Sunday mornings

Sunday morning juggling starts on Saturday. The Spousal Unit gets home at about 7pm on Saturdays now (thanks so much for the new roster, J’s work!) so he’s tired at the end of his week and I’m tired from a very long day with Noddie. So after we have wrestled her into bed we like to sit down and have a bit of "adult time", including a bit of a treat meal, and almost inevitably a sherbet or several. If I plan a long run on Sundays I have to really hold back.
Noddie usually wakes up early on Sunday mornings and the Spousal Unit could do with a sleep-in, until 7.30am at least, so I can’t get out really early unless I manage to coax her back to sleep (unlikely). Then I must take into account the training I’ve done recently, my schedule – work, study and sport – for the coming week, and upcoming events, to decide what’s the optimal use of my available time. Mix in a few other priorities like family time, study load and then sprinkle with social commitments (thankfully, few) and “well-I-wouldn’t-mind-doings” - oh, and the weather…….I should be in Cirque d’Soleil. I have to say that I don't mind doing this. It's just complicated.
Minerva and I had a splendid ride this morning. My medium-term goal is to ride to Whittlesea (a small town about 26km away) and back, so today I headed out that way and turned around when I decided it was far enough, about 18km I think. It was nice to get waves and nods from the many other cyclists out on the road.
When I started the return journey I realised why it had been so smooth on the way out – the wind smacked me right in the face! Then something funny happened. With a click almost as audible as a gear change, my mind went into 'calm mode'. I was out there, I had to get home and I was going to. I could struggle and rail against it, or I could enjoy it. I used to have to deliberately take myself through that thought process, almost talk myself down from energy-sapping agitation, but today and last week in the swim it was an automatic process. I don’t know if this has occurred through practice, or confidence in my own abilites – but it’s worked! Such a handy skill!
BTW, as is my habit, I wanted to improve my cycling so went and bought a book about it. One single suggestion has made the purchase worthwhile. If you flatten out your back, i.e. try and push your spine toward the crossbar, your chest opens up and your shoulders relax so you can breathe better! Wow! Who knew?

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