Whaw .... I'm Tired

"Go ahead, you're going faster than I am." I said with a smile to an older man with very large rimmed 1970's style glasses. He was riding a bike and looked like his helmet was just kind of balancing on his head.

"No you go honey - I can wait." He replied.

So we both went.

"Miss, why are you running so slow?" he asked rather boldly.

"I'm just finishing my 3 mile run,.... I mean 3 hour run. See." I showed him my Garmin.

"Well, good for you! That's great. Do you do this everyday?!"

I started to laugh and replied - "No just Saturdays. On Sundays I try to ride between 85 - 100 miles."

"You're great! Tell me something where do you live, cause the wife and I" and he pointed to a little old woman just ahead of us, riding a bike and balancing her helmet the same way he was. "We live in Evanston and ride with a great bike club, you're welcome to join us!"

"Oh thank you." I told him and then told him were I lived and said that I also ride with a great bike group. Then said, "Well, I'm done! It was nice talking to you."

"You too" he said. "I think you're really great!"

I wanted to ask him to come home with me. I could use that "Great" word after all my long runs and rides.

Saturday a small group of us met at the lake front. A lot of the club members were either racing this week-end or traveling which left just 6 of us on the beach to swim and run. The water was as smooth as could be. Honestly, I was relieved. I needed to get a long swim in and knowing that I wouldn't be paralyzed with fear was, well, a great feeling. I kept swimming on an angle and had to straighten out every once in a while. From time to time a stray wave would come out of no where and push me around. I kept calm tho. Didn't freak out. Made my way past the curve on Lake Shore drive and out to the first buoy. Stopped and looked for some familiar faces but saw no one. Literally no one. So headed back. There was a current, so going back was a little tougher than heading out but eventually made it to the beach.

Once we got going on the run, it was suggested that we stay on the lakefront for a change. We always cross over the drive and run thru Lincoln Park so a change of scenery sounded like a good idea. As we made our way thru the new route we saw a lot of nicely tanned, finely toned beach volleyball players, dressed in little tiny swim suits just jumping up and down, having a good ol' time bashing that white leather ball around. The objection was made by the person who suggested this new route that he had no idea that we would see this. Hmmm, I guess I believe him. ;) Felt good the entire run. My right knee was a little stiff but there was no pain. As usual time seemed to go by quickly. Made it back to tri beach but I still had 32 minutes left to run. So I got my stuff and waved good bye to the group and found my family on the beach. Once again they had come into the city to play while I trained. Finished the last 32 minutes and was tired. We all were tired and hungry. We packed up the beach toys and headed off to get something to eat and go home.

Sunday we woke up to rain. I started riding early because I needed to get five and a half hours in. I met Keri around 5:35 and we rode into Frankfort. The rain died down to a light drizzle. Scott I. showed up to ride with us and we headed out to the reservoir. I was having some knee issues. It felt tight and stiff. We picked up Mike B. at the pet cemetery and turned around to head back and pick up the rest of the riders in Frankfort who were starting at 7:30 a.m. By the time we got there the drizzle turned to rain. Pat and Bubba were ready to go along with a member from the Chicago Wheelman. Off we went in the rain. We rode at a cautious pace, which made me happy since I was riding for time and not distance. By the time we got to the BP station in Elwood the rain turned to drizzle and when we left the station the rain stopped. We were cold, so the pace picked up a little. Even with all the rain and feeling tense from riding in it, it was a fun ride. Then I looked at my watch. CRAP! I had an hour and a half left. I'm not doing it I thought. I'm tired, cold, soaking wet, I'm not going. I told myself this for about 3 blocks and then said to Keri, I have to keeping going. She was feeling good and was happy to keep going. Hey, did her rain poncho keep her dry and warm - cause mine did nothing except make noise and blow around probably causing more drag than I needed. We decided to follow Mike B. home. Well, half way to his home anyway. I checked my watch every 2minutes, counting the seconds away. Of course this makes it feel like time is going by at a snails pace. Finally, the turn around point came and we said our good byes to Mike and headed home. We had to make some extra turns to make the 5 and half hours but when I got to my drive I had ridden 87.5 miles in 5 hours and 30 minutes and I was TIRED!

16.5 hours of training last week. I'm tired. The way I can describe this feeling is how I usually feel after I have run a marathon. The body wants to rest but the mind is still running. Almost like a tightly wound clock that just needs to slowly unwind. UGH! If anyone has a clue on how to get things unwound faster (legally) then I'm listening cause this is making me crazy. I have turned into a slap happy idiot that is laughing at everything because I can't seem to get the mind to rest with the body.