the blog at eric moon dot net

Based on the average commute for the family, our move to the center of town is a major improvement.  However, if I look at it selfishly and strictly based on commute distance, I lose.  I’ve gone from a short and easy 3 miles (and that’s stretching it) to either 9 miles (by car on the highway) or over 11 (by bike).

This new bike commute has required a few changes in my routine.   I used to just put on my “work clothes”, and bring a swap of shoes and my laptop in a backpack and ride to work, no problem.  11 miles is too long for me to ride in jeans or khakis comfortably and quickly, so I have a whole new routine.

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I found out today what my current bike-to-work limit is… 33°F an raining steadily.  If only it would have been a few degrees colder and snow = fun…. but soaking wet and near freezing = just a bit too much for me.  Not to worry too much – tomorrow will be mid-60s and sunny.

Winter in Austin can best be described as ‘unpredictable’.

Yesterday’s bike ride in to work at noon (after a dentist appointment) : 79°F and Sunny.

Last night’s ride home from work : 53°F and Windy.

This morning’s ride in : 31°F and SNOW!

Ok, the snow wasn’t on the ground or falling from the sky as I was biking in, but it was on the cars driving by, so I’m counting this as a day biked to work in the snow!  It’s probably the closest I’ll get the rest of this winter.

You’d think it would be miserable riding when it’s that cold, but for some reason, I couldn’t wipe the grin off of my face this morning – I really like cold, sunny mornings when I ride in.  Cold at night on the way home, I can do without, but in the morning, there’s something about it that makes me smile.

I’ve realized I haven’t taken an extended break from training in over 2 years.   It was around August of 2006 that I started Marathon/IM Lake Placid training and I have always been training for something (half iron, IM, marathon, etc) non-stop since then.  Sure, there have been an ‘easy’ week here and there, but nothing longer than seven or eight days.

It’s about time.   With Montgomery fading in the rear view mirror and a month and a half until IM CDA training starts ramping up, I’ve been cutting back.  I know intellectually that I’ll benefit long term, but it’s not easy to do.   Training becomes habit.  It’s a real emotional challenge to go from 20-hour, focused, planned training weeks to 5-6 hours a week of relaxed, spontaneous training.   I’m fighting the feeling that I’m slacking too much.

There are some great things to come from time off, no doubt.   For instance, ever since I’ve started biking to work, I’ve really begun to enjoy the ‘other’ side of cycling: riding for transportation and riding simply to enjoy the ride.  I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving the training and racing side of cycling, but without breaks, I get the ‘hamster on the wheel’ syndrome of going nowhere fast.

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Let's Ride to Work

I’ve been riding my bike into work for the past couple of weeks now. It’s been great.   It did rain on the first two days I rode in and I was worried that I picked the wrong time of year to start.  Definitely not the case – I’ve been spoiled since then with cool, sunny, low-humidity days.   It hasn’t all been roses, though, and in the spirit of taking the good with the bad, here are a few of the not-so-pleasant parts:

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