3 sports, 2 operas & a pedicure

Yesterday I worked hard so today I skipped the post – rehearsal workout and treated myself to a pedicure. Truth be told, I really did want to swim but there were no lap lanes during my free hour, and I was getting sick of my blue toenail polish but feeling far too lazy to remove it myself. I still biked to work since it was our last rehearsal in the Presidio and the ride is too nice to skip!

Backing up to yesterday, when the 3 sports and 2 operas occurred, the day went like this: Bike to the pool, swim 600 yds, bike to rehearsal, play Mary Magdalene, run almost 5 miles with a lunch pick-up in the middle, play Cosi fan Tutti, bike home. A novel thought crossed my mind in the pool. If I want to fit in a longer workout but don’t have more time, I need to move faster. No kidding. So I did, and I swam 150 yds more than I usually swim in 10 minutes. I applied the same concept to my run at lunch time and took a big loop around the Presidio and Crissy Field. I kept my speed up and averaged 8.3 minute miles. Pretty fast for me. Again, on the bike ride home, I pushed myself, but this time to get home and see Baby A before he went to bed. I missed him during my long day away!

the workout: 5.2 mile bike, 600 yd swim, 4.9 mile run keeping heart rate up with push-ups, dips and step-ups while waiting for my sandwich

When all signs point in one direction…

… follow them.  I had more of a biking adventure than I cared for today.  My plan was perfectly simple; bike for a few minutes then turn around so that I’d have plenty of time to eat, change and be in my seat again.  I was on a one hour break during a recording session up at Skywalker Ranch.  Anyone who’s ridden up there knows that beside the non-existent shoulder, the road is a cyclist’s paradise.  My adrenaline got the better of me and when I came to a crossing, I turned right and did that extra 1/2 mile to Nicassio.  I knew this was the perfect turning around point, so I checked MapMyRide to see how far I’d gone.  Just shy of 5 miles but since I had plenty of time I decided to keep moving until I hit 5 miles.  Soon after, I turned around and was hit by a strong headwind.  Luckily, by my calculations, as soon as I turned another corner I wouldn’t be riding against the wind again.  I kept riding and expecting to lose the headwind.   Then I saw a sign for a turnoff leading toward 101.  Didn’t occur to me that I’d come from 101 just that morning in my car.  I simply thought, “Hmm, that must be the big hill we used to climb around here.  I’ll have to check it out tomorrow.”  So I kept riding.  Even as the infrequent address numbers went the wrong direction.  Even after I noticed that I was on the wrong road.  ON THE WRONG ROAD!!  I just figured that maybe Nicassio turned into Skywalker and the numbers turned themselves around.  Finally, when I kept not passing the road construction I’d passed on the way in, I pulled out my phone and checked my GPS.  The little blue dot on my route showed a pretty little V, not a line over another line proving that I was indeed on the same road I’d ridden out on. And I’d gone 4.5 miles the wrong direction.  I had 24 minutes until I needed to be in my seat so that I didn’t disrupt the recording session coming in late (and get fired).   I can’t print the words that came through my mind right then.  There was no doubt in my mind that I absolutely couldn’t get back in time but the fact that I had no cell phone reception saved me from wasting time and looking up a number to alert my manager.  So I took off in the opposite direction (thankfully with a tailwind) faster than I’d ever ridden.  Checking my phone frequently for time, I rode hard and started wondering if I might actually make it back.  My violin was out and ready to go and if need be, I could slide into my seat in biking gear and pray that my fancy bike didn’t get stolen from outside the door.  Luckily I’d thought to communicate with the guard on my way out so when I buzzed the gate, he opened it immediately.  He asked how my ride was and I yelled back awesome as I sped up to the studio.  Clocking in at 1:54, I had a few minutes to return my bike to the car and change.  I sprinted to my seat just as the A was given and gulped down water.

On my way home, a cyclist prevented me from hitting a deer.  He (the cyclist) was meandering down the middle of the lane and as I slowed to wait for him, a deer ran in front of my car.  Too much excitement for one day.

the workout: 15.4 miles, fastest split 21.8 mph for 5:29