Breaking through walls...

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Somewhere along the way over the last few weeks there was a wall. I never saw the wall, but I think I went right through it...at least on the bike I did. I actually rode 74 miles last week. I went on some really great rides, too. The first one was a 20 mile ride on the Natchez Trace north from Ridgeland, MS. The second ride was from Bayou Bowl in Monroe, LA to Sterlington, LA (24 miles) via Horseshoe Lake Road. The third ride was also on the Natchez Trace north from Ridgeland (30 miles). I have learned very fast that the Natchez Trace is a wonderful asset for cyclists in the Jackson area for a number of reasons (limited traffic, low speed limits for cars, shade), but perhaps the best thing about the trace is the view. I left from the craft center in Ridgeland at 6am with Josh Sullivan, a new cycling friend here in Jackson. A few miles into our ride when I first came up alongside the reservoir, the sun was just coming up out over the water. It was a great view that got my mind off of the fact that Josh was pushing me a couple of miles per hour faster than I normally ride. It was a really fun ride!

The run is still something I will continue to work on and hope that at some point I can break through that wall...hopefully sooner rather than later. I do enjoy running most of the time although I don't ever see myself being very fast. The first 10-15 minutes are never fun, but after that initial mile to mile and a half I'm usually good to go. Speaking of running, the "official" marathon training plan starts in about 6 weeks. I am looking forward to it, although I will admit that I am a bit nervous about the distance. The 30 mile bike ride last Monday really put it into perspective how far I am going to be running.

I took 3 days off this week. They were not scheduled, but I felt like I needed them. So, as a result, I skipped both of my swims this week. I am looking forward to getting back in the pool Monday. I have made a lot of progress on my stroke over the last few weeks and am getting more and more comfortable in the water. I guess soon it will be time to venture out into the open water...