I’m feeling like it’s winter
I’m not sure why, but for some reason, this entire week has felt to me like winter. It’s not so much that the temperature has been cold, although I did have to pull out the big dog boots and black jacket for the ride to work today.
No, more than the temperature, winter is more of a feeling to me. My cycling this week has been basic transportation. No more. No dawdling along. No side trips. No long rides.
Maybe it’s the fact that we’ve finished our last cycling goal for the year. When you think about it, we spent much of the summer building mileage and endurance in preparation for the LiveStrong Challenge. That’s now in the record books with nothing new on the horizen yet.
Perhaps it’s because it’s the time of the year where we normally put the tandem away for the winter. There is no doubt that Pam is a fair weather cyclist, and I don’t blame her. We laughingly banter about her threshold of comfort being 60 degrees, so our opportunities to get the big bike on the road really do become pretty limited for a while.
Maybe it’s because I have had to pull out some warmer clothing this week. I can tell that my pile of “dirties” in the laundry room is growing in both height and girth.
For sure, it’s because the days are really getting shorter. Morning commutes are ridden in darkness and we’ve had gray, dreary skies part of the week. By the time I get home, showered, and we get supper out of the way, it’s dark. I know it won’t be long before my trips home will also be in the dark.
I think it’s also because we’ve changed up our workout schedule so we can start working in longer runs on Saturday mornings. I’m thinking of running a half-marathon before spring, so now is the time to start focusing on that.
Yeah, winter is on it’s way and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. Change and downtimes are good for you. It’s a time to shift priorities and refocus on other things besides cycling for a while. I’m sure when springtime rolls around again, the bikes will shift back to the forefront and begin to take priority over everything else again. Just like they do every year….
God bless…
TW
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October 28, 2011 at 8:26 pm
Those are really HOT looking boots!
October 28, 2011 at 8:30 pm
I know exactly how it goes. It seems that I just get into a routine during the summer when winter rears it’s ugly head and throws a kink in the works. I admire your optimism about this coming season, thanks and happy trails.
October 29, 2011 at 6:41 am
I know what you mean about a “feeling”. I have it too, and I don’t like it.
October 30, 2011 at 10:19 am
Like you, once all the goals are met, I am looking forward to the ‘downshifting’.
October 30, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Don’t have many goals, but chief one is to commute as often as possible to work. Sadly winter means a couple of weeks where my bike will be idle. I hate that.