March gave us an early taste of spring with some warm and sunny days. When I'm not running I can usually be found on my bike. It seems that I'm not on my bike as much as I was last year because the running has become something I love too, but in a different way.
I met up with Monica (also a member of ABC) for a ride on the River Trail on Sunday, March 25. This was our first time riding together and she is a really nice person and I had fun. We rode about 32 miles and the weather was sunny and warm. You couldn't have asked for a nicer day! There had been quite a bit of rain several days before which led to some of the trails on the NLR side being closed but we managed to get around it and still do our ride.
Tuesday the 27th, I came home from work and decided that I needed to go for a ride, so I rode 21 miles (did the loop from home to Holly Grove). Another nice, warm day. It's really unusual to get such warm temps in March. I think it went down on the record books as being one of the warmest in history!
The last weekend in March gave me the chance to run my 2nd half marathon. I traveled to Bentonville to do this and met up with a new running buddy Laura. On the way back home I stopped in Russellville so I could ride the Bona Dea Trail with Drake. It was less than 5 miles long but was a really shady ride and I got to see some beautifull cliffs. This was the first time for me to get on the MTB for this year. I hope to go back that way some time and try out some other trails if I'm brave enough!
The Carti training rides started up on April 7 and I had every intention of making the first one, but it just didn't pan out that way. I had my car loaded and everything packed but when the alarm went off and I had a headache and saw that the temperature was 46, I decided I'd have to start next weekend! It's probably a good thing I didn't go because when I took everything out of my car and put it up, I noticed my shoes were still in the closet! I can't ride with my shoes!! Oh well, sometimes things work out the way they need to ;-)
To make up for missing the training ride, I rode to Brinkley, to Holly Grove and then back home for almost 48 miles. Not as fun as doing the training ride with everyone, but riding is riding regardless of where you do it. It ended up being about 70 degrees, sunny and slightly windy. The wind was coming out of the east when I left and then on the way home it had changed to the north...right in my face! The last few miles felt pretty tough and I was starting to get leg cramps.
My plan for next Saturday (if the weather is good) is to do the Carti training ride and then on April 21, I will do the 65 Roses Tour in Searcy and hopefully make it up Joy Mt.!! What a "joy" that will be if I can do it!
