76 days and $503 to go!

It's something I find enjoyable. Whether it is a road bike or mountain bike or tandem bike. I enjoy riding a bike.
-Lance Armstrong

Me too! I think I've been getting a little cranky this week. The need to keep icing my knee and weather that was totally uncooperative kept me grounded monday through friday. I didn't even get out for a walk!

Finally, yesterday the weather cleared. It was still in the 20s but the sun was out and the sky was clear so I went for a couple of 10K (6.2 mile) rides. After each ride I iced my knee. My knee is actually feeling quite good. It is still a little tender and I still feel an occasional twinge but I feel strong on the bike, particularly after all the rest; and it feels very natural to me to be riding again.

Yesterday, ABC had an hour and a half recap of the 2007 Hawaiian Ironman competition. Ok, now I'm really psyched! So many interesting individual stories from the 60 something blind grandpa to the man who had both legs amputated below the knee - both finished the race. It got me thinking a little about why I should be attracted to training for and competing in triathlons. It's not just for fitness, although that is an excellent reason to compete. Clearly, it isn't necessary to train for a 70 mile race if your main goal is to stay fit. It's really about challenging myself physically the way my job challenges me mentally. It's about building the mental toughness to persevere under extreme circumstances. To build that toughness sometimes you just have to "invent" those extreme circumstances in a triathlon competition. It's about going after something that you would never consider because it just seems somehow out of reach.

Today, the temperature is in the 40s and very windy. Earlier we had light rain which let up enough for me to get out for a 12 mile ride. It really feels great to be back on my bike!