High & Dry with a Bright Blue Sky!

I did something I have not done in over three months. I biked some real miles! I typically do do some winter riding but this winter I have not put in a real mile since the snow came. Of course I don't really feel too bad about it considering it's been one of the best winters for skiing in awhile.

So with the sun shining brightly and the roads clear and dry I decided I would start March out with a ride. I always enjoy these first rides of the season, I always get a sense of new experience even after 20+ year of riding.

Team news: tonight is the first real team training session for Team Strong Heart. Unfortunately I'm missing out because of a busy family schedule, but the rest of the team and a few of the 2007 TSH team are going to gather at Amy's to do a 12hr ride/rest/ride simulation and to get a little schooling and advice from the senior TSH members. Go Team Strong Heart!

Tough day on skies

The 2008 American Birkebeiner was awesome, every part of it except for actually racing it that is... that was hard work. I was sick with some kind of cold crud the week leading up to the race. I opted to do the race because the course conditions and weather were suppose to be optimal. They were, I wasn't...

The trouble is the Biekie does not allow for any easy way out. If you don't show up with what it takes you are in for some hard work. That is what I learned. The day was still awesome and I am glad I went but I have an all new respect for the American Birkebeiner.

It should be noted that each of my fellow Team Strong Heart teammates with the exception of Melinda who was sidelined with Pneumonia did the Birkie. It was John's first Birkie race and he started with the 10th wave and finsihed at 3:08 which is absolutely phenomenal! That should earn him a first or second wave start for next year. That is one hell of a performance, good work John!

Snowy Ski

I skied tonight with the snow coming down, that was fun! The effect the snow has in the trail lights is always cool. The trail probably received an inch of new cover while I was there. The new snow was light and fast. The best thing about this snow is it is going to run pretty much dead center over the Birkie course. From what I understand the trails were already in decent shape. I think this snow is icing on the cake for the Birkie folks, what a difference a year makes! This time last year you couldn't buy a snowflake. I'm feeling pretty lucky considering I registered back in October.

My training continues to tick along. I have had successful weeks being able get in the time that I need. I don't put in crazy amounts of time into training, in fact, I'm sure people would be surprised how few hours I actually put in per week. I am focused on hitting the mark each week and putting the pieces together bit by bit.

Knock-knock

knock-knock, knock-knock! Dang, what is that knocking?

I am sleeping and it is so warm & cozy... dad, wake up! I'm back.

Man, was I in dreamland....

I skied the Elm Creek Relays/TT series tonight. It was a small but fast group. I turned in a time over a minute slower than my previous time. That is no surprise following a week of sub-zero temps and a race time temp of 2F. Cold snow is slow.

After the race, with tonight's temp bottoming-out just like all week, I decided to cut my ski night short . I went home and put in the rest of my workout time on the bike. As much as I don't like indoor riding the trainer did the trick warming up my fingers and toes.

When I wrapped up my training time I still had one more chore to do. My Oldest daughter Katie (9th grader) is in orchestra. Tonight they went on a field trip see an Opera in Minneapolis and the bus was not due back until 11PM.

So at 10:45 I warmed up my car an went to the school to wait for their arrival. My car was soooo warm and before I knew it... well, you already know the rest of the story.

Knock-knock, dad!!

Winter's Dead Center

white & nerdy

As I write this (Fri. eve) the temperature outside is -6F and tumbling towards the teens below. Saturday's forecasted high is -2F. WOO-HOO! you got to dig it, I mean, this is it, the absolute dead of winter! From here on out it's just another day closer to spring...

We have had it pretty good this winter so far, it is mid January and we have had no real long-term plunges into the sub-zero range. I find myself hoping for a good wallop of arctic air this weekend, after all, what is a Minnesota winter without some real snow and cold? As we all know, heading into February, Old Man Winter's grip starts to slip. The sun climbs higher, daylight is more plentiful, and before you know it... dandelions!

Seriously, winters have never seemed shorter since I started xc skiing. Here in Minnesota, at our local latitude, the best we can hope for is a 100 ski day season. Suddenly, a hundred days of winter never seemed so short!

So I say; sock it to us Mother Nature and Old Man Winter! Lets see what you got!!

On a side note, I am pleased to report that I have been successfully hitting the prescribed marks on my training schedule. EVEN if it means mindlessly spinning my white legs on a trainer in front of the tube!

Happy New Year and back to work

Christams was great, but training-wise Christmas week was not good. Starting New Years Eve things have turned around again. Mary and I turned down party invites for New Years Eve opting to spend a family night safe and sound at home. That plan quickly fell apart as our kids all had alternate plans. I guess playing games at home with mom & dad is not so exciting to teen & nearly teen kids.

The up-side? I got to go skiing! So that is how I spent some of the last hours of '07. Actually, you want to know what I was doing in the very last hour of '07? At 11:30 I was at Cub foods in Champlin buying pop for my oldest daughter and her two friends, woo-hoo! I did make it home in time to kiss my wife as '08 arrived (then I hid out in the basement).

Fast-forward to tonight and the "back to work" part. Great ski night with a lot of familiar faces... Amy, Melinda, Dave, Tom, Bob, John, & Neil. I skied my longest and hardest ski of the season so far. Two hour plus with a 2K Time Trial thrown in and a team relay lap race to boot. I went home with probably 25K on my legs, tired, and parched!

Best wishes to everyone in 2008. Bring it on!

Merry Christmas!

Chocolate, chocolate goodness!

Well, training wise, the beginning of the week was good... then came three days off, and unfortunately, 3 days off is probably going to turn into 4 or 5+ days off as Christmas approaches. 'tis the season...

Leading up to Christmas my dear wife Mary goes into a cookie baking frenzy, as is her tradition (bless her heart!). The problem is; she is too good at it. It is hard enough trying to keep up any kind of training regiment during the holidays without coming home to a house full of wonderful cookies, and oh! the smell...

Needless to say, I have my work cut out for me. It is a good thing RAAM is not until June.

Merry Christmas everyone!