today

so, i headed out to galveston today. april and i had gone biking in the netherlands and it reignited my desire to ride outdoors....indoor spinners just aren't the same!

i hit the road at 7:00---i love the earlier morning sunrises! (i also must add that i hate the temp in the 90's). i was about 20 miles into my ride and something felt off. i pulled over and wouldn't you know, but i have a flat back tire. now, my fear was that this would happen in the half ironman...so i was oddly okay with it. i tried to fix it, but the big piece of metal left an unrepairable hole. so this left me 20 miles from my car and without running shoes. i was able to fill the tire enough to trek about a mile back to a gas station. by this time, my hands are covered in grease from the gears---i decide the only sane thing to do is ask for a lift back. i saw a guy with a truck (a key part to getting me back). there was a golder retreiver in the back too---i figured the owner must not be an evil man to have that kind of dog.

david helped me out and took me back to the Wal-Mart where my car was parked. on the way, i got a history lesson about galveston while he spit his chewing tobacco...i tell you, it was a cultural experience! once i made it back, i decided to sit on the beach for a few hours. the water is already warm!

when i was riding with 2 good wheels, i was thinking....for me, this is my best time to be still. there isn't a television, phone, book, or pager anywhere to distract me. of course my brain is still there, but i haven't figured out how to efficiently shut that down yet.

i came to an early conclusion that i'm a person that does well with a goal. these past 2 years have been rather goal-less. that was okay at first since i was fresh out of grad school and just soaking everything up in my job. i really enjoyed the goal of training for the half-ironman...and now i don't have a goal. granted, there are pros and cons to this whole situation. it is good to challenge myself, but am i looking for the "next best thing" or am in not content and i should be? it is difficult to say.

i had mentioned in an earlier post that i was thinking about school again. i have put in an application to begin taking classes toward my masters in public health. i'm not sure where it will all lead...and i guess it depends whether i get accepted too. i am excited about studying again though! i'm also contemplating a second half-ironman...this one in austin, texas. we'll see!