Spring Break Beyond 20 Something....

Spring break just ain't like it used to be. My vacation has been and will continue to be spent here in Northeast Ohio. Thus far the highlights of my break have been 1) the sun shining on me whilst riding my bicycle and 2)a stationary fuel cell conference that took place on Monday in Cleveland.

I will not take time to ramble on about energy issues much (today) in my blog, but I will say that if anyone is interested in moving past fossil fuels and seeing our great state of Ohio develop an industry in alternative/advanced energy you should contact Gov. Strickland, or any other politician involved in the decision making in the state and urge them to not only support, but implement in a timely fashion an advanced energy portfolio standard for the state. Gov. Strickland and those in Columbus are moving foreward on this, albeit slowly, and there is technology ready to be brought to market in Ohio but it will not be competitive in the current energy market without some changes in legislation. So, those in Columbus cannot drag their feet on this and it must be accomplished ASAP. Rant off.

Yes, I rode my bicycle outside in shorts this week. It was glorious. Tuesday morning I went out for a spin around 10:00 a.m. and it was around 60 degrees and sunny. Wednesday after work, at rush hour, I decided to spin the 15 mile round trip to the post office to drop off the mail. It has been a while since I've ridden the streets of Akron during rush hour and I had almost forgotten about my nemisis, the aggresive motorist. Three motorists hollard obsenities while driving by and countless motorists came withing arms reach at speeds ranging from 25 to 50 mph. Ahh, the excitement of peddling through the city. This is nothing compared to the experience Charlie had on his commute and, indeed, dogs are often scarier than cars.

I have (another) minor muscle tear in my left calf. This has been nagging me on and off for the past 2 and a half years, since I began distance running, and I thought I had it figured out as I have been injury free for months until last Friday. I will only have to take a week or 2 off of running, but this puts a little pressure on me to be as prepared as I would like to be for the half marathon in May. I did put in a 9 miler last week, but it would be nice to get some speedwork in over the next couple of months. Makes me wonder if it is just a bit of divine intervention telling me that now that spring is here I should throw the running shoes in the closet and mount the trusty bicycle often enough to spin my first double century.....nah, i think the gods are telling me that if I really want to be a triathlete I must remember the importance of yoga.

Stretch.

Clear the mind.

Breathe.