Viva Italia!

The best time to book a vacation is right after finishing another vacation. That's exactly what I did today. For the past several weeks we've been contemplating a trip to Italy in July. At first I worried my race would prevent me from going, but when we looked at the dates, it fell during the first week of my taper. There is a slight risk I'll still be jet lagged on race day, but it's a risk I'm willing to take. I'll be spending nearly nine days in Italy and my road bike will be making the journey with me. All I have to do is show up, relax, ride a little and relax some more. It sounds like a great taper to me!

Yesterday was the final day in Lake Placid. We had planned to ride a loop of the IMLP course, check out of the hotel and then take a scenic flight over the high peaks. But when we stepped outside in the morning there was a heavy haze and the smell of campfire in the air. It turned out there was a massive forest fire in Quebec that was blanketing a huge area with smoke. We ended up doing the ride, but the lack of visibility killed our flight plans.

The ride was incredible, by far one of my best on the Lake Placid course yet. The smoke led to some watery eyes and a craving for smores, but was otherwise tolerable. We stopped and took a few photos and enjoyed our final moments in the Adirondacks.

Today was rest but tomorrow begins with a 4:45am wake up so I can do my long run before work. I haven't tackled a Wednesday long run yet so tomorrow will be the test. Hopefully the logistics will work out and I won't be falling asleep by 3pm at my desk!