So my life is pretty boring at the moment. I train, I work, I sleep, I eat, and I heal. Sometimes not even in that order. I'm 3 weeks in to my training for my races. I've been throwing down the workouts left and right and occasionally they throw me down as well.
So this past weekend, I headed down to Tauranga to cycle with some friends from when I lived there. My friends have been doing a casual 100km loop every Sunday for a spell and many extended an offer to me to crash at their place. I decided to take Martin up on his offer. I left on Saturday after doing my morning swim and my long run for the week. This week its 8 miles and that number will steadily grow over the coming months until our May marathon. I was on the road at about noon after I showered and ate a quick snack. I pulled in around 1:30 and was just in time for our 2pm ride. Willie, Martin, and I pushed against the wind and the rolling road of Welcome Bay for 50km. It was kind of surreal being back there and riding the road that I had ridden so many times last year. It was fun to see the Mount in all its glory. We do miss living down there quite a bit, but Thames is the bad town that everyone makes it out to be.
Sunday, the Red Bike group ride consisted of 19 riders, several of which asked where I had been. It was fun to get that type of recognition with the group as I haven't ridden with them since at least January. Then again I rode a lot around Tauranga while I was there and I'm kind of memorable. Not often you have an American with chops show up in your town and start to act like a local. We did their typical ride which consisted of doing Armstrong Loop and then up Oropi road and then Welcome Bay then back along Papamoa Beach into the Mount. We had a little break at Cafe Blend where I had a really nice chocolate caramel slice and a smoothie. Then it was back on the bike to Martin's place, which isn't too far from where I was working. So I took the same route I took for the entire time I worked there. We had a nice little meal and I got back on the road. Monday was my rest day and boy did I need it. I rode just shy of 200km, swam 2100 m, and ran just over 8 miles.
This is the last week of Beth's vacation back to the US. She had a few days in Vegas, then time with her family in Wisconsin, before rounding out the trip in Minnesota. She'll be bringing back a few things with her, which will be kind of like receiving delayed birthday presents. I'm busy with my 9+ workouts a week and waking up in the middle of the night in order to stave off my insatiable hunger. Last night, I ended up putting my mountain bike down hard on the concrete. The Mountain Bike Crew (Jason, Graeme, and Kim) rode out to Hikutaia on the rail trail in the fleeting sun only to be illuminated by an almost full moon. We didn't need out lights until we reached Hikutaia. On the return trip shortly after getting off the crushed rock trail, we were cruising at just over 20 mph and I got whipped to the ground while cornering. I evidently had a flat front tire and my body got banged up pretty good. I got road rash on my right knee, calf, and hip as well as a bruised left palm and 3 very tender fingers, which feel sprained. It made sleeping a challenge and prevented me from going on my run tonight. I did a quick warm-up but there is pain in my knee. Well I'm off to ice it after my lame workout.
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