I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike.

Last week I had a baaad attitude about my training load, especially riding my bike for seemingly endless hours inside.  Just after I revamped my training schedule for the wiser, mother nature came and catapulted me into bike riding heaven.  The picture above is from my ride OUTSIDE yesterday afternoon!!!  I'm sure I grinned the whole time and my smile was bigger than my face. 

There really is no better way to rejuvinate and revive one's perspective about training besides a major change of scenery.  Happily, I was not more than ten minutes into my ride when I had to peel off a shirt layer and a pair of gloves.  Spokane can provide some of the most beautiful landscapes, especially between seasons = brilliant sunshine + snow covered fields. 

The hours I spent on my bike yesterday seemed like mere minutes.  Another surprising aspect of getting back outside to ride is the renewed enthusiasm for routes that seemed mundane by the end of the last race season.  Instead, I was in awe of all the little details.  I even grinned my way up a long, tough hill climb, seriously thankful for the opportunity to embrace the day's warmth on my bike.

  I sure hope you had a chance to get out there and ride too!

Half-way there.

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with this post; except that it's very close to Valentine's Day and I just love this happy picture of me and my sweetie.

Well, I'm half-way through my sweet, sugary, blissful, yummy goodness FAST.  100% success so far.  The major temptations I have had to overcome include: gooey brownies at Dinner Club night, a HUGE box of Dove chocolates for my birthday, my entire family ordered either chocolatey lava cake or creme brulee at my b-day dinner , a student gifted me red velvet cupcakes, chocolate/cream cheese cupcakes at my birthday party, Davenport's famous soft peanut brittle, donuts in the staff room 2x and a student brought me donuts in class today.  Still to overcome: Valentine's Day sweetness.  I will admit that I have definitely prayed more in the past 11 days than I have ever before.  And that's the whole point!

In other news, I'm training right along - but I am having a little trouble with my attitude lately.  Two weekdays I have very long training bricks to accomplish.  I may actually hate my life both of those days.  I tried to get up this morning at 4:00 to get one of my workouts done - but my bed was too warm and comfy to get out of so early.  I keep trying to think of ways to reorder my day's activities to fit in the workouts so they cause less stress.  Not happening!  If it was light earlier in the morning - I'd just get my run done.  My resolve for next week is to get my buns outta bed in the early AM and suffer a bit.  Also, I should remind myself that this is a life choice :).

Happy early Valentine's Day to all you sweethearts!!!

FAST

Today I will start fasting and will continue for 21 consequetive days.  My church is engaging in a congregational fast to pray for something specific.  I am too.  The idea is that I will give up a specific food, habit or activity and every time I miss/crave/think about that "thing," I will say a prayer for someone else. 

I choose to fast from all sweets for 21 days and pray for a person who is very precious to me.  This means that I will not eat chocolate, candy, cookies, (cup)cakes, pie, birthday goodies, Valentine's Day treats or anything that I would consider delicous, sugary bliss. 

So if you notice me acting forlorn, lethargic, mean, grumpy, moody, despondent, nervy, resentful, defeated or miserable - maybe you should start praying for ME!