IPod? I Plod? Eyes without a Face?

I dragged my self over to the Y tonight to get on the stationary bike one last time before Sunday's indoor tri. Took me almost two hours after supper to get through all the "really, really important" things I had to do (like checking out the Mets Spring Training Box Score and reading a review of Britney Spears performance in "How I Met Your Mom", for example) before I slathered on the A&D Ointment, pulled on the wonderfully flattering bike shorts and drove the 5 miles over to the Y. I was able to stall a good 10 minutes more when I got there, because my friend Stephanie was working the desk and it was slow enough so that we could chat for a while.

Finally, I went upstairs, slotted myself in on the board for 30 minutes on bike #4, raised the seat to "8", threw my leg over the saddle, slid my feet into the straps, and pedaled. I had a really hard time getting it cranked up much over 104 rpm, well below the 120 I am aiming for on Sunday. I know I can do that, since I did it the last time I rode here, managing 8 miles in 30 minutes. Tonite, a mere 7.25 in the same time. Better than couching it, I guess.

When I got done on the bike, I hit my stopwatch, wiped down the bike and rubber legged it over to the track next door. I promised myself I would pair my bike sessions with mini bricks, and at least I have been doing that. I was on the track in 1:40, but being a good neurotic and too lazy to reset my watch, I waited for the stopwatch to hit 2:00 before I took off.

I did two laps in the middle lane (14 laps / mile) in 1:26, with my feet keeping time with Billy Idol's Eyes Without a Face. You know what? This IPod stuff really works. It's a song I haven't heard in a long time, it's really good to hear it again, and when I let myself get into the music, it really pulled me along. 42 seconds per lap translates into a sub-10 minute mile - just short of flying for me.

Then I walked a half mile to cool down, but I wanted to try one more thing before hitting the shower and the hot tub. I put the song on again, and waited for the 2:30 minute mark, when Billy ramps the song into an up tempo break, and then I took off again for one lap, in the outer lane, 13 laps/ mile. I blistered that sucker in 31 seconds, a 6:43 mile pace, and faster than I have gone in a long time.

Now I know, I am just "sampling" the music, and two laps doesn't make up a 5K, let alone a marathon. But, man, the possibility is there - the possibility is really there!