Potpourri

~~A mishmash of stuff that didn't fit in anywhere else~~

The part I didn't mention about the bike race: for the next 24 hours after the race, every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was singletrack. Rocky, rutted, downhill, treacherous singletrack.  It was like watching a video taken from a helmet cam.  Very restful to have to search for the best lines through all that every time you close your eyes.  Finally I started forcing myself to visualize the Katy Trail and was able to sleep again.

Speaking of the Katy Trail: my mom and I took the scenic route on the way to Jefferson City, which passed stretches of the Katy Trail.  She had to listen to about an hour of things like, "I was almost run over by a car there!"..."I used the ATM at that bank!"..."Awww, they had a SAG set up at that shelter..."

Speaking of the scenic route: I only went that way because the GPS told me to, but it still reminded my mom of my dad, who never met a back road he didn't like.  And then, as I talked about some of the rides and races I've done alone because I didn't have anyone who'd go (not usually an issue anymore since I've met people who are into these same things), she told me I was just like my dad.  He died almost 18 years ago, and I still miss him.  He was a really neat guy, and it was pretty cool to hear that I'm like him in ways besides just being smart and liking to read.

Klout.com: Have you checked this out? You can link it up with your twitter and facebook (and other) accounts and it measures your "influence".  Right now klout judges me influential in the following areas:

• running (OK)
•  nausea (huh???  I guess bc I'm always talking about how I feel like I'm going to throw up when I get hurt or before a race?)
• photography (if by "photography" you mean blurry iPhone pictures taken as I run past something),
• marathons (perhaps should be "marathon"--singular)
• camping (makes sense)
• books (yes)
• money (oh, dear, don't go taking my advice on money!)
• iron man (do they mean the Robert Downey, Jr, version or the triathlon one? Bc it's kind of a toss-up, but I'm pretty sure they aren't talking about ironing clothes.)
• facebook (I should be, I'm a prime overuser of facebook)
• family (yes).

The Clymb: I'm currently a big fan of klout because I just got the pretty awesome "perk" of a $50 credit to  ("member pricing on the planet's most sought-after outdoor brands").  After reading about the company, I guess basically they buy up overstock and then sell it at discount to site members.  Membership only requires giving them your email address.  I'll let you know if I'm still a fan when I get my order, but the prices looked pretty reasonable.

Running: Haven't had much to say about it.  I had a little week or so layoff that is stretching into two.  I was running more consistently but had a lump in the back of my calf.  Felt like a bruise, but I couldn't figure out what it was from.  It was a pretty hard spot to bruise unless it was from a pedal, but I hadn't ridden either of my bikes in a while.  No being sure what the problem was and not being willing to hurt myself  right before Berryman, I took a little break.  Back at it on Saturday.

Swimming: So there's the matter of that little half-ironman on Oct 2.  Mike offered to put HIM/Oly on the shirts (giving me a way out), but I'm going to go for the whole thing.  We'll see how that goes.  I've been swimming once.  I swam 22 laps in a 25 yard pool...which is one lap more than half of what I'll have to swim in the race.  It took me 45 minutes (assuming I counted laps right...I think I did).  The good news is that I was probably faster in the sef than the first.  The bad news is that's still mighty slow.

Running, part deux: Last December, I ran in the Pere Marquette Endurance Trail Run. The 7.8 mile trail race took me over 20 minutes longer than my first half marathon and a couple minutes longer than the 20K trail race I did.  It was the hardest race I've ever done, the only one I've wanted to quit in the middle of, and an absolute blast.  Registration for this year's race started at 12 a.m. this morning.  I set my alarm, got up at 12:30 a.m., and registered...and it's a good thing I did, because it sold out before 7 a.m.

Adventure race: The Berryman 12 hour adventure race is three weeks from this coming weekend.  You know, the one I've been looking forward to since I first heard of it last year? My partner, my brother, has 2 ruptured disks.  And he'll be competing like that.  I'd like to tell you that I'm worried about how he'll do, but this is the guy who ran our marathon with a previous long run of 15 miles, so instead I have to admit that I'm worried that he's going to show me up even with his 2 ruptured disks.  But if he wants to carry my pack, I'll let him. :)

Life, exhibit A: My oldest son moved out tonight.  He and a friend got an apartment together.  I'm sad.  I mean, I'm partly ready for him to be independent, but it's scary.  And weird.  Really? We won't all be living in the same house?

Life, exhibit B: My car is in the shop, and the mechanic called to say that the repairs would cost $2,000-2,500.  On an 11 year old car.  It probably doesn't make sense to fix it, but both of our cars are paid for and I hate the thought of having a car payment again.  Tears have been shed.  On the plus side, we won't have money for groceries, so at least I'll lose weight.