Fall is here

Yes, it appears fall is upon us. The leaves are changing, the weather isn't as "nice", cold, dreary days are upon us. . . . . .nature is slowly shedding it's life preparing to hunker down for a cold winter.

I find that fall is a great time for reflection. I don't always plan it that way. . . .but it seems these cooler dreary days have me thinking about life and what I want out of it.

Recently I've found a wealth of patience I had forgotten I had. It makes me sad to think I had to lose someone close to me to understand how insignificant certain things in life really are, but it makes me very thankful to come to this realization NOW, while I'm still "young", while I still have time to "slow down and enjoy life".

In the months since my dad has passed, I've been building up for a personal journey I feel I need embark on. This personal journey is nothing over the top. . . .it's just simple goal setting, looking at the rest of my life and deciding what makes me happy, what I want more of, and where I want to go.

I'm one of those fortunate people who truly understand I can attain just about anything in life I truly want if I focus, make a plan and give it 100%. The "problem" is that I'm not truly sure what I want to attain in life right now, therefore I seem to be merely "existing". The funny thing is, it seems MOST of the world just simply "exists", going to work, coming home, riding their bike (or doing whatever) for stress relief. . . . .but we're all capable of so much more. And at this point in my life. . . . .I'm ready to work for "more".

Now I just have to figure out what that "more" is. :-)

Lake Geneva

Wow, what a race. That was freakin' hard!

As we lined up, I knew I was going to have to give it my all on that start hill to get a good position going into the single track. I was hoping my legs would cooperate as they were feeling very tired and flat during the warm up. Perhaps too much riding the day before. . . . maybe even too much loading the week before. Who knows. But I figured it was what it was, there wasn't anything I could do about it. I'd just try to ride my best and see what happened.

I tend to be strong on hills. . . .why I'm not really sure because they REALLY hurt, but I dug deep and got up front on the start climb. Went into the single track 2nd or 3rd. It was a good spot to be.

We caught up to the sport boys pretty quickly. . . . we actually caught some right before the dive down into the single track already. I figured that would be a bad course for traffic, but if it was bad for traffic for me, it was bad for everyone. I just hoped I could get a gap and hold on to it.

I got my wish in lap #1. I held my spot, rode relatively clean, although I stepped down that last set of rocks after the rock garden. I don't know WHAT my problem was, but that freaked me out every lap. Oh well, a few seconds lost stepping over something that could propel me into the cheap seats is a good few seconds to lose I guess.

Lap #2 I was still in a good spot heading up the start climb. I was hurting. . . .it was hot, I was sweating profusely, I could already tell I hadn't drank enough. I got yelled at by my easy up of peeps to drink so I tried to force it down on the second lap. Unfortunately, I think it was too late.

Going up the start climb to start lap #3 I could feel my energy drain. I knew I was in for a rough 3rd lap. I just hoped that I had gotten a large enough gap that I could hold my position - or close to it. Every hill felt like death. I was hyperventilating, seeing starts and not sure I'd be able to finish it I was hurting so bad. But somehow I found the strength to keep pushing on. I eased up a bit on purpose. . . .but mostly because I physically HAD to. I heard Sonia breathing down my back so I let her get around me. She had so much energy, there was NO way I was going to match that. Back and forth I went with Mariah. Last time through the rock garden I stepped over the last set of rocks - AGAIN - and Kate flew by. I gave it my all knowing I was nearing the end. I figured if I could make it to the end knowing I had given 100%, I would be happy.

And that's exactly what happened. I ended up 7th overall. Not so bad of a race, but not as good as I was hoping for considering I was in the top 3 or 4 for 2 laps. But I finished and I managed a win in my age group against some tough competition.

I wrestle with how much to put out there so early in the race. . . . . .and I wonder if a bit of conserving would have given me the "extra" I needed yesterday. But after a number of years of racing experience and getting to know my body and my strengths and weaknesses, I believe conserving wouldn't have helped me much. I seem to do the best when I put it all out there right up front. Sometimes I can hold on to that. . . .and sometimes there are just faster girls.

Today I feel like someone took me out to the bike rack and beat me to a pulp. My body hurts tremendously, I can't move my head my neck muscles are so tense and I've had a head ache all day. Mondays are usually not a lot of fun, especially a Monday after a race, but today, well, today takes the cake. Unproductive, low coping skills, lots of "pain". There's no question as to whether I gave my all yesterday or not. I gave it all, and then some. :-)

Epic Road Ride

Well, it was epic for me. I took a trip up to Parnell Tower today.

I took the "scenic route". . . . .knowing it's something my dad would have done if he were still alive. So that one was for you dad. I did on my bicycle instead of in a mini cooper. . . . . .perhaps that will help keep ME around a little longer.

I could only make it up to the first landing before my "vertigo" got the best of me. Too bad as I bet the views from the top were/are spectacular. But I'm sure dad already knows that.

Today was a great day to be alive. :-)

Goals?

"Long-range goals keep you from being frustrated by short-term failures."
-- J.C. Penney, Retailer

Hmmmm. I should probably get some long-range goals again. . . .

Quote

"Age wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul."
-- Douglas MacArthur, General

Interesting.