the next big thing

I didn't get to do quite the fabulous run I had hoped for yesterday, we were rained out by a Monsoon. It happens in this part of the country at this time of year.

On the plus side, once the rain stopped we did do another nice run instead: from the County Line up to the La Luz trailhead and then a little bit (a 7 mi round trip).

It was gorgeous.

Picture this: freshly rained earth, gorgeous sunset, damp roads, slightly humid, cool, mist on the mountain, no traffic, 12% grade hill... Ahhh, bliss! Plus I got to have one last go at that horrible road before race day. I'm feeling far better about it now.

On the downside, I still have not seen all of the trail - I've only ever been as far as the Overlook, 4.5 miles up. At this point, this means I won't get to see the top of the trail until race day!

Onward.

I'll share the rest of my race schedule for '06:

• The week after La Luz, I'm doing the Socorro Chile Harvest
• Following that, in September, I'll be at the Colorado Outward Bound Ultra Relay - how fun does that look?! (beloved is signed up for Imogene Pass - lucky duck!),
• I am putting a relay team together for the Duke City Marathon - just a training run, really,
• Then SOMA Quarterman in October.

...and that should pretty well round out the year.

I'll have to start training immediately for next year because I'm jonesing to climb all the hills in Colorado on a bicycle. Yes, I'm completely insane, I want to do the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic. And they do a Tri with it - over 3 days! I must have lost my mind. I know that road well, and it is an unmitigated bitch. I get tired just driving over it in a car! But it's true - I want to do it, and I'm actually excited about the prospect of (sigh) hill climbing...On my bike. What is wrong with me?!

Additionally, I may now be named officially as a bike whore. I have decided I love my bike so much that I want another one. I want my very own tri bike. For Christmas. Something carbon, I think. Everyone tells me that carbon is the right stuff for distance - and God help me, I've got distance on the brain.

I'm fondly hoping that I'll find someone roughly my height (5'3") who is looking to upgrade and maybe has to offload a pretty...just lemme know if that's you. K?

I found these today - and I'm really excited. I couldn't find gaiters to save my life and now I've found the gaiters to end all. Hallelujah! I won't get them in time for La Luz, but I'll have them, my pretties, and they shall be tres very cool.

Oh yes, they shall...