Today is my first day back on the bike and really the first day doing any major exercise since I got sick before the holidays. I'm not sure why I picked today really, but it was as good as any and the weather didn't disappoint. This was also my first day using my new Heart Rate Monitor that Jess gave me for Christmas.

I suited up and was out the door. I managed to stay nice and warm all the way to work. There was quite a bit of fog and the moisture on the ground made it seem like it had just rained. I couldn't find my iPod charger last night, so this one was all in silence. My legs felt fine riding but I can't stand the feeling I get from the chilly air. My muscles are just too tight to feel quick and comfortable. And I especially hate wearing the booties. I feel like I have wooden blocks on my feet.

My calfs are recovering nicely from my very average 4:39 at the Alumni Meet in Boston. They were so tight in the days right after that I was struggling to walk in to work on Monday morning. Now there's only a trace of soreness. Since my goal right now is purely base, there's not much of an issue with tight calves. I don't need to sprint or climb much to get in to work.

Coming home was surprisingly nice. I was able to ride ten miles or so before the sun went down and that was very encouraging. The weather was warm enough that I was able to ride without my jacket and pants. That, along with shedding all the weight I carried in with clothes this morning, made me a happy camper. I kept the pace nice and steady and really didn't see many folks. The one exception was a guy just getting on the trail near work. He was riding a Specialized Tri-Cross. I asked him if he rode 'cross, but he said he'd just gotten the bike. I did recommend it though, because it is "A lot of fun."

Dist / Time / Avg / Max / Avg HR / Max HR / Odo
23.3 / 1:25:50 / 16.3 / 27.6 / 164 / 199 / 24
23.4 / 1:25:31 / 16.4 / 28.4 / 156 / 190 / 47