I do this for fun??

I was not impressed when my alarm went off at 6am this morning. CRANKY is not quite a strong enough word to express how I was feeling this morning. I really just wanted to sleep in, drink coffee and find a paper to read. Getting up so early seemed so uncivilized. I just thought: this is what I do for FUN??!! I was grateful I was meeting Katie to ride. Riding with a friend was the accountability I needed at that moment. Had I just been jumping into a group ride where I might only generically know a few people or no one actually knew i'd be there and be waiting for me...i would have ditched. I just didn't WANT to...for no good reason. My lazy roots were trying to take hold.

Training recently has been easy for me to motivate myself. I'm not saying training itself has been easy...but shuffling the time around, getting into work at a stupidly early time so I can leave early to run or get UP stupidly early so I can swim before I get to work even when I have to be at work for a 7:30 teleconference, or getting in early and staying late and then taking a long lunch to run hasn't actually taken too much convincing. But this morning...you would think I had lead boots on.

Katie and I kinda gate crashed in on another group's ride of elfin forest loop. (it wasn't quite this loop outlined) Ironically as we waited for this group...we would eventually completely lose the group.

Elfin Forest Loop

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

I've done this loop in various ways, and this route isn't quite the route we took...but there are many variations on the theme. Part of this route is actually what I did for my birthday bike ride back in November. I really like this loop for some reason. Doesn't matter which direction you go...lots of hills (3400 ft of climbing in 54 miles), it's beautiful and challenging to a degree.

Unfortunately I discovered that my little 'spill' at the velodrome on thursday ...seems I bruised my butt pretty good. This in effect induced weird spasm at mile 40 and my whole leg decided to tell me it did not like this biking thing. Shooting pain down my leg...but very intermittent and doesn't hurt at all off the bike.

I also discovered that while Pop Tarts have no nutritional value whatsoever...they are great mid ride when my tummy is grumbling and a gel is NOT what I want...if my stomach is wanting food it wants something solid. Pop Tarts: not hard on the stomach and surprisingly didn't just sit there...dirt cheap too compared to something like shot blocks. Shot blocks are about 1.50-2.00 per 200 calories...Pop Tarts: 60 cents for 400 calories (but I don't suggest you eat both of them...THAT would be too much food on the stomach). One pop tart did the trick...so 30 cents per 200 calories. Granted they are full of yucky things like high fructose corn syrup...but anyway...still yummy.

The ride was fun and went well. I'm glad I went and had a great day of riding.