Spinning!

Who in their right mind thought of this, 34 people put their name on a list the get a chance to ride a stationary bike while listening to an eclectic selection of music( Usher to Led) all of the while a crazy woman screams directions at you for an hour. WTF. Spin class is a very different place people dressed for the tour de France, people wearing sweats, and some people wearing I don't know what. Yet all of the people are doing the same thing pedaling fast then slow then standing then sitting then adjusting the bike resistance up and down and up and down doing whatever crazy lady says. Any way it was actually a great workout I had lots of fun I’ll probably go back to tomorrow’s class.

SanTan Scramble

WOW I love the desert in the winter! Super cool and extra dry. When I got out to the San Tans it was a nice 25 deg. perfect for the start of 25k. It's always neat to see and feel the nervous energy that hovers over people waiting for the start of an event. Most of the runners huddled like penguins around the 3 propane stand heaters gathering info on the course or comparing running resumes.  I talked to a runner named Kim that I met in the starting coral for the PF Changs marathon a very cool lady with a passion for running. I also chatted with a man who wears homemade huarache sandals when he runs.(watch out for cholla balls.) The crisp air and the rising sun gave the morning a surreal feeling before I knew it the time had come to start the race. I dropped my jacket near my bag and started the run. The pack stayed pretty tight for the first mile or so but quickly thinned out. The first section of the run is a long uphill through a sandy wash and over a rocky slick granite slab then down a fun winding single track into a bunch of washes. The washes become a bit tedious almost like running 12 foot waves for a mile. Then another long steady up hill. All in all this section of the course was a cake walk. The real fun come in at mile 8 where the trail leads up a supper steep and chunky section of trail. This was awesome the fear of cheese grating your body as you slide face first down a mountain always make thing interesting. Once I got to the top and saw the wicked downhill. I paused for a second thinking how to tackle the situation while in deep thought over I remember what grandma always said "Fuck It" and headed down as fast as could. It was fun. Once I got to the bottom I had to turn around and head back up the trail. I bombed down the other side following the downhill trail to the aid station. I had a plan I was going to stop change out my water bottle and grab a bite to eat. Somewhere on the long rolling decent my mind decided it didn't want to stop so I flew past the aid station. I was on the final lap so for the next few miles I followed the uphill trail talking to a cool guy from Washington who is a firefighter for the forest service. At the top of the hill he was kind enough to snap my picture. While taking my picture break my IT band decided to announce its presence with authority. So I sat on the side of the trail and stretched it out for a few minutes. It loosened up, i got up and dogged a bunch of high school cheerleaders out for a hike and ran the final miles of the loop pretty easily. Before I knew it the finish line was in front of me and I was crossing it. DONE.I headed straight to the aid station for some nourishment and a cold beverage grabbed my gear and went home.  SEE PICS BELOW