Inspired

All this talk of laundry and travel – you must be thinking our training has slipped away. Oh no, my friends. Although it’s true, we did take 3 days off in a row – we hopped on our bikes Tuesday morning and have been going strong ever since. It’s only been two days, but who’s counting?

Great bike at HP on Tuesday. C and I were joined by Kip and TJ for a few fast and furious laps. These smaller groups are great for me because I am confident enough to take a pull. With the bigger groups that train at the same time I end up somewhere in the back of the pack. Probably for various reasons, but first and foremost ‘cause I get a little intimidated by all the fast guys that do the ride. I can hang with some of them, but I certainly don’t feel confident enough to get on the front of the line and try to hold it. But with the smaller groups I am willing and able to give it a go. So I found myself leading a break away yesterday until I felt myself slowing 2/3rds of the way into a small loop and then TJ or Chad start to come around me. And then I’m happy to draft for a little while. I know I’ve said this before, but drafting off TJ is AWESOME! The guy is a powerhouse and it is so easy for me to duck into his shadow.

So this morning C and I decide to start our sequence of Wednesday long runs with a route that will take us to the Lincoln (a whopping 7 miles compared to the usual 6.1 to the Washington Monument). For whatever reason I woke up with a headache this morning and in general was not feeling on. A long, slow run is generally right up my alley when I’m not feeling 100%. Turns out Kip was going to join us. Kip is a fast runner – he races fast and he trains fast. Usually a little too fast for me. Sometimes I enjoy the challenge of keeping up. And even today I felt myself making an effort to keep the pace at several moments. However for the most part I was content to lag a little behind, and when the opportunity came to cut a corner (they ran the Lincoln steps and I did not), I took it and tried to stay in front of the boys for as long as I could; enjoying my own pace without the nagging guilt that I should try to keep up.

I managed to stay in front until the bottom of capitol hill. I passed through the gate and within several seconds Kip came blasting by me. He took the hill as hard and fast as he could. I really admire that in Kip. He attacks challenges with all his physical and mental strength. If we were in a race and I was his competitor my spirit would have been zapped. And so I’m a little inspired. We really only have the one hill on our local run – we should race up it every chance we have. Next time I will. I swear.