Back to Work

Recovery week is over and it has went well for the most part.The muscles surrounding the left knee is still sore but I can run on it. I am concerned that it's still giving me some back talk after a week of recovery but it's responding well to rest and active recovery. I got 6 miles out of it yesterday and it went just fine. Been working out every other day. I started with walking then walking with stairs. On Thursday I went to spin class and spun easy, no problems. Saturday I rode for 3 hours easy with friends, no issues. Sunday was the 6-mile run, some soreness but nothing that got worse after a certain point. I'm also finally over allergies that I acquired from running the race. I got back with red, itchy eyes, congestion and coughing, that too is finally on it's way out. I've had it before running the East Bay's trails but nothing that lasted as long. My appetite has been normal, no crazy cravings or eating over drive although I indulged a bit this weekend. One last hurrah before going back to normal training. We'll see what this week will bring. Weights are back in the mix to shore up everything before the next main event, the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 on July 19-20. I'm now busy getting my final papers done for that event. I have to submit proof of qualification that I've run ultras before and proof of my volunteer hours. They require 12 hours of trail work, community service or hours volunteering at a race. I've got enough hours since they also count part of last year but this weekend I'm volunteering at PCTR's Pacifica 50k just to throw in some fresh hours in the mix. It will also be a pleasure to watch and support other people racing. A perfect time to give back no?

Saturday's bike ride was great...no, no, amazing. I hadn't been on my bike since the Wildflower Triathlon, after that race I was busy with the final preparations and training for Kettle Moraine. I kept up with the spin classes but hadn't been out on the road. The bike was tuned up before the triathlon and felt like butta out there. Felt good to move fast, quietly and gracefully. So much good for my legs. I also got to ride with good friends who I hardly get to ride with these days because of their Ironman training. Rangsiwan was still recovering from Ironman Brazil, Jessica is tapering for Ironman Coeur d'Alene (race is this weekend!) and Sammy, well Sammy is Jess's faithful training partner and those two are almost inseparable. We met up with other club mates, rode to the coast and back for an easy 3-hour "muffin" ride. There were good climbs, fast descents, and windy straight aways. There was riding through Redwoods, brown hills populated by cows and horses and a quick stop at a place they call the Bovine bakery which is a popular hangout for cyclists in the weekend. There was singing of show tunes but not by me. All followed by some beer and good food at the Marin Brewing Company. If there was music to go with all of this it would be Hawaiian....again. I can't seem to get enough of it this past week. No I don't understand Hawaiian but the Spirit of Aloha never left me when I left the islands. I think of it when the sun is shining and things are good. I should have had it on my player at KM100, the irony of it would have been good for a couple of laughs - not that I wasn't laughing already. I laugh when things start heading towards ridiculous. The people of KM100 had a lot of Aloha.

Speaking of recovery, my old Nikon is back. It just started working again. Nice huh. Three one hundred milers, countless training swims, rides and runs and it's still ticking. I also like my new Nikon, something I can take to dinner parties. The old Nikon looks like it's been out trail running; chipped, scratched and faded. It looks like how I felt after KM100.

Clubmates / friends heading out on the same route.

Heading towards Pt. Reyes and Bovine Bakery.

Through the trees on Lucas Valley road. Yes it really is named after George Lucas.

Enjoying my post ride beer at the Marin Brewing Company.

The sistahs enjoying their beer; Jessica, Rangsiwan and Sam. Yes I ride with girls and they're the iron women type. I can't hang when their rides start breaking 60-miles because it messes with my ultra training. Those beers are looking pretty good right now.

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