Great Day On The Gateway

I’ve had a great couple of workouts in the last few days. On Monday, I did 2500 yards in the pool in 44:43, my fastest time ever at that distance. Yesterday, I did a nice brick workout. I spent the morning going 50 miles on the Gateway Trail (my favorite local trail), and then I got home and did a 4 mile run-off. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Two things happened worth noting on my ride on the Gateway:

First, just after turning around at the end of the trail, I got stung right in the top of my foot. I’m used to being stung (I had a hive of bees for 2 years in high-school and I had no protective bee-keeping gear; so when I wanted to take a look inside the hive, I’d just open it up and get stung like 5 times in the hands and arms), but this one hurt. I immediately pulled over, lifted up the tongue of my bike shoe, and saw a small wasp struggling. Super. I pulled out the wasp, but the stinger was still in me. I had to undo the top 2 straps of my shoe to be able to pull out the stinger. It hurt, but I got home fine. And it wasn’t so bad that I had to call off the run. Here’s how it looked as soon as I got home from the ride (just before the run):

Secondly, just after being stung, I thought I recognized a fellow blogger out on the trail. I stopped and asked, “Excuse me, are you Sunshine?” She’s a local blogger who always posts great photos from her runs and walks down the Gateway. “Why, yes I am,” she said back. I introduced myself as blogger “Steve in a Speedo,” and she didn’t know what to say. I thought she maybe didn’t know who I was or had never been to my blog. As it turned out, she DID know who I was, and after a little stumbling over her words, she said something like this:

“Oh, I don’t know what to think about that whole ‘Speedo’ thing. You have to understand, I’m a 70 year old woman, and I have to apologize that I just don’t comment on your blog a whole lot. I’m just not sure what to think sometimes...”

How funny is that? She’s not sure what to make of some of my “adventures.” After all, she IS a 70 year old retired pastor. She was an absolute sweetheart. We talked for a few minutes. She’s doing a half marathon shortly, as part of a Grand Prix of races throughout the Midwest. She commented that Steelhead was a bummer being it was cut down to a duathlon (so she DOES read my blog!). I’m glad I stopped to say hi, even if she wasn’t sure what to think of me. She told me to wish Pharmie her best and said she didn’t want to keep me from my workout. So off I went.

Sunshine, it was a pleasure to meet you! I hope to see you out there again!

Also, If you haven’t read the previous post, I’m still looking for ideas regarding what to wear/do during the Half Ironman that I have coming up in 2 and a half weeks. I’m NOT going for speed; I just want to have a great time. Right now, I’m leaning towards throwing out candy to the spectators while I’m on the bike (like a parade), and getting a Grim Reaper outfit (complete with scythe) to wear during the run:

That might will get hot! But can you imagine being passed by Death?!? Not to mention the sight of Death with a race belt and race number? I’m still open to all ideas!