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View albumSpeed Kills.
July 13
July 12
9:37 AM: Operation residential relocation is underway. You may not hear much from me for a while. I will update what I can; but for the most part I'm just trying to keep my head above water between all of the inspections, minor repairs, realtors and paperwork. Honestly, I'm starting to freak out a little bit... but we're trying to take it one step at a time. Today we should find out about our "pre-approval" mortgage amount... so we will either be happy that we've been looking at homes in the right price range, or sad that we have to step it down a bit, or try another neighborhood/area. AAAAAAAAAAAACK!
Chris' house should be on the market later this week (maybe for the weekend?) but definitely by next weekend. Mine? Probably by next weekend. Anyone want to buy a couple of townhouses in the far Northwest Suburbs of Chicago? The bike riding out here is amazing. I'm not kidding. I'm sad to be leaving the area for that reason, amongst many others. 
In other news: I had a really really realistic dream last night... I was (and have been) feeling FAT lately. Not sure why necessarily, and I haven't even attempted to step on a scale... so I cannot numerically prove or disprove my fatness. At any rate, in my dream last night I spontaneously gave birth to a huge baby boy. I was relieved that I was just pregnant, and not actually FAT! Anyway, the baby was covered in freckles and we named him KEVIN. I was very careful to support Kevin's little neck and head, but by the end of the dream, he was holding up his own head. I was like "I didn't think that was supposed to happen so soon after birth!?" But as a new Mom, and one who didn't really realize she was 9 months pregnant and about to give birth, I knew I had no idea or reference. I laid him face up on my lap the long way and I scritched his little tummy, (which was covered in fur-- clearly some sort of cat reference) and he squirmed around happily, lifting up his freckled head with his overly strong infant neck. It seems weird when I write it out here, but it was TOTALLY realistic in my dream. Unbelievably realistic, actually. Chris and I have never discussed the name "Kevin", so I don't know where that came from. We were both so happy! And I was so relieved not to be (actually) fat, just unknowingly pregnant!
It's no wonder I rarely wake rested anymore. My dreams are exhausting.
- Health data: Hours slept: 8
July 11
- 1h 00m
This was lifting. Holy Shit. I have deadlifted only very light amounts... today MVG decided it was time for me to go heavier.
We did 2:00 by 45 lbs (just the bar) to warm up
12 x 105
10 x 135
8 x 145
Tough to get it up off the floor, but if I remembered to breathe, I could do the reps. I wonder how much I could deadlift once. (?) MVG seems to think I can do at least my bodyweight probably more. I have no idea. My hands gave out before anything else.
Then we did some other stuff... some light squats, some step ups, and then hard core triceps. Ow.
So, as many of you know, our very own Tony (mr2tony) and Monica (blueeyedbikergirl) got married on Friday July 6, 2012. It was hotter than hell itself in Chicago that day.
Luckily, the civil marriage court is in the basement of the county building, so it was cool and brick.
Can you see them in the reflection? I may be an amateur photographer with very little experience or talent... but I was able to capture this!
They exchanged their vows in a small office in front of a civil judge.
I think they're in looooooooooooooooooooooove.
After the very brief civil ceremony, we ventured outside into the hot hot hot hotness and I further demonstrated my lack of camera skillz. We did get a couple of decent shots, though, and the above is one of them...
As is this one!
And this one too!
We had to call it a day because the bride and groom (and the photographer!) were absolutely melting in the heat.
July 10
- 43m 15s
- -----
- -----
No idea how much I swam.
Got in late, Katie and Jana were already in progress.
I did 50
3 x 300
2 x 400
And that was pretty much it.
Lots of chat chat chatting because it's been a while since I've seen Jana.
This gets filed under "better than nothing"
Sometimes the ACT OF DOING it is GREATER THAN THE ACT ITSELF.
- Massage
- 1h 20m
A freaking awesome, last minute, spur of the moment massage @ the NEW X-Sport across the street from my soon-to-be office (I was there for another meeting)
That X-Sport is 700 times nicer than the pit in Arlington Heights. I wish I could kidnap MVG when I leave and make him work @ Downers Grove. I think he'd like it better, and I know I would!
At any rate, I redeemed some of my MANY X-Sport reward points and this was a free massage. Yay!
July 9
- Trainer MVG
- 1h 00m
Corework. Planks. V sits with medicine ball. Nothing from the waist down. It pleased me, yet made me sweat! So I'm sure I still got my money's worth.
10:12 AM: George tonight. My L knee is stiff and swollen and I don't know what I will be able to do in terms of an MVG trainer session. Whatever I do, I sure as hell hope it's going to involve arms and such and other body parts above the mid section. I am an absolute trainwreck from the waist down.
A couple more photos from this past weekend... I'm saving the actual wedding for Wedding Wednesday, of course:
Me and Chris. Lookin' cheezy.
Me and Monica... Looks like I'm asking her... "Are you sure you want to MARRY him?" And she's like... "I think so... why not?" Heh. 
And here's our "rehearsal dinner" group photo... Liane (Monica's BFF) Monica, Tony, Lauren (Cord's date) Cord (BigAppa) me, and our very own Hawaiian enthusiast, Chris. He was giving the "Hangloose" sign in all of the photos from that evening. Maybe because it was hotter than Hawaii Hell?
July 8
- 5h 00m 03s
- 79.93 miles
- 16.01 Mi/hr
CindyK and MarkK came out to ride with us.
Met up with Katie & Laura M after Chris got a blow out gun shot flat tire about a half mile away from home. (He turned around and ran his bike back home and changed his tire there, then met us @ the corner of Oak Ridge and someplace.
We rode up and around the Lake Geneva. I always seem to forget what a long and hilly ride that is.
The roads in Bull Valley are so bad my crotch may never regain its full function. Ow. No idea why everything is so sore down there, but it is. It most definitely is. I think I need to get Spartacus up and rolling.
Garmin died on the ride back thru BV, after only ONE "low battery" warning. Blagh.
PHOTOS:
July 7
So yesterday was the actual wedding, photos in the oven, and then the wedding party/drinks. A long day, for sure, especially given our condition after Thursday's alcohol soaked frolicking. I fared much better than Chris did, however. He's better than me at everything but... drinking and being hungover. I have that as a talent, I suppose. I'll take my victories where I can get them. 
We got back to the hotel last night a little after midnight, after everyone else left to ride a mechanical bull. We slept like rocks and got up this morning at the leisurely hour of 9:30 or so. We ordered room service, watched the Tour Stage, and then headed out for a brief bit of HOMETOWN TOURISM.
We went over to The Bean took some photos of ourselves reflected in it, and walked through the Lurie Gardens. Then it was back to the train, back to Crystal Lake, and back to life as we know it.
- Health data: Hours slept: 9
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These early morning rides always end up taking longer than I think they will.
Rode with Katie this morning... did a Union Loopy thing, ended up on the south end down by where the LITH triathlon bike course goes. Had to ride all the way back up to Mt. Thabor... I know there's a loop that takes me back on the North end... just couldn't navigate it this AM.
Crashed around mile 20, due to a turn. She went wide and I didn't. Or something... I'm not sure how it happened exactly, but I do know that my R side met the pavement and my R foot stayed clipped in the entire time, while my bike bounced around it. So strange.
Gathered myself together, took a bodily inventory, and decided I was OK to ride back. I mean, I'm at least as tough as a skinny French dude named Pierre, aren't I? Yes, I think I am.
Now, running late for work. Into the shower I go. Going to try MVG afterwork, but I might be too battered to lift weights. We'll see.
For those of you not in the know...
This right here is Pierre Rolland. He rides for EuropeCar. He's French. Clicky clicky for the story on how he crashed on a descent the other day, got right back up, and soldiered on to win one of the most difficult Mountain Stages in the Tour this year. I must be at least as tough as him, right? If not as tough, at least I'm almost as tough, but better looking. Right?
No? OK. Well whatever.
I think his seat's too high anyway.
5:56 PM: I am working like a crazy slave. It's crazy. And slavish. I cancelled on MVG tonight. I'm just too sore, and I don't think any sort of lifting or training session we would perform today would be an adequate use of either of our times. In other words, it would be a great big waste of time.