25 days

Life is so uncomplicated here in the mountains. I just don't feel rushed to do stuff. From the morning I get up back home in ABQ, I am doing stuff. So clearly my soul longs for simplicity here. Something about bringing in the new decade I suppose. I keep thinking well, in my 60s I am gonna do this..and that..because well, I'll be 60 and all!

I haven't been to the cabin by myself for this long ever! Maybe 20 years ago, but never more than one night. It's actually quite nice. I use to be scared..thinking of all the creatures and crazy people who may attack me in my isolated space up here. But no, it's all good. The biggest thing that happened was an attack of the "wood gnats" I call them last night. These little gnats/flies seem to breed in the wood of a our log cabin upstairs sometimes. Well, last night they appeared, hundreds of them in the bathroom. Yuk! I took everything out and sprayed the "Raid for little flying f%#kers" all over the veiling and corners. This seemed to work. Then this AM (awoke at 4:30 AM), I noticed they had migrated to the bedroom corner of the wood ceiling. So I sprayed like hell and receded to the downstairs. Argggghh! I hate little annoying flying bugs..need to figure out some permanent solution to the issue. We saw them once before this summer and sprayed but haven't again til now.

 

Oh well, hasn't ruined my week! I was pretty close to cancelling my workout yesterday as tired as I was. But at is point with IM 4 weeks away, I feel like any missed workout will mean an hour added to my race time. This isn't logical, I know I am in good shape but this is a common issue for Ironman athletes. Wanting to get that "last bit of training down". So off I went and road the 90 minutes up and down our road about 22 miles. Then ran for 20 minutes, pretty slow and easy pace on both..

These are my views while riding. As you can see, I was trying to beat the storm that was brewing over the mountains. It seemed like it was about to hit then..well it never did! My legs actually felt a little tired but not too bad considering the beating up I gave it on Sunday. Apparently Albuquerque is getting pounded by rain but up north here, the storms are passing by.

 

I am starting to read Ironman Kona blogs now. Info on what to expect. My coach arrived in Kona Sunday so he can give me the lowdown on the course. I am getting excited but in a good way. I made my 5th call to the bike transport rep. She knows me pretty well by now and understands my nervousness about my Tribike getting to Kona. I got the notice today that yes, indeed my bike was picked up at the bike shop yesterday-whew! Had gotten a call from H that they had showed up at our house (Fedex) so the call to the shipping Rep was in panic that they didn't know where to go. She assured me they were headed to the bike shop also. She understood my "Kona crazy".

 

H tells me he will remain sane while I may go a little "Kona crazy" at times before the big day. Thank goodness one of us has to be! I get anxious before races anyway and this is just magnified by 100 or so! But all in all, I feel pretty even considering I am in the final push to countdown for the Big Dance..and then they is the whole turning 60 drama...one step beyond a "Midlife Crisis" I suppose..

 

Today is off to the pool as soon as they open at 8:00. I have pretty big swim scheduled. In the little 20 yard pool here in the tiny little Tierra Amariila community pool, it should be interesting! Not to mention they keep the pool temp at about 82. Ahhh, prefect Kona conditions! Then I have an hour run to do. Up here in the beautiful mountains, how can I complain? I may go into town (Chama) and run at the "Edward Sargent Wildlife Area", where I have 20,000 acres to run. It's beautiful up there too.

 

Forget the above paragraph. I get to the local T.A. pool this AM and there is a sign on the door: closed from Sept 1st to October 2nd. The door is wide open, I look into the pool area and the pool is empty. Well, on to Plan B, which is to message my coach and say wtf? Nearest pool is 100 miles away..no worries he says. You can do the long ass swim on Friday..whew..

I drive to Sargent Wildlife Area to run, where I immediately encounter two guys with full hunting regalia on and two horses nearby. I immediately thought of the theme for "Deliverance" or that I was in a scene from "Outlander" (great TV series by the way). I asked if they were hunting and they said yes, but only bow hunting allowed right now up there. I heard the words "Oh gosh, that somehow sounds less violent than shooting them (the Elk)" come out of my mouth. Did I just really say that? Geez..They offered a suggestion that I may enjoy running on a trail in the opposite direction than they were going, which was up into the mountains. I realized after some 20 minutes that this was a horse trail, not a running trail. How were they to know? I danced around the rocks for awhile and somehow eeked out a 4 mile "run/hike" out of it. Not quite what I was planning but oh well..on my way back I heard some strange whistling coming from what I thought was the hunters and their horses. Then I see a dark cloud of smoke rising up in front of me. Oh crap, a fire! Visions of me getting stuck in the mountains with 2 hunters behind a forest fire was not my idea of fun. Then I heard the loud train whistle and realized, OMG it's the Chama Train. I ran up on the highest ridge I could get to and lo and behold there was the train! I felt pretty stupid, all my paranoia seeing smoke from a stoopid train... As I was almost at my car I saw something I didn't expect to see-a Porta Potty-yay?! I needed it so I plugged my nose and closed my eyes and went for it..I HATE Porta Potties but when nature calls and there is one put on the middle of nowhere, I gotta use it, right?

I came back to the cabin to await hubby's arrival and read everything I can online about turning 60. I have exactly 10 hours and 45 minutes more in my 50s. It all just feels so strange to me turning this page in my life. I don't even know how to describe it. Maybe I will have the words tomorrow..

Over and out. Goodbye 50s..Hello The decade of Medicare!

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