No Booty for me!

For the second time in 4 years of The 24 Hours Of Booty, a bicycling event that benefits the Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Ulman Cancer Fund, the event has been canceled.
Totally not their fault. Hurricane Irene. Blame her. Four years ago it was some un-named tropical storm.
The first time it happened I rode the trainer on the car port for 22 hours total.
I'm not doing that again.
I mean, I could do it, but the prospect doesn't grab me this time and this storm is supposed to be much worse here so I may have my hands full doing other things (bailing, cowering in fear...well I hope not)
Was hoping to ride 300 + miles and my training went well enough that it would have happened.
My Booty totals are: 2008, 300 miles on the trainer in the carport. 2009, 245 miles in another rain event. It poured for 11 hours and was cold. 2010, 180...I was recovering from ankle surgery in May and didn't want to push it.
This year...I'm not sure how I'll full fill my obligation to those who were kind enough to give money to the cause. As I did four years ago I feel it's important to "pay up" to those folks who donated. I promised them I'd suffer through some sort of  "fun".  I owe them. I owe it to those people who's memory I carry. Those that have died or are struggling with cancer. The reason I was riding in the first place.

On a Different Cycle

Don't I wish!
Not that kind of cycle, whatever that kind of cycle is, but a new training cycle.
My weeks now have 10 days in them. The 7 day training week, for me, is over.
Since I was able to return to running after knee surgery ( see prior posts) I've been playing with a 10 day training cycle. After reading several articles and exchanging some e-mails with a few coaches that support it, I thought I'd give it a try. It's a program designed for Masters runners and I've adopted it for cycling and Triathlon too.
So  heres how it works:
Starting on a Monday you finish on the  following Wednesday. Included are TWO rest days. Great for older athlete types. I set one day firmly after a  long run day and the other I use as a floater and slot it in where I need it or when I need it.
Day 1: Long run or ride
Day 2: Rest
Day 3: Easy...distance varies
Day 4: Mid-range run with some tempo
Day 5: Easy mid-range
Day 6: Recovery run or ride
Day 7: Easy mid- range
Day 8: Speed work. Repeats of whatever trips your trigger
Day 9: Rest
Day 10: Tempo.
Repeat.

Now the cons are that you find you're doing a long run after work, mid -week. Running with you're usual group may not work either. For biking it may mean more time on the indoor trainer (always a good thing). It does take some flexibility.
 I have found however that I have more energy, don't feel I'm trying to cram everything in to 7 days, and it all just seems a bit more relaxed. I like that. Also as a masters athlete we need to recover more and that extra day is a big plus!
I've currently bicycling  about 180 to 200 miles a week and running about 25-30 and slotting in 2 strength training days also.  I make sure I separate my long bike and long run days and and always keep my eye to the downstream workouts. I keep it fluid. Since I started this 8 weeks ago, I love it. I won't go back to 7 days a week.
As an older athlete ( I will be 57 in December) I have come to realize I need more rest, a varied schedule and a new way to look at training. I dig it.

Some thoughts on Jury Duty

I don't get out much. During the school year I get up and go to work and then come home, workout, spend time with my sweetie go to bed. Rinse. Repeat.
Summer time  I still don't get out much unless you count long bike rides and some short trips and such.
By getting out I mean really out among the masses. I should get out more because I'm a big people watcher and a life long student of the human condition.
Was called up for Jury duty this summer and here in my county the policy is one day or one trial. If they call you and don't use you, your off the hook for three years or so. If they call you and you serve, it could be ages before you get called again. They give you a number, chosen at random, and that day they  picked several hundred numbers but only numbers 1 through 142 had to show up. If you get a number higher than that you don't have to show up that day.  It explains that VERY CLEARLY on the form.
Anyway...was called up and went to the court building with 141 other folks where we sat most of the morning waiting to be called. My number was called about 11 and with 49 others we went to a court room for the "vior dire" or truth telling, where the lawyers pick the jury.
I didn't make it past the vior dire. I guess I wasn't their type. Done for the day and then home. Painless actually. Thought it would have been interesting to sit for the trial.
Now...back to the "need to get out more" thing.
As noted, I'm a people watcher and this is what I saw:
1. A large number of people showed up even though their numbers were above 142. People don't read the directions.
2. Of 142 people in the jury lounge 100 of them were obese. I counted.
3. Despite the signs saying "No cell phone use" in the lounge, and being told verbally by the clerks who welcomed us, people were using them constantly.
4. Some people wouldn't know a day off it it slapped them in the face. A chance to read a good book or just hang out. Nope. Working like mad many of them. Calling the office every 5 minutes to see if the place is still there. They don't realize that they could disappear today and the business would fill their slot tomorrow.
5. When the judge asks you if English is your native language, answering "Yesh eet ees " in a heavy foreign accent is a red flag that it isn't.
6. Comb overs are NOT a good look ...for either men or women.
7. When the jury form say NO SHORTS, they mean you, Mr. wanna be gangsta with your hat on backwards.
8. When the judge says "NO HATS, PLEASE" He also means you, you cute little hipster. If it happens again , do it, that way the judge won't call you up to the bench to tell you AGAIN to remove it.
9. When the judge says "Please return at 1pm."  be there. That way he won't have to send the sheriff to look for you. An hour was plenty of time for lunch.
10. Being asked if you are a citizen of the US is NOT the time to launch into a tirade about illegal aliens and the President.
 Like I say I don't get out much and when I do I tend to be around people I like and have similar interests with. It is always an eye opener to be out with the crowds...With the exception of the comb overs, it was just like middle school.