Rudolph bike ride

It seems really challenging right now to maintain my routine. The end of the year is coming, and I feel the tell-tale pressure to get everything wrapped up before 2007. I do this to myself every year. I realized yesterday that it's silly to kill myself at the end of each year. I'm not a procrastinater by nature, and I've learned by now that if it's on my list, it will get done accordingly. So I've decided to do what I can but to maintain my routine. Still challenging, nonetheless. The dirty apartment? It can wait until I get back (big sigh). The massive amount of genotyping I'm up to my eyeballs in at lab? I'll do what I can but it will be here waiting for me when I get back. I have to let go.

I'm going out of town at the end of the week, and I've planned my workouts accordingly. I'll do all my bikes for the week before leaving so I won't have to worry about that. Holiday parties and extra socialzing events as well as shopping and baking are actually uncharacteristically seeping into my life (begrudgingly). It's not that I don't like socializing or baking. It just breaks my routine. And I'm all about my routine.

Yesterday, after my late afternoon nap, I dragged my wrecked bod to the massage therapist's office. It was much-needed, although she tried to urge me to get in my pre-planned swim workout for the day. I refused. I was just simply too sore and trashed from the weekend. My body told me I needed a day off. I had to judge whether it was laziness or actual fatigue. My evaluation? Fatigue. I ate well and went to bed early.

The massage, food, and extra sleep did me good. This morning, I dragged myself out of bed and hopped on the bike. It was a good thing I didn't realize how cold it was outside (low 40s). Thinking the temps would be a good 10 degrees warmer, I left my ear muffs and thermals at home. Thankfully, I wore biking tights, a windbreaker, and gloves, which saved the day. I can run in the cold, no problem. But biking? That wind just cuts me to the core. It's brutal.

As I coasted down the hill and tried to warm up, I grimaced. It was painful. Once my face, fingertips, and toes went numb, I felt better. Eventually, the sun came out, and we reached a gentle hill, and I began to warm up. I've never been so happy to see an uphill climb before! We rode a 15 mile loop close to our apartment to keep things simple. There was hardly any traffic, and it was a very relaxing recovery ride. At the end, I said, "That wasn't so bad!" meaning the cold. Jason took one look at me and said, "Okay, Rudolph!" My nose was bright red. It makes me happy to say this because this would have been a tough workout a few short months ago, not an easy recovery ride. Things are changing. In addition, is it just my imagination or is it becoming easier to wake up in the morning? Oops. I shouldn't have said that.

Lab has been brutal today. Long day. I'm off to the pool. I will go. I will go. It may be cold, and the pool is outside, and the first 10 minutes will suck, but I will focus on the hot tub awaiting afterwards. Then, I have to make a pumpkin pie for tomorrow's lab party. I'm hoping to do weights while it bakes. Multitask, right?

I can't even think about how busy tomorrow will be. One step at a time. One step at a time, and it will all get done.