Just Say No to the Taper Worm...

The taper is going as well as can be expected. I've been busy with work and other things so it's a welcome distraction from feeling like I need to bounce off the ceiling.

We took a trip up to the cabin this weekend to clear stuff out. We've decided to sell it, we aren't using it enough. We took the girls, they got a chance to hang out at their cabin hopefully before it sells. It's one of those "taper projects".

Iris knows where she is, as soon as we get over Kenosha Pass, she always goes crazy. We think it's the smell of cows, but it could be the scenery. This time there were no cows, probably too early for them to be grazing out there since the snow is not completely gone. As soon as we dropped down into South Park, she started getting excited.

On the way back the girls had to ride with all the junk we brought back from the cabin.

I was greeted by this nice piece of mail when I got home. One of those nice things about turning 50. Thanks for the pleasant reminder. Talk about the ultimate taper worm! I will have this done sometime this year, but I'm putting it off until AFTER the race.

INDY: Sub-Geezerdom Stares Me In The Face

Today I innocently decided to sign up for a race...

Except...when I went to fill out the form, THIS jumped out at me!

Signing up in my new age group for the first time. I have to admit it was a little bit of a shock.

It's only 50. I'm on the right side of the grass. It's not like I'm old. INDY, right?

I'm not dead yet! Still upright and moving forward, maybe a little bit more slowly, maybe not.

It's real. I'll be in the sub-geezer age group. I've been joking about it, but it really didn't hit me until this moment. Sometimes I feel like I'm still 23. My body doesn't feel like it, at least not today. But that's okay, I am ready to start thinking about what I want to run this spring. A tune-up to 24 hours again before the big race in September at North Coast.

It's the Cornbelt 24 Hour run, I did it in 2012 and enjoyed it, a low-key, local race that has all the charm of an old-fashioned ultra. It was quite relaxing. Plus it forces me to slow down and be at peace, with the requisite drive across Nebraska and Iowa each way.

I'm feeling pretty good after yesterday's long run but a little stiff if I sit in one place too long. Today we're getting the weather I expected for yesterday-the wind tunnel. All I'm doing today is walking.

The warm temperatures have made a dent in the Great Antarctic Ice Sheet too, except the gutters along the sidewalk are still full of ice. If you want to go from the sidewalk to the street, you have the option of leaping, and risking your life, or walking the sidewalk until you find a narrow place in the ice where you can step across. This morning it was warmer outside and reminded me of spring.

The Broncos are playing the Chargers today. Everything is orange. I inadvertently put on an orange shirt this morning. The Superbowl, first holiday of spring, approaches. Spring, everywhere.

It's supposed to be warm all week and I might even get brave and run the Prairie Dog Half Marathon in Louisville on Sunday if I feel up to a good butt kicking by some spring chickens in their 40s.