Yawns. Very exhausting day. Started out early (after being up half the night finishing things) - left early to go to the "Eat A Peach Challenge" - no traffic at 5:30am on a Saturday morn. It was actually a little chilly. Wore my arm warmers for the first 20 miles, it was perfect cycling weather. Brisk, clear and eventually sunshiny - with hardly no humidity. Finished the 105 miles in 6 hours and 13 minutes (I took a leisurely pace - I was with some cycling buddies). We enjoyed the landscape. The hills were semi-difficult - but I was able to hammer up them at ease - my training is paying off.

Finished up, hung out for a little bit before I drove home in the late afternoon. I was feeling a little stiff - but in good spirits. Ran a few errands on the way home - to pick up a few provisions to cook. (gee, how predictable - I cycle 100+ miles and then cook to relax, who would've known :) ).

Came home and made some homemmade Cream of Asparagus soup and herbed croutons from scratch - yum. Spent 2 hours cleaning my bike and contemplated watching a movie.

Will sleep in tomorrow - then do a quick "stretch out" ride in the mid morning - the weather is supposed to be supurb. Will then spend the latter part of the day on a walk :)

Life is Good.

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TGIF... I won't address the crappy day I had at work - it was just work, and I was reeling to enjoy the weekend and the wonderful weather we have upon us. Finished up work almost on time and took what was supposed to be a casual "stretch" training ride out towards Leesburg - but the weather was optimal, just farking beautiful - no way I was going to waste the weather. So I biked out to Purcellville and back, 44 miles. Ordinarilly this would not be a problem, but I'm supposed to "take it easy" today before I head out to Maryland early tomorrow morning to do the Eat a Peach Century (105 miles, 7,000 cumulative feet of climbing). I must be a glutton for pain.

Came home and filled the evening full of domestic preparedness for the short weekend - including making some Cream of Asparagus Soup from scratch - oh soo good. Being that it has shown signs of Fall, I was craving to make some hearthy soup. Recipe soon to follow + maybe some pics (I only tasted it as I cooked, will let chill for a day or so, may have to have someone over to enjoy :) ).

Welp... early night - gotta get up at the crack of dawn to drive out. Supposed to be great weather. Will hopefully enjoy the recovery after the ride tomorrow night - sitting on my deck, sucking down an ice cold Corona.

Life is "weekendish"...

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S.H.I.T. = So Happy It's Thursday

That's pretty much it. Close to the end of another really shitty work week (by far one of the worst). Spent 2.5 hours at the gym on the spinner bike trying to calm down after such a crappy day. Sweatfest proof positive.

I can't wait to purge my stress over the weekend with a 105 mile thing up 7,000+ feet of climbing.

Life is Thursday

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Yea. Another work day - but fortunately not as horrid as the last few days have been. But very busy. The day sailed by. I was ready to head out to enjoy the weather on a training ride before my spinner class. Biked out to Clarks Gap and then went to the gym to do a really sweaty hour spinner class. Was great. Evening of stupid domesticity.

Life is just OK.

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Subtle day of oddness. Was a cool commute to work for a full day of all sorts of drama. The day started abrupt with pure intensity and high stress - never ceased to end before I had to leave with some folks to an offsite meeting. The meeting itself was the source of much stress, but after all the smoke and debris cleared - it was actually a rather constructive meeting. I was ready to come back to the office and suit up for a destressing training ride...

For the past many years - the folks in my office have witnessed me (almost as a ritual - every single afternoon/evening after work) sneaking into the bathroom to change into my cycling gear, to later appear in the regalia of the silliness and colorful nature of the sport. Summer, Winter, Fall, Spring...all over again. When I finally gather all my things and head out the door with my bags, water bottles, lights, hand warmers, et al....I have this habit to say/remind myself outloud "Keys, wallet, phone, water, battery......" whatevvah that I need to verbally make sure I have it all before I head out to bike 2+ hours in whatevva weather. One of my colleagues said this past Friday (after she knew I had a really shitty day at work) "Soul" - as the last thing I needed to remember to take with me when I left the office. I laughed. Now it's a sport. Tonight after such a freakishly long and stressful day, my last verbal reminder word was "Pride". Ha!

I biked out to Clarks Gap - was a headwind out - but a nice tail wind coming back. Temperature was hot - but not overtly humid. Pleasant ride. Came back and spent an hour at the gym doing mountain training excersizes on the spinner bike for a sweaty hour. Felt great.

Came home to a really thirsty garden - and an evening of domesticity.

Life is whatevva....

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Listening to "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol and pondering the rather shitty day I had at work - fucking Mondays.

Suffice to say, I won't go into it - just a shitty drama filled day that seemed to never end. Ended up working late which was fine - because we had a thunderstorm roll in that caused havoc and I would have avoided it to bike in it. Went to the gym and plopped my fat ass on the spinner bike for an hour to stretch and get all sweaty before the spinner class started. It was a low crowd in the class - but a nice sweaty 2nd t-shirt/water bottle work out.

Drove home still fumed about the stress from my work day (how can ya destress at the gym for 2.5 hours after a shitty work day?) Cracked open a Corona and watered my garden and talked to the resident doves. More thunderboomers arrived - so I sequestered myself into my studio to do a little writing (almost forgot to eat dinner, was still fuming from the work day stress).

Life is an Incline Plane sometimes.

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Woke up very sore and sleepy. Cycling is brutal - why not cycle more to avert the pain? Mid morning, I biked out towards Harpers Ferry and back - such a beautiful day :)

Came home and took a well deserved nap - woke up mid afternoon to meet a friend for a very nice walk out towards Clarks Gap, more of the same glorious weather.

It's Sunday evening now - pure anxiety mode before another full dramatic work week.

Life is not on a "sliding scale".

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