Spring is here. Oh yes! I know that for some of you spring arrives a bit earlier but I live at 5000 feet so it takes a bit for spring to get here. We are not totally out of the woods as we can still get some cold weather but on my run today I just felt spring for some reason. The grass is getting greener and there is a certain small in the air. I was really feeling good on my run today. There is just something about this time of the year that makes me enjoy my training so much more.
In a few weeks I will be able to smell the scent of the Russian olive trees. These trees have an amazing scent. I had never smelled that scent until I moved to Boulder and I associate it with this time of the year. The city of Boulder discourages home owners to plant this tree as it is now considered like a weed. Many years ago the tree was sold at nurseries until they found out how invasive the tree really was. Nothing kills it. In addition the tree spreads easily with its roots and its seeds are spread by wildlife. I think it smells great so I hope it does not totally go away.
The other thing that signals spring in Boulder is the birds. I do not hear them or see them as much in the winter. But today they were back. Birds do wake me up way too early sometimes. I think some of them nest near my window and start chirping as soon as the sun comes out. But I do like them. That is saying a lot for a kid that used to shoot birds as a child. See in Colombia I lived on a strawberry farm for a while. The number one enemy of strawberry farms is birds. Scarecrows do nothing. So as a 10 year old I had a BB gun and I loved shooting birds. But I have done a total 180 on this one. About 10 years ago I visited an Audubon society bird park and thought it was really cool to be able to spot birds and know a bit about them. So I have a bird book and try to spot new ones when I can. So I sometimes go on rides or runs and to try to pass time looking for birds that perhaps I have not seen. Since I mentioned the Russian olive tree that spreads like a weed, there is also one bird that is similar in nature. It is the European starling. This bird is everywhere in Boulder and he is a scavenger. This bird is very aggressive. Usually hangs out at bagel shops and if you drop anything he pounces on it before any other bird. European starlings will even fight other birds for food. The interesting thing about this bird is how it spread all over the United States. Shakespeare apparently mentions this bird in his writings. So about 200 years ago there was a Shakespeare festival in New York City. Some bright individual thought that it would be nice to have some of these birds at Central Park during the festival. Some were brought from Europe and now they are all over the country.
Tomorrow I will do a long ride as it is supposed to be a really nice day in Boulder. Warm and no wind in the forecast. I invited two friends to ride, Roman and Jim. They have not been riding much so I promised to go easy. Plus they may turn around early. I hope to go 4 hours and run 30 minutes off the bike. My bike position is dialed in now. I did raise my seat a bit and pushed my seat back a tad after consulting with Todd Carver from the Boulder Center of sports medicine. So in the end my position is a tad more forward than the 3D fit but not as much as the result of the FIST method from Dan Empfield. I feel really good on it now. Once I lose another 10 pounds I may lower the bars just a tad. On Sunday I will do my long run. My knees are feeling good so all systems are a go.