Another Milestone!

I rode my bike to work this morning.

That seems so simple to say.

I haven't done that since February of 2008! It is 8 miles. It was NOT simple. I had to dig deep to keep going, feeling the burn in my legs and breathing through every uphill grade. Of course, the fast downhills were awesome and the variables in the course made it possible to keep going. The strategy of doing the ride TO work made it impossible to give up and go home or call for a ride. That is the beauty AND the scary part that kept my legs pumping no matter how slowly or how many times I shifted into a lower gear.

When the hospital was in view I didn't have the same rush I remember feeling the very first time I did that ride. Maybe it was because the June air was sticky and humid, but I was glad I had made it. I am determined to make it a regular part of my week.

It is just one more mile along the road to getting healthy. It feels really good to be going down the road. I can envision myself in a month from now jogging a half mile, walking a quarter, jogging 3 quarters, walking a quarter, and finishing with a half mile jog. I can envision myself riding the 8 miles in 35 minutes and breezing through it.

It's a healthy, strong, energetic, "athletic" me that keeps getting stronger and healthier.