Weekly Recap 7/31 - 8/4

So here's the deal, I get wiggy from time to time about big events.  Pan Mass Challenge (PMC) is one of the big ones for me.  There is just so much going on, between the anniversary of my mother's cancer diagnosis, and the constant nagging, is this the last one (sorry mom), and the fund raising, if I don't make my 4,800 goal the balance comes out of my pocket, (I made it), but then there is the can I make 7,500 for a heavy hitter designation.  I'm shy about $1,000 when all the matching dollars come in, so that won't happen.  I did get a $500 bonus at work; I could donate to myself and then double it, or I could do something for me for a change, or I could donate it to a local charity or another friend having a difficulty meeting a minimum goal.  Money is a constant worry for many people, and it tears me apart, and mine is about a charitable donation, somehow that seems really wrong.  I believe in the cause and the purpose.  The funds go towards lung cancer research at Dana Farber.  Maybe I'll just buy beer... yeah, right, it goes in the bank for retirement or layoff, which ever comes first.  Funny, I've not even had a second thought about riding 192 miles over 2 days.... I like riding my bike, it doesn't intimidate me.  Ask me to go on a run with you and I'll go apoplectic, it's not a strength.

I was looking for something else and found this.  Thought it was funny. 

Monday is a running day, I was looking forward to running.  I don't do much of it in the summer heat

so when I do it is kind of a treat.  The first three miles were like a knife through butter they felt good and smooth and then the last 3, and I walked 0.2 of them and turned off my watch while I walked them (oh hush, you know you've done it too to not make that over all pace go into the stratosphere - and even at my conservative pace I do the same thing, funny isn't it?).

Gus was totally not into a walk, but he walked a mile any how.  He wasn't completely into walking but was ok with it and much peppier when we turned towards home.  It happens.  Jax got out for a walk and was an angel, for Jax, which really isn't saying anything positive.  He will be 7 in September, and has mellowed greatly, still no where close to mellow.  For that, we are thankful.

OOOOPPPPSSSSIEEE

Not a running day on Tuesday, I am digging.  I rode my bike into work.  A bit cool in the a.m. which says nothing for the guy that's out at 4:30 a.m. 365 days a year riding.  Who am I to whine?  I dread the rise in the first mile of the ride.  It wasn't as horrible as it usually is, so I am either doing something right or I really wasn't awake?  About 3 miles in I realized I forgot my ID badge and crossed my fingers Lenore was working the guard shack because she knows me and I didn't have my drivers license with me so I could get a Day Badge (or a Douche Badge as they are otherwise known).  Lenore was working.  John is on vacation in Ireland with the family so for sure my second possible option was not going to happen!!  I managed to get myself on to campus and into my work space but not into the gym to get ready for work.  The DB doesn't have my usual access only basic access, oh this was going to be a problem...  I managed to get in and cleaned up and presentable for work.



Boot Camp was killer, I've blocked it out.

Met up with Ro to ride to the Dog Watch Fun Run in Stonington Borough, fun ride.  It was just the two of us and we keep pretty good pace with each other.  We made it to Mystic just as the bridge went up. Ro said the usual group is there well after the bridge is back down.  Neither of us thought we were riding that hard, we weren't it was an average ride.  We walked with a couple other gals, I had my free beer and took the direct way home.  5.8 miles, who knew.  Usually, I meander my way home the long way.  Ro seemed really concerned so I wasn't going to do anything but go straight home and text her when I got there.

The Fountain in Westerly's Wilcox Park. Such a beautiful place for a stroll.

Hills with Ro is on tap for Wednesday.  She is still recovering from the Mount Washington Century and did admit they didn't start and finish at Tin Mountain but they did do that section the next day.  She said after you rode 108 miles you rode up that mile?  Yep.  That was the end I had to get back to my car and I was NOT going to walk any of that century +.  We had a good walk and I'm in for next years century.  I loved it the first time I did it and so what if it is the weekend before PMC, I could do nothing for the week and be ok for 192 the next weekend.  Right?  She wanted a less peppy pace, we were pretty on target of our usual pace, just a tad slower on the two last hills, but not by much.

This guy kinda scared me with all his accessories.
He was a super polite driver who stopped for people in cross walks.  Looks can be deceiving!

Boot Camp again on Thursday, at least there were no burpees.  Gus walk in the evening rounded out my activity for the day (well I did mow the lawn).

Chillin' on the porch watching the world go by.

Packing and getting myself and my bike to Sturbridge was all I planned for Friday.  A day of rest from time to time isn't a bad thing!

I'm publishing now, and updating for the PMC early next week.

Knitting:   Nothing....  not really surprising.

Books:  Started "The Underground Railroad" by Colson Whitehead.  The story is about an actual rail road under the ground helping the slaves make their way north.  Currently Cora and Caesar are at a stop along the way trying to decide if they should stay and make their life in South Carolina or continue north.  Based on what's happening at this station, akin to the Tuskegee experiment and not many degrees of difference from the slave life they knew, I hope they leave soon and make it much further north.

Mileage:

Feet: 19
Saddle:  41

If this weekend goes as planned I will have surpassed my 1,600 mile saddle goal for the year!

Sincerely,
Beth getting ready to ride!