it was a Dark and Stormy November

I know...  I'm turning in my homework really late but maybe I can at least get 1/2 credit. plus...  here is a picture of a dog.

 

Okay not really but we did do a couple of rainy/windy night rides…  and I do look forward to the Tuesday night ride all week.

 

 

 

Another big cycling month…

 

Run  59 miles…  one of my lowest mileage months in recent years…  December will see me running even fewer.

 

Bike 49ish hours

Swim  800 yards – sticking the proverbial toe back in the water

Races Pink 4 Jon 5k – a first year event… so close to home we simply walked home after the race.  The course was not to well-marked basically all of the top 10 or so went off course in some way or another including me…  

Current Reads I finished wheelmen…  funny the more I read the less I cared about the whole deal…  Good news!  The last Lance doping book I'll ever have to read…  yay!

I also read this one…  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Brother_Sam_Is_Dead

 

 

It's an often assigned novel for High School kids…  I normally like the Young Adult genre and this was not a disappointment.

Current Obsession riding my cross bike…  yep… still

Current Bane of My Existence a sore foot…  not bad enough to go get it checked out but pesky nonetheless.

Current Goal  No run December…   that's right kids…  I'm planning to take the whole month off

Current Excitement  FSU vs. Auburn in the Nationals Championship…   I'm not much of a college football fan but I grew up going to Seminole games….  Go Noles!

How did your month shape up?

  

    

 

 

 

your system.

October

 

Okay.. I totally ripped off this format from boB (thanks Beth)

 

 

Run  70 miles – Houston we have a problem…  it looks like fall running season will not get off the ground this year.  Mileage is not the problem legs are the problem.  More on this in a future post

 

Bike  40 hours on the bike…  yep…  ridin' like it's a part time job

 

Swim I am beginning to seriously consider it =;-)  in all seriousness…  I will return to triathlons in 2014…  and ergo swimming too

 

Races – Just the aforementioned CX stuff

 

Current Reads

 

A pretty good novel about the Norman invasion of England in 1066 and the aftermath.  I plan to read the other 2 books in the trilogy.

 

Right now I'm reading :

 

Interesting…  it's lots of stuff I did know along with a few very interesting details of which I was unaware.  The book really tries to unravel the interconnecting relationships and conspiracies behind the Lance Armstrong story.

 

Current Obsession cycling aside…  Playing Golf.  After a 10 year hiatus..  and no surprise…  Judi is pretty good.

 

 

Current Need A new pair of mountain bike shoes. These fell apart midway through a Cyclocross race.  My "sole wrenching" did not help my podium chances

 

 

Current Triumph – Getting CPR and First Aid certified

 

Current Bane of My Existence keeping the 3 bikes I have in working order

 

Current Goals

 

Racing:  Southern Cross 55 mile endurance Cyclocross race on 22 Feb 2014

 

Personal development:  Judi and I are half way to being certified to teach spin at the YMCA.  Just two more classes which we will finish up in six weeks or so.

 

Current Indulgence Brown Ale

 

Current Blessings the best family and friends a guy could have

 

Current Excitement  Tuesday night rides in Guana Park

 

 

August Recap

I know…  we are already 1 week into September but…

 

 

Another month spent just exercising and being active…

 

 

I still have a few little injuries that haven't remedied themselves but…  then again I'm not 23 years old anymore.

 

It's good to feel some cycling fitness return, and I know like Eddy Merckx said if I "ride lots" I will continue to improve.

 

I read a couple of books:

 

 

As with anything written by Pat Conroy, it was excellent.  I had actually first read the book when I was about 18.  Interesting to read the book again with the experience of fatherhood as well as that of a son.

 

I also read "Calico Joe"

 

 

And Grisham is a great storyteller…  and I love baseball history…  I should have loved the book but…  it was just okay

 

I didn't listen to any books this month but I did discover Podcasts…  or to be specific a podcast that I enjoy.

 

"Open Mic with Mike Creed"

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/open-mic-with-mike-creed/id668239719

 

it's basically recently retired domestic pro cyclist Mike Creed talking cycling with people involved with pro cycling.

 

I dig it.

 

Got some big plans for the coming year…  I'll blog about that soon.