miles to my front door at 2:00pm.

Despite extreme travel exhaustion (which is one of the things in life that irritates me most-- why does traveling make you so tired.. you are just SITTING there!), I was absolutely jubilant when I got home. I had a hefty mail pile which held not one, but TWO donations for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!! Woohoo! My aunt and a former On Goal coworker contributed to this insanely legit cause bringing our grand total up to $1,310!! That means just $690 to go before August 4th! I'm loving the consistent progress we're making, it keeps my hopes high both that we'll reach our $2,000 goal and that a cure to blood cancers will be found sooner than later!

After a long nap on Saturday afternoon, I ran to North Park to retrieve the bike my friend is lending me for the triathlon. Unfortunately when I got there the tires were deflated, so I walked it back to my apartment where I had a tire pump. Yesterday I took it out for a spin on a GLORIOUS bike path that I had no idea existed. It's a solid 6 miles away, but once I get there it is actually NATURE. It even smelled like nature which is just astonishing in this city. I rode seven miles out and seven back, then the 6 miles home, for a total 26 miles. Just over the 24.8 that I'll do for the triathlon. I'm still getting used to the bike. It is so lightweight and has super skinny tires, and the seat height can even be adjusted-- what a treat! The gears are kind of funny, though and they don't go very high which creates extreme inefficiency in pedaling-- I'll be pedaling crazy fast but getting essentially nowhere. So we'll see about that. I absolutely love that trail, though, and plan to return for the rest of bike training (minus spinning class). It is great because it's not nearly as crowded as the lakefront, and it's through forest preserve (meaning it's super shady!)

Another new thing I embraced on my bike ride yesterday (new route, new bike, new...) spandex. Aye carumba. Positives: not uncomfortable when riding, the maxi-pad-esque padding in the crotch was actually quite effective for its cushioning qualities, no one fell over in hysterical fits of laughter as I rode by. The world of Spandex is completely foreign to me. My shorts are longer so they end just above my knees. At the end of them, there is a rubbery elastic ring right at the bottom, probably to prevent them from creeping up. However, this aspect is very unflattering, as well, my thighs are a little softer there, so it is just super unattractive! And humbling. When I got off the bike back at my house and was walking it to the basement, that cushioning was super uncomfortable! What an awkward place for stitching. I'm nervous to run in those after the bike... we'll see I guess! All part of the adjusting process, right?

I am hoping to get in the lake this week. My TNT mentor offered to go with me so I don't drown like a fool my first time out. I also hope to get my wetsuit from the office before... no one likes to be hypothermic.

I'm still nervous about running. I really need to pull myself off the treadmill and get outside. It's SO HOT, though! I have a hard time motivating myself to get to the gym, much less outside in 90 degree weather with 100% humidity! I really need to do it though or else I'm going to have a super rude awakening come race day. Running shoes have topped my Triathlon List in priority, though. My current ones have holes that grow with each step:

Unfortunate, really... I get attached to my running shoes. These carried me through the half marathon and my best time ever at the Shamrock Shuffle. Can't forget their showing at the Wacky 5k.. that was ..wacky. Ah nostalgia. Hopefully though, new shoes will remedy a new pain that popped up in my bum knee while at home. It hurts mostly on the bike, but new shoes never hurt anything but a wallet. These are the shoes I will be getting. In a different color, of course.

Okay, the rain has finally let up and I've procrastinated far too long. Donate donate donate! $690 is small compared to $2,000, but it's no small task!