New shoes for faster racing

Went for 35 miles + group ride on Saturday morning. Had a total of 9 people in the pack. Many were fairly new but it still made for a good ride. It is amazing how much of a difference a pace line can make. We were flying. Did a small run brick after the ride with Jim and Keith.

Went to Soccer Locker and City Runners faster shoes. This local runner stores gives members of the Pine Belt Pacers 10% off and just started to up that to 15% on the 15th of the month. Mustafa told me about the sale but I said that I need the shoes for the upcoming 5K this weekend. He gave me the 15% off anyway. I realize that I could get the shoes cheaper online but I due like to support local businesses anytime that I can. I certainly do also enjoy the instant gratification. These shoes will be strictly for racing. As a side note, I am going to start tabulating expenses that this sport is costing (NEW SHOES = $80.) Don't get me wrong - I believe that the positives of keeping fit and working out far out weight the money.

Jim was not able to make the mini-tri that we had planned for Sunday. So I decided to explore a local (less than a mile from the house; just off of the trace) mountain bike trail. It has been a while but I used to really enjoy trail running. I put my old Timex GPS triathlon watch on and hit the road. It has been wet and muddy since Hurricane Gustav roared through (more rain than wind) so there were a few shallow creeks. My feet were soaked from the get go. Rolling hills and quick switchbacks were a welcome change to the dead flat asphalt trace. I found a 1/2 mile loop and and circled several times for a total of about 5 miles. I really enjoyed jumping over the felled trees and leaping the small streams.

Monday I met Jim out at Lake Serene for a morning swim. When we hit the water the sun was just beginning to break. The pretty purples and oranges filling the sky and was enchanting. The water temperature has gotten a few degrees cooler in the past two weeks. Jim keeps mentioning that this might be the year to get a wetsuit. I am wondering just how cool the water gets in Southern Mississippi.