Death of an iPod Mini Makes for Silent Bike Ride

Holy Crap...You know when you feel that instant panic when you realize you've left your cell phone at home? You'd drive two hours just to retrieve it because heaven forbid you miss a call?? Well, that's exactly how I feel right now, but it involves my iPod...It DIED on me!!!!!!!!!!! I have no idea why or how. Yes, it's a mini and yes, it's a couple of years old, but c'mon! Believe me, I've charged it over and over. It was working last weekend and then suddenly it stopped. I don't care about the music. I can download Debbie Gibson's "Shake Your Love" again anyday. I'm freaking out because I'm missing my favorite podcasts!! Sure, I can download them and listen to them at work or at home, but it's not the same. I am in an utter state of panic now that the anger and frustration has subsided. I was all excited to listen to this week's episode of "Get Your Geek On" Triathlon Podcast and IRunningRadio, but NOTHING!! On the bike this morning, I had to listen to my own labored breathing as I was riding up not so steep hills.

Is now the time to upgrade to the Nano or even the Big Daddy iPod? Or, should I just say "screw it" since it screwed me? They don't deserve another 300 of my hard earned greenbacks.

On another note, I showed up at the Veloway parking lot this morning at 6:15am and was the first and only car there! The Veloway is a 3.1 mile paved bike trail in South Austin. Next to the Veloway, you can ride an 8 mile loop on the berm of South Mopac. I just thought it was funny that little ol' me was the first cyclist on the road this morning in South Austin freakin' Texas! Not even the Lance wannabes were pounding the pavement this early. I relished another small personal victory (cycling studette!) and proceeded to ride approximately 20 miles this morning. I struggled a bit on the first loop...My speedometer is goofy, but I did the first 8 miles in approximately 29 minutes and the second 8 miles in 27 minutes. I kept it in the big chain ring today until I did my 3 mile cool down ride on the Veloway track itself. My goal is to get that loop consistently in the 25 minute range depending on wind conditions.

This weekend will include a wetsuit swim at Barton Springs on Saturday and Sunday mornings, a 14 mile run tomorrow morning at 11am (to simulate Boston Marathon time and temp) and a 40-50 mile ride on Sunday afternoon.

All this and still that nagging 8 pounds that just won't go away! I don't care...I won't stop eating. Food is yummy :-)

Nutrition:
6:00am 1/2 whole wheat tortilla, 1 tablespoon organic PB
9:15am 1 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch with yogurt and blueberries, coffee
12:30pm ugghhh--food coma. Some friends are in town from Ohio and I took them out to lunch...side salad, 2 grilled tilapia fish tacos (1 with flour tortilla, 1 without), rice and black beans, guacamole, diet coke