While Fall is no doubt my favorite time of year, it unfortunately signals the end of summer which I also like! So, to somewhat ease the transition into the colder months (which really don't start until December) I start to fill my calendar with things I can look forward to.
This past weekend, I grabbed my Cannondale commuter off the rack and started the lengthy process of getting it ready for the fall and winter commutes. I don't know how much longer I can safely keep that bike on the road before I either dump money into it, retire it, or just continue to ride it with a sense of foreboding doom in the back of my head at all times. The front headshock is blown out, the brakes are dicey and the rear suspension feels somewhat less than perfect.
At any rate, I cleaned it up, lubed it, replaced some reflective tape, made sure the lights work, and cleaned all the old power bar and Jelly Belly wrappers out of my ToPeak trunk bag. She is ready to roll!
Tomorrow, I'll be riding in with Roger and Bill - perhaps I'll take the old girl for a spin to reacquaint ourselves?
Another item on my Fall to-do list is the Manchester, VT half marathon on Spet. 12th. I did the Providence, RI half marathon in May which was great! I trained diligently for that one and my body thanked my by allowing me to walk normally the day after the race. I apparently inspired some friends who invited my to do this race in VT so I agreed. Like I said, I love to have things on the schedule that I can look forward to. I have hardly trained like I did for the race in May, but I did get 9 miles in this past weekend and felt good. Saturday night, there was talk about training for a marathon in 2010 which I would love to do, but my conclusion is always the same. Training for a marathon is going to require a serious commitment that will no doubt cut deeply into my time on the bike. So much for the marathon. Maybe I need to put a double century on the calendar. Any takers?
