Sunshine and High Hopes

I took this picture while I was out on a 50 mile ride this weekend.  I love the sunflower fields in Kansas.  The weather has finally broken and I've gotten some good workouts in lately.  It only took 8+ months, but I finally found my motivation and have high hopes for Austin.  I usually only get one or two rides in over 50 miles before a race.  I'm hoping for 5, including some over distance rides and long ride/long run bricks.  Besides that, I have Kelly running with me for some weekend intervals and weekday long runs.

Once the pools reopen after the local cryptosporidium outbreak (gross) I'll be back in the pool.

The biggest difference this race is 1) motivation and 2) food.  Since we've become, well, I don't really know how to describe our eating other than flexitarian.  Anyway, we've been eating a lot more vegetables and I bought a vegetarian cookbook that has been amazing.  Spicy tofu and broccoli stir fry, confetti vegetable stew, avocado and pinto bean salad with salsa, and the list goes on.  Today, I made cucumber crab salad over mixed greens.  Cooking fresh food makes such a big difference.

We've been trying to eat gluten free the nights before long runs and John and I have both noticed a difference there, too.  The downside to a few weeks of good training - I was starving all weekend.  I was hungry at 9 am.  I was hungry at 3 pm.  The upside to good training - I was finally able to fit back into my size 4 pants.  That's the first time I've been able to wear them all year!  Today's my day off and I almost feel guilty not working out.  Yoga it is!