use the tools

I really like using MapMyRide.com. I don't use the full suite of tools they offer, but it was very useful this morning to use the turn-by-turn navigation to measure more precisely the distance I ride when I commute by bike. 3.7 miles in 26 minutes this morning, which isn't exactly a blistering pace, but it felt like a *good* pace for me. My bike is pretty darn heavy and I don't want to arrive at work all wrung out and sweaty. There are a lot of places where I need to slow down or stop to cross traffic, too; hard to say how much faster I could manage the trip if I pushed it. At least now I've got some precision for recording time/distance on Fitocracy!

The plan is to ride from work to TKD this evening, join FionaPie for family class, and then ride home with her. (She'll get dropped off at TKD with her bike.) We had a great time with that last week! I should get there with enough time and enough of a warm-up from the ride over to get in a really good stretching session before class. That was BLISS on Monday...almost better than a nap. ALMOST.

visit from an old friend

Last night, we hosted my bestest friend from fourth and fifth grade, Wes, along with his 10yo daughter, Arwyn. They're doing a cross-country, daddy-daughter motorcycle trip this summer and needed safe harbor for the night. We haven't seen each other since fifth grade. Ah, the wonders of Facebook!

We didn't really have time to catch up -- what with time constraints and exhaustion and a little girl who had a hurting tummy -- but it was a marvelously relaxed visit. They got showers, naps, a good meal, friends to chat with, doggies to love on them, and a comfy place to sleep. They're hoping to make it halfway to Colorado today, so they can arrive at the rally they're heading for on Thursday. Fingers crossed for smooth travels! Perhaps we can manage to visit again before another thirty-odd years pass.

aha?

In my faboo stretching session on Monday evening, I found a stretch that activated the same kind of pain I noticed when walking/running just a few hours before. It's that standing stretch where you cross one foot over the other and then bend over to touch your toes. Mostly, it's triggered in the "base" leg. I suspect there's something happening with running too much on the outside of my foot. That's a long-time problem and the biggest reason I'm picky as hell about my running shoes. Probably about time to get a new pair. Eventually.