September 23, 2008

I just got back from a two mile run.

Wait...

What?

Yeah. It's getting that desperate.

But, there is some good news:

1. This was the single longest distance I've ever run in my life. And I didn't do the fat kid shuffle even once! (Hey, I was a fat kid once, so I'm allowed to say that.)

2. This was by far the fastest I've ever run. It took me 15 minutes to run the two miles. That's about 7:30 per mile. My middle school/high school single mile record? 10:30ish. Well there's some improvement, and certainly some room for some more.

Running is okay. It seems short. I was ready to stop when I got back to my house, but I felt like I could keep going. Apparently I can't kill myself while running (two miles) like I can on a bike.

Oh yeah, bikes. That's right.

Guy number one: "Probably have it by Friday."

Guy number two: "Yeah, probably 10 - 15 days if we're lucky."

Same shop.

I'm not holding my breath, but I can't wait either.

September 2, 2008

Try buying a bike right now. Just try it. I dare you. I've been plopped smack dab in the lull between the selling out of the '08 models and the fresh arrival of the '09s.

Still no bike. It'll be two months since I've ridden a road bike on Thursday.

The good news is that I don't think I'm as bad off as I thought I was. Dave convinced me to go out with he and the good ol' boys last Sunday, and assured me there'd be a 30 mile bailout route. Nope, no such thing. I spun along for the full 70ish miles -- definitely the longest ride I've done fixed -- on a saddle that makes me hate life after 10 miles.

But I hung on for the most part, shook things up at some town lines a few times, and was up to no good in general. The toughest section was heading west, as there was a pretty stiff east wind, and while everyone else seemed to be recovering, I was spinning out trying to keep up.

Sure, I was cramping at the end, and the phrase 'my kingdom for a freewheel' kept running through my head for quite some time, but I survived.

Soon, I tell you, soon.