christmas 2011

it is 4 pm on the dot, sunday, christmas 2011, i just returned from a ride. 

woke up this morning at about 5:26 am, back to sleep by 6 or so, up again at 8:30, groggy, tired, legs sore, for no real reason.  i think my body is fighting something, at least i'm not full blown sick.   went down to the coffee shop and had a bagle and cream cheese and a coffee, talked with friends for a few hours, then came back home.

i wanted to ride my bike, planned on it, but i didn't want to.  yesterday i was going to ride and i just slept all goddamn day, again, i think my body is fighting something.  so, yesterday i didn't ride as planned, and i'm sort of glad, it was a high of about 27 fucking degrees out yesterday.   at least today it reached a balmy 34 degrees, with a slight wind.

so i didn't want to ride today, but fuck that, i need to ride, i want to ride, and i claim to be a cyclist, so i put on my ibex knickers, my leg warmers, my jacket and gloves and cap, and i got on the bike and i rode.  i was tired, i was going to cut it short, but at about mile 9, when i was heading back home, the tailwind gave me a false sense of strength,  and instead of turning left to head home, i turned right and kept on riding.  i got to a point where i am quite familiar with, i knew i could just tag on some extra and it not be too big a deal, and so i kept on pedaling, along the roads i'm familiar with, yelling out greetings to the cows and horses and sheep and little jackass dogs who bark at me, as i always do, and it was good.  my legs were tired, but somehow, they wanted more, and i liked that, so i gave them more.  i did the occasional sprint, i pushed it hard up the little hills, i enjoyed the bike gliding over the road.   of course, heading back was against the wind, but that was ok with me, i am learning to accept the wind, and almost tolerate it.  

i managed to tack on an extra 10 km or so, and when i got home, yeah, i felt like i could have gone farther, but i was happy with today's ride.  i only rode a mere 40 km, and it took me an hour and forty one fucking minutes to do it, which is sort of pathetic, but there it is.  that is where i'm at. 

i hope i can get stronger, i don't seem to be able to, and i always seem to be tired.  whatever, i will keep at it and hope i see some form of progress.

even if i don't, at least i am out on my bike, and that feels good.  i look forward to my next ride.