training for Jingle Cross Rock

So, after a couple years of moaning about never making it to a 'cross race, I've decided that this will be The Year and I will finally actually enter one. So I'm trying to train up for Jingle Cross Rock in Iowa City, November 24th and 25th. And, unlike the Sugar Bottom Scramble a few years ago, I will not tinker with my bike the week before the race and I will NOT have a mechanical a half mile into the race and have to pull off to fix it as half the field passes me!

Speaking of the mountain bike, it's getting a little creaky. The latest thing is the brakes, which have gotten a little sticky on their pivots. A little grease should fix it (I hope!), if I ever actually get around to doing it, assuming the springs and everything else are still fine... and, they should be, really, but the bikes getting old enough that I'm not really counting on that anymore. I'm considering an upgrade program for it, and wondering if I should instead just buy a whole new bike... but, then, that would be easier to justify if I were riding and racing more, and, after all, there's always other things to spend money on, too...

Speaking of. My car just stopped starting, and this time we're not so sure it's just the battery. Might be the starter, might be a solenoid... and, thus, I'm starting to take the idea of replacing it a little more seriously, which is, of course, another massive capital layout. Argh.


But oh well. Life goes on and all that. If I pay off some credit cards and be more focused at work than it shouldn't be too hard to meet all these expenses. I mean, it's a stretch and all, but it's not out-of-reach impossible.

Which is a nice change of affairs.