Shiftysven

Howdy again. Well, so much for trying to update this in a timely manner. With the holidays and work, it just didn't happen. I had planned on making a post with goals and New Year's resolutions.
It is just a little after midnight on February 10, 2009. I just finished my 3-11 shift and updated my log at Buckeye Outdoors and thought it would be a good time to update this also. Work has been busy. I am going on my third week with no day off and some overtime thrown in too boot! Yes, I know, be thankful I have a job. But that gets old when it seems like you live at work and have little time for anything else. My last day off was January 26-I think.
So, what have I been up to? Besides work I am trying to get in as much cross country skiing as possible leading up to the Birkie. What's the Birkie? It is a 50K cross country ski race in Wisconsin from Cable to Hayward. If the distance doesn't seem daunting enough, the course profile looks like the business end of a hand saw. Lots of climbing. It finishes on Main Street in Hayward and you get to enjoy all the spectators cheering you on as you head toward the finish line. I had entertained thoughts of trying to break 3 hours this year but training has not been as consistent as I wanted. My one tune up race was a total disaster. I competed in the 30K race at the Badger State Winter Games on Janurary 24. It was bitter cold. Maybe a high of 0 with windchills around -20. My skis were slow, which wasn't a big surprise. I can honestly say that after completing lap one of this two lap race that I actually thought about quitting. This is a thought that never enters my thick noggin. I pride myself on completing any race I enter, no matter what. I have DNF'd 2 races in my life-both mountain bike races and both due to mechanicals-but the colder I got and the more I suffered the more I just wanted to quit and go home. But, I thought of my wife, who willingly came to watch in such awful weather, and all the other competitors who were just as miserable as me, and stuck it out. Not one of my better races, but I did finish!
Since then I have been trying to get in some skiing, a little running and some miles on the bike on the trainer. Plus I have added a couple weight workouts per week at the gym. Yeah, just a little busy but it makes the days fly by.
Well, off to bed now. I had planned on skiing in the next day or so but the rain coming down and forecast of record highs for tomorrow will probably change that. I'll let you know what else is new in a couple days. Honest-I will update this more frequently.
Later