Wow! Winter is still here

I am growing tired of the white persistence in my front window view. I can tolerate many things- people, places, things, etc. I cannot, however, tolerate LONG winters. I have not run in 4 days and not swum in 3 days, all because I did not want to venture outside my doors because of the innclimate weather. Call me what you want (cussing aside), but I would have been enjoying a long bike and run had the snow and ice not seized the roads and left them barely drivable by car, let alone velocipede. I digress. I have been in a bit of a slump for the past few days. I am in the middle-zone between indoor training and the soon-to-be paradise of southern California. Some would be motivated by the fact that they will soon be riding and running, and swimming outside in short sleeved weather. I, on the other hand, find this troubling in the middle of January with at least 4 more months of cold, snowy, miserable days spent on the indoor trainer and treadmill. But I have an opportunity to transcend my training environment mediocrity and brush elbows with the worlds best. So I am taking it and will revel in it. When I get back I will try to imagine it never happened and I have been on the Computrainer and treadmill the whole time. Only I will have a nice tan.

Training has been going fair to mediocre lately. I have hit a little lull since my great ascension of Mt Evans last Sunday. I figured out that I am WAY ahead of where I need to be in January and burning out in June is not a goal of mine. So I have taken a half-step back from training and will go into S.D. well rested and ready for some long/easy miles in the mild California weather.

Today was somewhat special in that the Madison Bike Swap was going on at the Alliant Energy Center. I should have been smart and steered clear of this event like the bubonic plague, but alas I could not and went into it with an open mind and, unfortunately an open wallet. Damn! It was like a young child's first visit to Toys R Us. I saw it and wanted it. My first purchase was small- I found an awesome woven 'Silver' bar tape- that I just had to have. After that it was a mere formality. I bought everything that caught my attention; bars, cranks, brakes- I even talked my friend into a few purchases he did not really intend to make. Vicarious living! All in all I left with more than I intended on and felt guilty/smitten by the whole experience.

Training today was limited to a nice trainer ride and movie viewing- X2 The Last Stand and a little pyramid ride starting at a medium wattage and going up to AeT, then back down to Z1. I felt pretty good today despite having been on my feet all day and starting so late in the day. Tomorrow is a nice 90 min snowshoe and swim. More to come...