This week is a prep week. Five hours of training, which I interpret very loosely. I've been to the gym a couple of times for weightlifting, working on building maximum strength in things like squats, seated row, and bent-arm lat pulls, because they're like cycling and swimming. I also do core exercises and leg extensions and stretch to excess.

For flexibility I've been doing a yoga DVD featuring this white-haired Indian guru who lives in Alaska and has a young guy demonstrate all his moves. I love it: "Now Philip will demonstrate stretch pose. If you feel yourself shaking, you're getting it right. The original instructions say 'do it until you shake like a leaf'." Meanwhile Philip's not shaking at all and I am in so much pain I can't do it anymore period, whether shaking like a leaf or not. Then at the end there's cheesy inspirational relaxation music and Alaskan scenery. I prefer the Rodney Yee videos, where Rodney himself is scenery aplenty, but I can't seem to find mine. Perhaps my husband hid it?

A few good runs: 45 minutes today at a nice brisk pace because going out along the Iowa River I was into a headwind and wishing I'd worn my parka. There's nothing like a headwind to make you run fast on the way out for warmth, and faster on the way back for gratitude. Apparently I should be doing drills and fartleks, but I'm enjoying putting one foot in front of the other. Why mess with that? I just wish it would snow some more so I could drag out my skis. Winter without full-on ice and snow is the pits. You would never know I was born in California.