Day 7 on the sunless planet...

One of the things you usually have to deal with when you spend a lot of time outside biking and running is awkward tan lines. Usually there are several levels to them. On your legs, the lowest one is typically from the bike shorts. But then there is often a stripe above that one that was left from your tri shorts. But it doesn't necessarily end there, because higher still can be the line from the run shorts. Each section a tad paler than the previous, leading to the tanned lower leg... at least all the way down to where your socks block out the sun. If you do it just right, sometimes by the end of the summer you can look like you have socks on when you're in bare feet. There is also often that farmer's tan on your upper arms, or if you go sleeveless then there is a line on your back where the jersey ends. The sneakiest little spot is the half-moon tan that forms on that little spot of skin that gets exposed on your back between your shirts and your jersey when you bend over the aero bars. There's also the infamous watch tan line. Sometimes you also get some nice lines on your face from your sunglasses.

None of this has been an issue for us thus far this "summer". The sun literally has not been out in a week. And honestly, last week it was out for a day and a half and before that there was another long stretch of no sun. Needless to say, it has gotten downright depressing. These are the longest days of the year, but who can tell when it is perpetually dark? I suffer through all of those cold, dreary bike rides in March knowing that in the summer I can go out in the sun on a warm afternoon and not have to worry about being cold. It just makes it so much harder to motivate yourself to go for a ride when it won't stop raining.

But of course I do it anyway. I have to wear sweatshirts every day still in June. Fun. But supposedly that is all ending tomorrow. Or kind of, at least. There is still not a single day in the extended forecast with less than a 30% chance of rain, but it is finally supposed to get warm and that big, glowing ball that sometimes shines in the sky is finally supposed to come out. The timing couldn't be better, because tomorrow I am headed to Vermont for a QT2 team training weekend. Lots of training with lots of talented athletes. It should be a lot of fun. This is the last really big few days before it's just about time to start tapering things down. That gets a little scary because it means that I'm almost out of time as far as adding fitness is concerned. Fortunately or unfortunately, there is still time to be gained by me losing a bit more weight. I am so sick of fixating on losing weight. I know it needs to be done, but I hate constantly having it on my mind. It's my own fault for making it a necessary part of the process though. At least it's salad season and I am a big fan of a good salad. I wish there was some way to have a supermarket salad bar in my house. Well, now I'm just rambling about nothing which means it's time for me to go to bed and rest up for the big weekend!