Memorializing Memorial day weekend

As I mentioned Friday, Memorial Day has always been sort of my own personal holiday. My birthday is May 28th, and many years my birthday falls around or on Memorial Day itself. Further, I was born on my maternal grandparents 25th wedding anniversary, so the day is doubly important to me. The fact that I had a long four day weekend to celebrate my birthday and enjoy the fruits of the labors of those that protect us was fun. The fact that I accomplished so much made it even better.

As I pointed out on Friday and Saturday, I finally started seeing the weight loss I've been working towards. Sadly, the 311 didn't stick around long, but it shows I'm on the brink of a permanent move lower. I'm back at 313, and while I'm a little bummed I didn't do the work to stay down, I did see progress. Unexpected progress considering how relatively little we worked out this weekend.

Friday we spent the day celebrating and didn't really work out at all. Saturday, we didn't do any organized workouts, though I did walk 4 miles back and forth between my house and the bike shop for a couple of trips picking up parts and tools. Sunday, again, no organized workout, though I biked 4 miles, and walked four miles on trips to and from the other bike shop to have them tweak my work on the bike.

Monday, we got back to official training, 3.5 miles. I didn't take my phone to GPS the route, but I did have my watch. I was a little slower than I had been the previous run, but again progress was made: I ran the entire second mile without stopping to walk. I wouldn't call it a fast mile, somewhere between 13 and 14 minutes, but still not bad for the first mile that I've ever run at more than a shuffle pace since high school. Then we spent the day wandering around Maine, and exploring. I even got in the rather chilly ocean when we got to the coast.

No, that's not a sea turtle in the middle of the picture, it's my head.

Aside from the weight loss, the birthday celebration, and the continued exploration of the beauty that is the Northeastern coast of the US, I also got some solid work done on the bike. In the matter of a day and a half, I replaced the cassette (the gears in the back), the handlebars, the shifter & brake levers, the chain, and the rear dérailleur (it does most of the work the shifting levers initiate). Everything except front dérailleur and crank (the pedals and front gears) has now been significantly upgraded, and at a combined total cost of well less than having purchased a new entry level road bike, or even a used one off Craigslist. Most of my components are at least as good as, if not better than the ones on Rachs bike, and I did the work myself.

I anticipated a lot of changes in myself when I got the idea to start doing triathlons. What I did not expect was how much I would come to enjoy working on my bike. So much so, that I am considering taking a class even to learn the final touches I now have to have the bike shops do. It's something that probably won't happen for a while, but it's something I'd really like to do. Maybe when the season is over.

For now, I'm going to enjoy the feel of the upgraded bike (we ride tonight after our swim), and keep pushing towards our upcoming races. Having had so many recent little successes, I'm doubly energized for the coming harder, longer workouts.

Notes:

- Thank you very much for the birthday wishes one and all. As I mentioned I had a fantastic time, and your wishes heightened that. So thanks.

- This coming weekend we'll be in Wisconsin for a family graduation party and helping her family pack to move to Florida, so depending on what goes on, I might not have time to update on my race results until Monday.

- The following week, my wife will be with her family, so i'll be left to my own devices. I'm looking for challenging (but not dangerous) training ideas to make some performance jum
ps while she's gone (Just cause we're married doesn't mean I don't still try to impress her). I'm planning a good bit of hill riding, but other than that, I'm drawing a blank.Feel free to leave thoughts in the comments.

- Finally, here are a couple more shots of the Maine coast. So gorgeous.

Can I get a loan for one of these houses?

Nubble light, and Rach's hair shows how windy it was