I Live in Iowa: Week 138

To be fair I only spent about 16 hours actually in Iowa last week. I started off the week at my parents home in Wisconsin. (Is it not strange the various meanings of "home". Did I go "home" for Christmas?) The week was pretty low key. I spent a fair amount of time watching a few movies and television shows. I slept a good amount, 11 hours one night! I also spent time going to church for Christmas services.

Finally, I should mention that I spent a huge amount of time talking with my family. In the moment, it does not feel like we are "doing" anything but there is a lot of communication and idea exchange going on.

I was on vacation, I didn't work. I didn't even check my emails, although I want too. I want to see what the guys in India are working on and anything that the contractors might have worked on last week. However, checking in while on vacation is not a precedent I am ready to set for myself. Perhaps one day. I mean, I am thinking about checking my email, I am sure there is something I could reply to with an answer to accelerate the various processes we are working through. However, the more clear the vacation, the more vigor I expect to bring back to work when I return. There is a long term value in vacation. My job is awesome!

I ran a bunch, 68 miles. I was tired from the 76 last week and in the process of building mileage, it just takes time to build to a nice (80+ mpw) level. I even did a 4xmile workout with only about 200 meters jogging between intervals. My times were 5:34, 5:26, 5:24, and 5:20, and I was satisfied. It is certainly no big workout, but it is the first intervals I have done since Chicago and they were not easy or totally aerobic, it was a really nice workout at the Petit. Seriously, I always have good workouts at the Petit.

Also, with the help of my dad I changed the oil in my 306,000 mile van. Why is this significant? I've only changed the oil a few times on vehicles. I can do it, I just get frustrated at work as an engineer that I do not do more hands on mechanical work. So I changed my oil.

Saturday I drove to Colorado! I am actually sitting in a hotel in Estes Park right now. I am visiting friends and trying to do some climbing. The plan is Monday to climb Dragon's Tail Couloir on Flattop Mountain. It should be pretty quick and I might even be done by lunch. But in the event there are no tweets or Facebook updates by 6 PM Mountain time someone please call Rocky Mountain National Park and tell them some newbie is lost in the mountains.