President's Day

The long weekend is over, and I survived it. It wasn't too bad, I must say. Now if only I can get through this busy week of work.

Yesterday, Presidents' Day, I spent in Pasadena. I hopped on the Gold Line and joined Jane in her lunchtime bike workout around the Rose Bowl. It was her first bike workout in a while, so she wasn't 100%, but we managed a couple of laps (6 miles) before calling it quits. I did another 3/4 of a lap after we parted so that I could build up some momentum to climb the hill leading out of the Rose Bowl. I then grabbed lunch at Chipotle and hung out at Peet's where I finally finished "The Road." It was a very moving novel and exceedingly bleak. I started Dave Eggers's "What is the What," but only got through the first chapter before I had to head out. It seems like it will be another harrowing but good read. I really ought to read something lighter.

I swung by Run With Us and picked up a couple pairs of running socks, a shirt, and a handful of Gu. My running gear has been getting worn out, holes everywhere, so this was a long overdue trip. Afterwards, I biked back to the Rose Bowl to meet up with Katie, Rob, Theresa, and Andy for a fun five miler at sunset. I thought I would have some time to lay out in the sun before the run but all I could manage was about five minutes before I had to get my running clothes on.

By the time we started running my legs were pretty tired from biking, but I figured I can survive five or six miles. It turned out to be a very good and rather easy run. In fact I was feeling so good towards the end that I just sped up and ran a little bit ahead of everyone. I love that feeling when running doesn't feel like such an effort, when your legs seem to move on their own accord and the rest of you is just along for the ride. At the end I wasn't even breathing heavily. The sun was setting and it made for dreamy lighting around the arroyo before it got too dark to see. Katie, Rob, Theresa and I grabbed dinner at Lucky Baldwin's where three of us had the rabbit stew. It tasted bland at first, but a little dash of salt and I was devouring the whole thing, sponging up every last bit with the bread and fries that came with it. Not surprisingly, when I finally got home I was exhausted. I had plans to cook last night but I just changed my clothes, checked my e-mail and plopped down in bed and fell right to sleep. Pasadena is a great place to ride a bike. Lots of quaint, pretty streets and not too traffic-heavy. I must have ridden 11 or 12 miles altogether and ran 5 miles.