A Great Weekend!!!

Saturday we got out at around 6:00 am. The sun was just starting to come up.

The plan was to ride 125 miles and do Usery Pass, a popular ride in Phoenix if you live on the far east side.

The plan got completely changed after we rode for 20 miles into a nasty headwind and we decided just to change the route. I ended up getting 105 miles in just over the required 6 1/2 hours. That seems like a long time in the saddle but there were red lights and a couple water stops and did I mention the wind?

We were going down 9-mile hill, a stretch of road which usually we can average 30 - 32 mph down. I was barely able to turn 20 mph and as usual nobody really wanted to take the front from me. At one point a truck went past us going the other direction and the wind blast from it felt like a glaucoma test. BOOM!!!

Got home and threw my shoes on for a 20 minute nutrition check/run. No worries. Slight shin splint pain that went away on the way back.

On Sunday I got up and did a 2:30 run. I held an average 9 minute mile pace. For a change no real leg pain either during the run or after. I was tired and sore, don't get me wrong. But usually there's some real healing that is necessary. Sunday I just felt good.

That is until Paige announced that she wanted to go for a hike after church. So I got another 2 miles with her on my shoulders.

Funny story: Last weekend I had just finished a 2:20 minute run. I was in the bathroom weighing myself. I came in at 144. Paige walked in and wanted me to weigh her as well so I picked her up and got back on the scale. She weighs 27 pounds for a total weight of 171 lbs. Paige is pretty skinny. Anyway I started thinking that maybe a year ago I weighted about as much as the two of us. To say nothing of 2000 when I reached my high of 189 lbs. Anyway I was thinking that there was no way I could have run 16 miles with Paige in my arms.