Chilly speed work

Winter seriously interrupted my January summer Tuesday. After what seemed like weeks of balmy weather near or in the 80s the thermometer took a dive and it was a chilly 49 degrees outside.

"Ha!" you say. "Wimp," you think.

"Come and suffer with me," I say. I was liking that nice weather. I actually had some sunburn.

So now that we've re-established that it's winter I can use the hibernation excuse to explain my lingering weight gain. I've been carrying for almost eight weeks now. I really should go back to my deprived nutritional plan and drop this depraved one.

So I did 5x1200s at the track Tuesday. One of the five was my second best all-time time at the distance. Weight=speed? Not possible. It was windy, cool and sunrise was a feast of colors.

The track was empty until a nice old guy came by who is always there on Tuesdays. We slowed down about the same time and exchanged pleasantries for the very first time. He's 64 and walks 2 laps, runs 4, walks 2 and runs 4 to get his fitness up. He sounded Jamaican, or at least Caribbean. Big toothy grin and very friendly.

Gator fan afterglow from the BCS Bowl will last at least three years; that's my prediction. They will be impossible to live with if past history is a good barometer. I enjoyed the home state team winning but my allegience ends with the game. Sadly, Gators will sing the refrain of victory over and over.

Son C took Mrs. T's car to Gainesville on Monday to watch the game with high school pals who go there. It was his first college "road trip." Blessings were countedwhen he returned home in one piece the next afternoon (and so did the car).