Shall we chat? ...over chai?

Shall we chat? Over chai?

Well, if you're more of a coffee person, I'm totally good with that. Either way, what say we grab our mugs, find a table, and have some chatter.

What would you share if we were having coffee (or chai) together?

First, I'd share how great my chai latte' tastes. Possibly, it's because we've had some cooler weather recently. Maybe it's because I'm drinking from my Midnight Madness coffee mug (awarded for being a top-50 female finisher in the 10K). More than likely, though, the chai latte' tastes good because it simply satisfies my sweet tooth without going overboard.

Something else I'd mention is the changes I've made with my eating and drinking habits. I'm currently five weeks into an approximate 12-month journey with Invisalign, an orthodontia treatment. I have to wear the plastic "aligners" for 22 hours each day, and have to brush/floss every time I put anything in my mouth other than plain water. Thus, I'm on an intermittent fasting program, much by default (for me, having to have a toothbrush at the ready is a pretty solid deterrent to unnecessary snacking).

 Also, with the Invisalign, I've had to switch from drinking flavored water to just plain water...a transition that has been much easier than anticipated. So far, the non-snacking lifestyle has been going fine, and the plain water is tasting alright. I've actually lost a couple pounds...not sure if that's from the lack of snacking or from the increased mileage and workouts I've been doing. I have been sleeping much better, so that's a definite perk!

I've mentioned this a lot in recent posts on social media, but my biking has taken on a life of its own. I have spent quite a bit of time on the hilly bike trail (since June 30, there have been six of those 15-milers). The bulk of my rides, though, have been on pretty level ground in town (and for shorter distances). The in-town rides are more like a recovery fix for me since they don't feel like an especially tough workout. Twice, though, I've done the hilly 15-mile route prior to a race (the morning of the Midnight Madness and the day prior to the Bix-7), and both times I've PR'd my races. Coincidence?

Another thing I'd share is my crazy adventure last weekend. I worked a half day on Friday, and then had to drive almost 2-1/2 hours to pickup the hubby from Ragbrai (a famous week-long bike ride across the state of Iowa). Logistically, it was a near-perfect scenario because my race, the Bix-7 (on Saturday), was an hour north of where I was picking up the hubby. Let me just disclose that I have huge driving anxiety, especially if I'm going to a new-to-me place and am under a deadline (like packet pick-up for a race). In my flurry of getting on the road (30 minutes later than planned), and the stress of the anticipated onslaught of afternoon traffic on I-80, I accidentally left my purse behind. I was almost an hour down the road when I realized my predicament....I was without my ID, cash, and (most importantly) my lipstick. Fortunately, I arrived without incident to my destination, found the hubby, and didn't need my ID for packet pick-up. I also bought a new lipstick (with the hubby's money LOL) as soon as we arrived in the other town for my race. Oh, and we didn't make it back home until late Saturday afternoon, so I survived nearly 30 hours without my purse (I know, first world probs).

As mentioned, I ran the Bix-7 race on Saturday morning. The first mile was a clustered mess of runners, which is not uncommon for most races. What made this first mile especially frustrating, though, was that is was almost all uphill (and a very steep hill at that). Within the first half-mile, there were numerous walkers and many "slower" runners, many in groups. We all had designated stickers on our race bibs as to what corral to be in, and security was tight in getting us there. I'm not sure if I just had bad luck in where I lined up, or if some of these walkers had pushed themselves into a "running" corral. Maybe some of them were actual runners who were already exhausted from the steep climb. None the less, it wasn't any fun feeling like I was being held back from a race I was excited to run. It made me consider, for a fleeting minute, if I should play the game...give false info on my predicted finish time (to score a place closer to the front of the herd), or simply try to sneak into a faster corral (and risk getting caught). Well, like I said, it was a fleeting thought. I won't cheat my way into a closer spot to the start line....but it really made me wonder how many other runners would?

Lastly, if we were having coffee together, I tell you about my busy July. The month seemed to fly by, but maybe that was because it seemed like I was in constant motion. My running mileage capped out at 97 (yes, I am totally alright to come that close to 100 without crossing the century mark). My walking  miles (intentional miles, not via steps from a tracking device) were 71. And, if you want to cue the drum roll...my biking miles were 143! Trust me, that's a major achievement for me to have that much time in the saddle.

Anyways, those are some things I'd share if we were gathered together, coffee mugs in hand, chatting about recent events.

What would you share? How did July play out for you? Ever left home without your purse, and were too far down the road to go back for it? Have you ever been tempted to "enhance" your predicted finish time to score a better starting corral for a race?

Since it's the first weekend of the month, I'm linking this with Deborah and Coco for the Ultimate Coffee Date.

 

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