Some mornings just feel good. After leaving the cuddly boy in my bed (he was leaving to run anyways) I drove to work and climbed on the bike. It was pretty cold out (jacket and long sleeves and tights w/ leg warmers over them cold), but I started with a 5 or 6 mile climb. Not so speedy, but some gorgeous views as the sun was rising over the valley! After some fun downhills, and some stretches of great road (and some not so great road) I think I’ve found a 15ish mile loop around work that I’ll keep — good amt of climbing, good traffic level, etc.

Oh, and I forgot originally to mention the small herd of deer… yes, 6 of them! 4 watched me pass, one hid, and one ran off. It was awesome. Reminded me of seeing the hawk a few days ago while biking along a bike path. He was soooo close, and didn’t move as Mike and I went by.

Got back to work, slid the bike into the car, peeled off the jacket and a legwarmer and started a run. Umm… a leg warmer? Yup. My transition was so fast I left one on! Heh. Didn’t matter too much since the work gym was about .2 miles away from the car, and I was going to leave my car keys in my locker, so I left the other leg warmer as well. During the run there I also noticed it was colder than I thought… I couldn’t really feel my toes. Oh well… off on a loop — and I hit my fastest mile that I know of right now 🙂 Ok, that doesn’t say much, but a 7:45 min mile is good for me, especially right off the bike, and with my heart rate low for most of it (until I noticed how fast I was going), and to keep going for another 3 miles after it, hitting another 8:30ish mile to end with. So good times, good times.

Got into work just in time for a meeting, which is being moved to 2:30 on Tuesdays instead of 9. Wooooo! I can workout longer if I want! 😀

Not that I was really gone that long, but I took a break from most things computer (other that minimal work) for a week as well. And now… I’m back!

Highlights of the holiday seasion included taking Mike home to my parents (he’d met my dad and stepmom before, but this was his first time meeting my mom and sister). It went well and they of course love him. While at my mom’s home we went for a few tough runs through China Camp State Park (here and here). Our legs were pretty shot, so we took xmas day off (it was also already pretty busy with switching to my dad’s house and flying home). In fact, Mike said he was more sore than after his not-great (to him) Kona race!

Home again we got in some great bike rides! We started off with a very slow and easy cruise around town looking at xmas lights to get our legs moving and cleared out from the runs. Later in the week I showed Mike a 35ish mile Rancho Cucamonga loop, and he loved it. We had cut my favorite loop a bit short due to a late start, so sometime I’ll have to take him on the whole ride. He wanted to ride it again later in the week 🙂 We also got in a 50 miler on the Rio Hondo bike path right before we had flown up north.

And the tough rides of the weekend? Well… we ended the year with an 80 miler from the Anaheim train station to Solana Beach. A great, highly recommended ride! The train station is right by a bike path that goes all the way to PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) and that goes all the way to Solana Beach! Much of the ride is along the coast, and there were some great views. Mike and I didn’t do much of it together, but spent most of it with me chasing him, or me passing him as he stopped and took a picture or bathroom break, and then him chasing me. And he also did some out and backs to make sure we’d stay on the same route. I will post pictures once I get them off his phone. As for the ride as a whole, I was definitely pleased with the 80 miles, 3400ish ft of climbing, and 5 hours!

However, there was some excitement with the ride as well. We ran over a nail right as we got to the Anaheim train station a bit later than we had hoped to be pedalling, and listening to the air rush out of my car’s tire we just left it to deal with later, knowing we’d then be rushing to get to a New Year’s party on time. We did manage to change it (thanks Mike! I just helped) and get to the party only a bit later than planned. Oh, and at another point after I had passed Mike saw him coming up behind me, and with a quick glance said “hey hot stu…. ooooh you’re not my boyfriend! *giggle* You’re just wearing the same vest… and also cute!” He laughed at me and said he’d tell his wife.

And then we had our first ride of the year: the Inland Inferno Tri Club Resolution Ride. With riding to and from the start it was 60 miles and 6500 ft of climbing! On tired legs and with the social bits, it took almost as long as the 80 miles had the day before! It was definitely a tough ride for me… my knee got pretty sore, and I almost needed my asthma inhaller which I’ve used about 2 times in the last 3 years. Oh and I cheated… Mike helped me a bit on the first and last climbs by placing a hand on my butt. For the rest of the ride he was way in front with a few fast guys. Lunch at my favorite all you can eat Mexican food place after was delicious and well-earned!

Of course we got in some runs as well, but nothing too exciting once we were home. And only one swim.

Ohh and some exciting bike total info… I will be posting it in a bit!