dreadedmonkeygod . net

I was late to the party on the ALC's "Day on the Ride" on Saturday, and missed the registration deadline. So I had a little time on my hands. Unwilling to give up my Saturday morning workout now that I'm healthy again, I headed down to Chatsworth for the Saturday morning Krav Maga class. My ankle wasn't too happy about having to work so hard, but all the conditioning I've been doing lately is really paying off. Back when I first started, that workout would have kicked my ass, but now it's just a great way to get the blood moving in the morning.

And on Friday night, I registered for the local roller hockey league. Watching the playoffs has revitalized my interest in the game. I miss the competition, and I miss having something concrete every week to aim for. Some victory I can celebrate, or a defeat I can channel as motivation. But mostly, I just miss playing.

I spent Saturday afternoon helping a friend move into his new place. It's a very, very nice apartment here in Simi, and I'm officially jealous. He's had a rough couple of months, but looks to be landing on his feet. He introduced me to Famous Dave's BBQ, which was awesome. Best cookout-style dinner I've had since I don't know when.

Today I dragged my lazy butt out of bed, and hit the road for a two-hour bike ride. Just 30 miles, but it included plenty of climbing, and felt great. Between Krav yesterday and a tough ride today, my legs are like jelly, and I feel great. At several points during the ride, I was able to power up short climbs by shifting up a gear and getting out of the saddle. The first time I did it, I surprised myself with how much power I had, and how long I could maintain it. I thought I'd stand for a few strokes, then sit down and spin my way to the top of the hill. A quarter mile later I was still standing, and feeling fine. I just had to laugh and say to myself, "Huh, that's new."

I'm tempted to hit the weight room for some core work tomorrow night, but I'll make a decision tomorrow. I've had a big weekend, and I'm planning on more Krav on Tuesday, and I've got my first hockey game of the season on Wednesday, so a real rest night might be a good idea.

And plans for a trip to Joshua Tree are coming together. Gotta make some phone calls this week to spread the word. And I'm aiming to hit Yosemite in early September. My first trip was amazing, and a few friends and I have been talking about doing Half Dome as a two-day backpacking trip, and it's time to do more than talk.

So, yes. I'm following up reassessing and reevaluating with action and change. Amazing. Part of it is that I feel comfortable getting fewer full rest nights, and I'm okay going easy on nights when I'm not feeling 100%. Juggling all this is going to be a challenge, but it might be really fun.