I'm a Captain

I think bike tire choice says a lot about a person.  I came to this realization recently while riding  my local trail with newly mounted tires.  I have a few different tires I ride depending on various factors, but mostly ride one of two different types.  During race season I like the Specialized Fast Trak.  It's a light, low profile tire that rides smooth and quick. During the fall and winter I put on Captains, a heavier tire with big lugs and good traction.  It struck me that I am a lot like my tires. During race season I am light and race ready.  I move along the trail with ease.  There is little rolling resistance to get me going as I am motivated to ride and train. 

Fast Trak

Once fall hits I stop racing and become the Captain.  I am chunky and slow.  Great effort is required to get me rolling, especially from a stand still.  My movement on the trail is cumbersome.  I can be heard from a far, with audible effort at each climb or corner giving me away. But that is okay, because that is what the off season is for.  As the Caption I will lumber along through the winter, laying groundwork to become the race ready Fast Trak version of me eventually, when it is time.

The Captain

Fall Sumac

Savor the Slow

After 9 months of focused training and racing it can be difficult to shift gears and slow things down. I still run and ride my bike, but I also do other activities I don't normally have time or energy for. This year more than others I have really been savoring these few precious months of less structure. But even though I am not training for anything specific, I still need goals and activity, so one thing I'm doing is challenging myself to run 100 miles over the month of October. Fall is the perfect time to run in Michigan.  The trails are beautiful, the weather is great for running, and bugs that can make summer trail runs miserable have disappeared.  My goal is to run 25 miles each week, and so far I'm right on track with 49 miles completed.  My body has held up surprisingly well so far, and I think it's because I am not logging these miles with any intensity, but just going at whatever pace feels comfortable for that day.  I've been able to put in some longer runs and it has felt great.

I also recently got to visit my son in Seattle. That was a great experience, as Seattle is a fun city and Washington is a gorgeous state. We saw the Sounders play, sampled area coffee shops and brew pubs, and ate at amazing restaurants.  We visited Mt. Rainier National Park and hiked up the mountain.  The view was amazing in every direction.  It was beautiful and an unforgettable experience.

Perhaps the best thing about the off-season is how it regenerates my longing for the structure of the rest of the year. I know that soon I will be thinking about training plans, nutrition and race schedules.  But for now I won't worry about that, I'll just enjoy this time and appreciate the fact that I have it.

Me, Coolie and Mt. Rainier

Hiking above tree line.

Mt. Rainier (yes, this is a real pic!)

It's been less than a week since I proclaimed the (early) end of my race season and already I'm in better spirits and feel less fatigued. This morning, with no scheduled workouts and some extra time, I was able to get out in beautiful weather and enjoy a pre-breakfast trail run.  The house was quiet as I laced my running shoes and headed off, anxious to hit the dirt.
Once in the woods I was instantly glad to be there. I took my time and ran as my mind and body told me too, stopping to appreciate beauty, or sprinting up a hill for no other reason than to feel my legs burn. I found myself lingering over the smallest of wild flowers, stopping to take a picture, then sneaking along quietly so as not to scare off a pack of wild turkeys ahead on the trail (they were too fast for me and disappeared quickly into the brush). I wondered if a bow hunter might be observing me from a lofty vantage point. My eyes scanned tree branches looking for a tree stand, thinking I might catch a glimpse. But if there, it was a presence that remained unknown to me, and my solitude felt pure and right.

The sun coming up through the trees.

I was glad. Glad to be on my favorite trail to start the day. Glad to not have to think about anything other than where to start and stop. Glad I was able to be out doing what I love. Glad to be enjoying a trail and taking my time.

Huron River at River Bend