I've missed racing this year in that I've missed gathering with like-minded people and testing myself against athletes who take the sport seriously like I do. On the other hand, I haven't particularly missed the five-, six-, and seven-hour drives and other ancillary chores and expenses in the service of attending races.
I've mentioned the frustrating feeling of being "stuck" here at home all summer. But when I allow myself to settle in and embrace it, there's something peaceful about going down to my home river and just having fun out there. With no competitions to be sharp for, I'm sticking to the "play" variety of workouts.
I'm also keeping the sessions short--no longer than 60 or 70 minutes. That's primarily because of the heat. Once you're overcome with the oppressive summer heat your form falls apart and your training is not really productive anymore.
Speaking of the heat, we've had plenty of it, but we've gotten breaks here and there, too. For the last week or so there have been scattered thunderstorms in the region that have cooled things down in the afternoon. One pandemic habit I've fallen into is sitting out on the back deck and drinking a beer around 5:00 or 5:30 PM, and on many days the weather has been more pleasant at that hour than in the late morning or at lunchtime.
On Tuesday Joe and I did our usual loop of the harbor. The humid air was stifling and breathless as I readied my gear on the dock, but out on the water there was just enough of a breeze to make our session bearable.
This morning I warmed up and did three 8-stroke sprints, and then headed out onto the Mississippi to see what was going on. There were three barge rigs moving upriver, the last of which was emerging from under the Harahan Bridge. I headed for that one to see what kind of fun I could have on its wake. The conditions were sort of tricky, and they didn't last long, but I managed to get a couple of really nice rides--probably the best since my "dream day" two months ago. I even linked several runs--not easy to do in the unpredictable world of barge-wake surfing.
As I drove home the temperature display in my car said it was 89 degrees Fahrenheit outside. As I approached my house I drove into a torrential downpour, and I watched as the reading dropped to 81 degrees. When I got home the rain showed no signs of letting up, and I got pretty wet running up the back stairs to the door. The deluge continued for the better part of the next hour, and I'm curious to know how much rain fell here; I'm thinking at least an inch. Whatever the case, the storm kept the day from growing too hot.
Really, my only complaint about this current weather pattern is that the evenings have been cloudy, and I'd like to get a glimpse of the comet Neowise that's passing near the Earth right now. I think there are only several more evenings when it will be visible. Apparently this comet has a period of around 6800 years... I try my best to stay healthy and fit, but to be around the next time the comet shows up might be too much to hope for.
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