Step Away From the Cake

For me training is really a frustrating journey. I will train and see little improvements for a couple of weeks, then suddenly, bam, a significant jump in strength and/or speed. Then generally I will have a setback and then start the slow build again. It basically 2 steps forward, 1 step back. And that's fine because I'm still moving in a forward direction, it can just get frustrating. This past week I thought I had taken the 1 step back, but this morning I think I took the 2 steps forward. So, basically, I not sure what happened. Yesterday was a bike ride. I get up before the roosters and lift weights, then as soon as the sun makes an appearance, I'm off on my bike. I did 14.2 miles in 1:06 (I think). I seem to live in a low point. Whichever direction I head out from my house is uphill. I was supposed to do 15 miles but at the 7 mile mark there begins a huge, steep uphill that, frankly, I haven't had the nerve to try yet. I'm saving that for my 2 steps forward day

Well, for some people it is, not for me though. It's Kamehameha Day here in Hawaii and that means all the local governments are closed. All the other poor slobs are working though. Because of this, I wasn't sure if the Y would be open. I figured they would be but you never know. I had a terrible night last night. The neighbors, the drug dealers, decided to have a fight at midnite. After about 10 minutes of yelling, I got up and called the cops. They said that someone had already called. A few minutes later they were there and all was quiet after that. I, however, could not get back to sleep. I'm having trouble with my lower back and I'm not sure what to do. Once things quieted down, I just could not get comfortable. My lower back feels like the vertebrae are separated. I tend to have problems with one side of my back getting too tight. Generally massage or yoga will get things relaxed enough to straighten out. This is different. When I try to stretch it like normal, it

It's really hot here today. My little temp thingy says 84 F but there's no real wind so it feels much hotter. Overall a good weekend. Yesterday was a long bike ride and I ended up doing 22.7 miles in 1:57. I was going slow (as you can tell) and just enjoying the riding. I also stopped at the bike shop. I have some really old Look pedals and needed to know if I could still get cleats for them. Yes. I also needed to know what size bike shoe I wear. 39. So I came home hopped on the internet and ordered myself a pair of bike shoes. Now, they are nothing fancy, no big names or anything. I've never used them and quite frankly they scare the piss out of me, but I decided it's time to step up and be a grown up biker. So as soon as I get them I'll go get the cleats and attempt to kill myself ride. On other news, today was my run and oh bubbie it was hot. I left at 7:00 and it was already 79 F. Now that doesn't sound all that hot, but where I was running is between 2 moun