I have always loved libraries. But they have always been a destination I have chosen to visit, rather than needing to visit. Well, I am sitting in one of LA’s finest public libraries right now because I need to be here.
Our internet has been spotty at our house since Sunday night, but after a few blips of promise and a fantastic afternoon chat with a gentleman named, Mark, from Spectrum, it is clear that something is awry with our router and/or line, and it cannot be counted on to deliver the blog this week. Hence, the afternoon Jeep peel out and erratic drive down the road to the lovely word haven I am typing in now.
Honestly, it’s nice to be here.
Plus, I always appreciate a problem-solving fueled high-pressure situation and catching whatever wave I can on the information superhighway to deliver my weekly blog to you is a paddle out I will never pass up. However, I still have one, or maybe two more workouts to complete before the first day of Summer becomes the second day of Summer, so let’s transition into the hot points of the week.
Moments before attending a friend's wedding on Saturday night, a rare snazzy moment for both of us that needed to captured by my iPhone leaning against a jug of water on the hood of my Jeep. As you do.
First up, I downshifted my Seven Summits Of SoCal Challenge that I announced in January to a local bike camp that Hillary devised as riding three to four hours per day for seven days. I made that switch because I did so much riding on the famous climbs I would’ve ridden during the months training for St. George, that riding them again seemed anticlimactic, and even more importantly, driving to and from Malibu (and other starting points midweek from my house) would be a nightmare. Nevertheless, I have been enjoying pedaling all over my neck of the woods in the north valley of Los Angeles on my road bike, Big Red, and indoors on my trainer, and finally during day four (yesterday) I felt my cycling legs start to pop. Yay, fitness!
Concurrently, I am swimming and running, too.
Just after finishing a fairly gnarly treadmill workout last Thursday night.
In fact, I am running pretty well these days.
Still last Thursday, just a few steps closer to the camera.
And yet, on Sunday afternoon, I was supposed to run for an hour after my bike ride, and although it was hot, (in the 90’s), and I was hungry, (please see aforementioned “mini bike camp”) I just didn’t want to do it. My motivation was diminished by a handful of real-life factors that I almost listed here, but they’re trivial, really, because I was just done for the day.
My body was ready and wanted to relax.
An act of such rebellion would have horrified me years ago. I would’ve dragged myself through those Gumby-like miles feeling drained and defeated, but proud that I did it! No matter how awful I felt, I could never have lived with the shame of not completing a workout. But after so many years and miles logged in my legs, reaching and missing goals, I know the difference between awful and gritty; I am not happy that I quit that run, but now I can live with that decision.
First up on Monday morning, I went for a run. It wasn’t timed or measured by any metric except the count of breaths from lungs, and beats by my heart. It wasn’t fast, (or slow) but it felt good, and then I felt good enough to smile through my swim, and rally for my ride.
It would be nice to be typing a more valiant story from a long table in the middle of a public library, but I’d rather be honest than perfect, and share that when our bodies are trying to tell us something, to keep going, or to stop, please listen.
They’re more resilient than we think.
And when they’re ready to go again, they’ll want to go farther.
The song and video choice this week is a new tune from Tove Lo that I just can get enough of, No One Dies From Love. Enjoy.