The End of Color

Today we gathered up all the leaves in the yard and I cut back the flower garden for winter. Nice weather couldn't last forever. The wind is supposed to pick up tomorrow and the coming freeze will drop the few remaining leaves hanging on our maple tree and our neighbor's cottonwood tree.

I have a few scattered appointments this week but hope to get some good productive work done before Thanksgiving. I'm wanting to start on a few work projects over the winter and get some help from students in the spring semester so I need to get all that organized. On my writing project, which is ongoing, I have made good progress in the past month. Cold weather is perfect for holing up in the woman cave under blankets with the heater cranked and pounding away at the keyboard, after I get a good run/bike/swim/workout in.

With the cold weather arriving, I need to make sure I don't wimp out, given my recent history. I have no excuse, really, I have all the warmest, highest-tech Pearl Izumi gear I need. Getting my butt out the door will be the challenge. I can't remember ever being this unmotivated for so long. And here it's only been two months since early September when I first started tapering for nationals. And I have put in some decent runs since then. Really it's only been a month of being a slug.

I did get on the scale and 4 1/2 pounds have piled on since the end of September. I guess that's not too bad for not working out and eating everything in sight. Time to start moving in the other direction. The mountain bike tire is threatening to return.

The gray skies and bare gray tree limbs will be the colors we get to look at in town, all in a monochromatic landscape. Fortunately the higher elevations have pine trees and red rocks up at Horsetooth. I'm looking forward to running the trails at Coyote Ridge and Blue Sky again this winter, and at Horsetooth and Lory State Park. I need to keep working on my hip strength to keep my ankles from rolling over, and pick up my feet!

Sunset in the foothills tonight. When I wake up tomorrow, it will be winter.