So, I’m working with an MIT grad student today who’s well on her way to being smarter and better credentialed than I can ever hope to be. We’re discussing her PhD thesis, and as I fly off onto another tangent, she leans back, looks at me, and says “ADD?” “You betchya!” I say, and plow on.
It’s not an ailment, it’s a blessing. Trying to keep up with my mind is a full time job.
MAN.
MAN.
Today was one of the days that was sooooo perfect, it ought to be illegal. Sunny, breezy (but not windy), 75 degrees. There outta be a law that work is prohibited on days like today. Days that reach a certain standard of perfection need not be squandered.
Jon and I ran at lunch again today. We started to do the out/back to the Gazebo on the Navy base, but A) ran into a bunch of sailors in cammies carrying guns who pointed us on down the road, and B) Ran through the end of the graduation of the Naval Academy Prep School and past the new pre-Plebes. Rather than interrupt anyone’s day again, we did the rest of the perimeter of the base instead of the usual out’n’back. (Mmmmm, In-N-Out, which gives me reason to think that Jeff has way, way more wilpower than me – no way could i be within 20 miles of one of those burger joints and weigh less than 250 lbs)
As we were heading up to the back gate, Jon decides to put the screws to me again as soon as we’re at the bottom of a decently steep hill. F***, I think, but gut it out and made it to the top of the first part of the hill about a half step behind him.
Rather than get stomped again on the last half of the hill, I take off as soon as we got to the base of the climb. My thighs and lungs wanted no part of the uphill sprint, but somehow I managed to open up a couple of feet. I slow down where the climb ends, and let Jon catchup. I swear – there’s something that clicks when we’re running- the whole “I’ll race you to the stopsign” thing that we lost somewhere in middle school. It’s great having a running partner on a similar skill level. Good to run with the big dogs, but sometimes nice to be able to push yourself.
5.4 miles in like 43 minutes. Haven’t hooked up the iPod yet. I love that it works without headphones.
On the way home, I stopped to see if it was time to get back on the bike after 3 weeks. Turns out I was right. “The boys” (not kids) did just fine.
And, Man, I still love the bike.
Rode the single speed road bike from Fort Wetherill out to Beavertail and back. 10 miles or so, 40 minutes – 15 MPH on a singlespeed over a couple of hills that I’ve been known to do in my granny gear on a geared bike.
Single Speed is bliss after a while off of the bike. Nothing to worry about except for pedal and steer.
OH, and i must apologize to the guy in the minivan at Beavertail – I wasn’t trying to be a jerk when you were trying to parallel park. I didn’t realize that was your intent, otherwise I would have gone around the other side of the van. However, it is somewhat your responsibility to turn on the blinker. Especially on a street with tourists and cyclists.
I do not apologize to the folks in the Lexus SUV who were stopped in the middle of the park road taking pictures. GET OUT AND WALK! There’s tons of free parking, the day was exceptional, and if you’re out of the cage, there aren’t A and B pillars in all of your vacation pictures.
The Lexus SUV, though, was one of the best bits of riding I’ve done in a long while – bunny hopped off the road, went around them on the grass, jumped over a little ledge, and bunny hop back onto the road. Man, I love the bike.
The singlespeed is so neat to ride after so long with gears. There’s the energy budget and strategy to actually get up hills. Limited top speed due to spinning out. AND, minus all the shifting gear, etc, the bike handles like a freakin’ dream! Light, responsive, nimble… all the things i’m not.
Finished with 5 minutes or so of snorkeling. Absolutely cool. Saw my first fish of any real size – a foot long panfish looking thing that went and hid in the grass. Oh, and to the scuba woman – I honestly didn’t see you when you started coming out of the water – turning around and seeing your legs and torso really did scare the crap out of me.
So, that’s that – what a day! This weekend is house painting, but I’m psyched about my long run on Sunday.