So I arrived back home in Memphis yesterday just before 3:00. Unfortunately, while I was away at a fabulous training camp, Ryan found out that his Grandpa Al died (fortunately, I got to meet him once when we took our trip North last summer- he was a really neat person & had some great stories). So, soon after getting home, I went with Ryan to the store to pick out a suit for the funeral (I’m somewhat fashion-challenged, but luckily, the guys/gals @ Men’s Warehouse were more than helpful).
I think he looked pretty snazzy:

I drove Ryan to the airport this morning, and am not due to pick him up until Thursday evening. This, combined with the fact that I’m out of school until Faculty meetings next Tuesday (the 13th), means that I’ve got a bit of free time on my hands. I don’t really know what do do as far as training… I just rode my tail off in Texas/Oklahoma, but after taking the day off yesterday to drive home & relax, I’m feeling anxious to get back on my bike (though I’ll probably just run today or something since I got a pretty painful saddle sore during our Wednesday ride, and continued riding hasn’t helped it heal much).
Sitting around & brainstorming, I figured I’d make a list of “stuff to do” to keep myself occupied the next few days:

• Wash some bikes. There are 3 dirty ones calling to me right now!
• Put some gears on my Surly… I just got an email from the Southern Cross race promoter- seems there’s ~12 miles & 3,000 feet of solid climb on the race course that I’ll be traversing in few weeks. If it were only that, I’d just go with a lower SS gear, BUT the elevation profile shows that the first 12 miles is flat/slightly downhill, so I don’t want to be stuck spinning at 100+ rpms going 17mph while the competition speeds off towards the climb (I entered the women’s category rather than the SS category). I think it’ll be worth the hit I’ll take on weight (in SS form, the Surly is just over 21 pounds!) to get the top end speed that an Ultegra 1×9 setup will give me. Watch out, ladies- I’m bound to be climbing like a mountain goat by then!
• Cook a gourmet meal using the halibut that Ryan’s brother brought when he came down for X-mas (yes, I’m awesome enough to wrench on my bike, then tie on an apron and be equally capable of greatness!) I’m thinking something invloving lemon, maybe some almonds, and side dishes like asparagus & wild rice.
• Talk to the nutritionist that we met from Living Well Dallas and lay out some sort of diet plan to help me lose about 10 pounds before my first race of the 2009 season (Valley of the Sun). I look great as is, but Oklahoma was a frustrating reminder that I am too heavy to get up hills efficiently.
• Along the same lines, I need to talk to the life coach from Living Well Dallas. She had some really good advice about setting up goals and changing behaviors/habits for the better.
• Maybe go see a movie… but there’s nothing out I really want to see, so I might get a Blockbuster membership and indulge in some old GI Joe episodes or something.
• Hmm… I’m sure I’ll think of something else…