Crazy Therapy

Forty-eight days without rain fell just three short of the record. Crazy. That rather interesting streak was set in 1951. We almost made it. I am, of course in reference to the Seattle area draught (measured at Sea-Tac), that ended around ten last night. As my old friend Emmett Watson was fond of reminding his readers (and they were many), don't tell anybody. The last couple of weeks have been spectacular, several times causing me to think that if this was the norm there would be another million people living amongst us. So we take the rain with the understanding that it does more good than harm. Except when it rains REAL hard and I have to find my bucket stash.

I managed a return to the hills yesterday, getting in an eight miler of relentless rollers on the route known as THE BIG LAP. As we finished  this mornings spin session I was reminded of the toll that hills take on one's quads. It is also pretty amazing how quickly we can lose optimal fitness, or race readiness, if something causes an interruption to our schedule. In this case, and in my defense, I was trying to get some work done around this disaster area known, affectionately, as home. Long, sunny days help. 

What doesn't seem to help is the latest round of dietary testing currently underway. As outlined a few days ago, I am making a concentrated effort to refine the 'when' of my diet in conjunction with the 'what'. Meaning that bread, processed carbs, high-glycemic, modified, fortified, or anything dramatically altered from natural and organic, is out the window like a box of bad habits. That, and the main meal, Mr Big, will be at noon instead of at night. In day one I am finding this a struggle as even after yesterdays run and this mornings ride, my appetite was  nowhere near demanding a plate of spaghetti or a pound of potatoes. Odd.

But typical. I find that with most things my initial reaction is based on nothing but my bias. I have been conditioned to react to any given circumstance by pre-tested, pre-approved responses. Not always good. It is limiting and not very adventurous. Not to mention constricting, binary and bigoted. The great radio talk show host, Laura Lee used to say that our minds work best like parachutes, open. She also liked to say that they, our minds, need to be open, but not gaping. Sometimes I feel like I am about to fall into the great pit of the deep and bottomless gape. 

Yes, change is hard. We are creatures of habit. For reasons I do not quite understand, we like to do the same stuff over and over again. Even if its harmful. I guess there is safety in that. Not a lot of risk. Cost-benefit analysis working in turbo-charged reverse. 

I read a quote the other day where a terrifically talented marathoner said that the reason she runs is that running is cheaper than therapy. 

I had the same thought as I grappled up Devil's Dip for the second time yesterday. 

I must be crazy. 

Sunny days helped progress on the, now lit from above, pizza oven and frog fence.