What the offseason means to me...

Do you want to know what the off-season really means to me?  Sure, it's time away from structured training, a break from the I have to go to the pool at 6am or I have to ride three hours outdoors even though it's raining or I have to run how long at what pace?!  It's also getting up on a Sunday morning and drinking a pumpkin latte that Mr. Sweetie makes for me (because I have no idea how to work the espresso machine) while reading the NY Times Sunday Styles section and eating pancakes because I want to, not because I'm carbo loading for a race.  Yes, it's sleeping in, staying up late, and doing fun things that I don't make time for during the rest of the year.  It's a chance to try out a new sport (cyclocross!!!) or have chocolate for dessert after breakfast.

But do you know what the off-season is really about?

It's about having time in the morning to straighten my hair and put on makeup.

I'm being completely serious.  Shallow and vain, yes, but also completely serious.  90% of the time my hair is back in a ponytail with some type of Goody Stay Put headband keeping it in place.  Epitome of classy, no?  Very little effort goes into the task of daily grooming - if I've showered and I'm wearing deodorant and I have something that resembles work clothes on, I call that a win.  But now that I suddenly have oodles of free time, I've broken out the blow dryer and I'm trying to figure out this whole makeup thing (if I show up at work looking like Dracula's wife, apologies in advance, I'm clueless with anything beyond foundation and mascara).

Mr. Sweetie has been appreciative of this previously unknown side of me.  I told him not to get too used to it - once the pool and/or double-workouts are back in the rotation, the hair dryer and makeup are retiring until the 2013 offseason.  Enjoy it while you can, dear husband.