Spring...FINALLY!

I LOVE spring! I think I am probably loving it more than ever this year because the bulk of my Dominatrix duties are complete and it's been an uncharacteristically long winter--almost 6 months of (pick from 1 to 4 at a time) grey, crappy, snowy, cold.

One of the things I've learned living here all my life is that it's good to forget a bunch of stuff over the winter, because when spring arrives and you remember, it just enhances the feeling of rebirth. For example, I typically forget just how many beautiful flowers I've planted over the years in my yard, and so when I see them poking up out of the dirt and remember, it's a great feeling. I get some of that feeling when I browse through the seed and plant catalogs, but it's not the same as seeing something in your own little plot. Now I'm looking forward to the succession of blooms--hyacinths, daffodils, tulips, lilacs, peonies, roses, and the list goes on and on.

Yesterday I had a spectacular long-ish run (1:40 worth) in Waterfall Glen. I almost could have worn shorts, but when I hit the few shady areas, I was glad for the tights. I was happy to re-experience parts of the trail as if they were all new again (they were new to my quads, that's for sure). Even as I kept trying to let myself run easily, I ran a surprisingly fast pace for me--which is pretty good considering what I did last weekend. I did a short recovery swim afterwards, and while this guy, Mike, that I know who swims mid-day on Saturdays was into his usual rant (for some reason the Saturday noon lap swim has been usurped by people mostly playing around), I kept on my positive bent. I was a little tired after the run and swim to get out and do yard work, but that's OK, I did a pretty good job of cleaning up my flower beds last fall. I did finally break down a bunch of cardboard boxes from all the things I ordered online during the winter plus the new snowblower I bought, which gave me a jump on the annual cleaning of the garage (which I totally hate doing--I guess that is reflective of my "girly" side).

Today promises to be warmer than yesterday, and so...I'm riding OUTDOORS!!! So that means I needed to fix a few bike bottles, and again, I forgot about my hot pink ones from IMLP 2007! As much time as I'll spend fixing and washing bottles from now through September, for today, at least, it is a pleasure. Since I'm still in a purge/reorganize mood, I pulled all my sleeveless bike tops and kit shorts out of their current locations so I can find a better home for them. Right now there's a huge pile of spandex/lycra on the floor of one of my bedrooms. But at least it's colorful and loaded with potential fun!

This coming week I plan to move my long run from Saturday to Thursday (meaning I will need to do it BEFORE work--OUCH!) in preparation for double long rides on the weekends--yet another sign of spring and ch...ch...ch...changes. Too bad it's not light yet when I'll need to start the run--meaning treadmill. No, I don't own a headlamp. But the days are getting longer and longer, and soon enough it will be light at 5:00AM. I guess it's a good thing that I am waking up on my own just before 5:00 already. Body knows that workouts are getting longer and longer, requiring more and more time, and I just don't like having my workday end much after 5:30PM. Since I've been watching less and less TV, it's been no problem for me to be asleep between 8:30 and 9:00PM (loser that I am), so I'm still getting plenty of sleep.

And with the double long rides on the weekends, it means I need to get hyper efficient in the use of my weekday free time, since it's tough to get much done after 4+ hour rides on the weekend, especially if travel time is involved. But I'm fortunate in being able to work from home, so that if I need a short break, I can get something done that needs doing.

I read on various triathlon forums and blogs how everyone talks about the sacrifices they make for Ironman training. I don't know if these people train more or less than I do, but I don't think of it as a sacrifice--I think of it as fun, and it builds mental toughness in me. I just happen to really like riding my bike, swimming and running outdoors. OK so maybe most of the people I hang with are also athletes, but so what? For right now, I still can't think of anything else I'd rather be doing, which reminds me of this verse from the Faith-Mind Sutra (thanks to Brett for this particular translation):

If you wish to abide in Tao, do not dislike the world you now experience.
Indeed, to see there is no difference between Tao and world is Enlightenment itself.
The wise man expends no effort.
The foolish man ties himself in knots.