New Terrain

Tis' the season to be busy, right?
Even though I haven't written about it much, I have been running and riding lots. I've gotten the chance to really break things up too and get some interesting workouts in.

A few Saturday's ago I joined a group of runners who call themselves the "West Side Wackos." They're a lively bunch of runners who live on the west side of town. Thanks to Daily Mile I've been made an honorary WSW even though I live out East.
They welcome any and all regardless of their geographic location.
I joined them at 6AM on a Saturday morning to follow a caravan of 10+ cars out to the desolate highway 17 in Kingman county.

The cold dark morning with the WSW!

I was told this course was awesome, hilly, and beautiful.
I had no idea what I was getting into!!!

New scenery for sure! Can't see any hills in these pic though.

Some of the other runners making their way back after about 10 miles

I ran 8 miles into the town of Kingman on a very cold winter morning. Cresting at least 15 hills all the way. My heart rate was flying! There was a grocery store at mile 8. I caught my breath, grabbed a drink, and headed back for another 8 miles of pain!
It was good pain though!!
I was so tired the next two days. But I know I've found my Heartbreak Hill training course now!!

Another different type of run took place this week. On Monday night I kept hearing more and more about the lunar eclipse that was to take place in the early morning hours Tuesday. I continued to hear how the fact that it was landing on the Winter solstice was a once in a life time event. It had been some like 400 years since it last happened?
On a whim I posted a note on Daily Mile and Facebook just to see if any weirdos might want to run in the middle of the night to observe the eclipse. Sure enough, I'm not the only crazy one out there.
Long story short I meet a group of 5 other runners for a run at 1AM until about 3AM.
We ran through the streets of Wichita and watched the moon disappear and watched it turn red. It was very very cool!

Freezing and Eclipsing at 2AM

Runners moon gazing

I got home about 3, showered, and went right back to bed. I was super tired the next day, a little sore, but stoked to wake up with my workout already done!
I'm so glad I got to do this.

Another new scene for my workouts has been..... my bedroom. Yep, that's right. I wanted to keep up with my cycling as the weather got cold this year. Kenton was kind enough to invest in a trainer for our road bikes. It's taken a bit to get used to it, but my room is where you'll find me spinning away about every other day. I rotate the TV, find a good show and try to knock out a nice long ride.
Kenton's been using it too. Our only little hiccup is that we both have to share a nut for our bikes. The nut on my bike won't fit on the trainer. So every morning I'd unscrew Kenton's to put on mine. It was really a pain and I guess he heard my complaints.
On Christmas morning, I unwrapped a tiny little jewelery box to find my very own nut.

My very special Christmas gift

I guess I got what I asked for

I enjoyed my post Christmas spin while watching Christmas Vacation with my very own nut this morning! Best thing about gift giving is to give them something they'll use. Well, if that's true.... Kenton nailed it this year!

Spinning in my room

Not really my best look...yikes!

Happy trails where ever they might be!