Out of Shape (But Not Really)

Yesterday, I did something I haven't done in a while. A couple of friends and I did a forty-mile bicycle ride from Van Nuys, through Burbank, to Cypress Park and back, and to be honest, it was a little brutal. Perhaps it was the heat of the day or my personally not having done hills in a while (not that the hills were particularly grueling), but I just found it strange that for all the running and walking and muscle training I've been doing this year, the ride in itself was a little... tiring.

And it should have been, right? Maybe?

See, I'm not too sure it should have been. Granted I know that exerting oneself in one fashion is completely different than exerting oneself in another. Whether swimming, cycling, running, jogging, doing yoga, pilates, tae kwon do, jiu jitsu, picking up a twenty-five pound package or a small child - simply being athletic does not a Jack or Jill of all athletic trades make.

Maybe I just need a little more training on the bicycle, so to speak. We've done longer rides, in more brutal headwinds, on heavier bicycles - granted, in cooler weather - and for some reason it felt more effortless. But really, in the end, my debating it with myself does nothing other than spin my brain in circles. It was a good ride, we covered a long distance, and there will be more rides to come in the very near future. In the meantime, whether I cover a long distance or not shouldn't be the issue... it's being on the bicycle that 'should be', period - but only because it's important to me.

I guess what I'm getting at is that it's not really worth worrying about something if you're out there actually doing it and really pushing towards, and that one's level of activity really should be aimed towards their individual goals, whether funneled through a hobby (such as cycling or working out) or otherwise.

I love bicycling. It goes without saying that such 'training' in a recreational sense serves to help any aspect of life outside of the recreational realm (as far as making strides in commuting and/or running errands around town). Bring it on, I suppose.

No more whining. I am fabulous. And, frankly, if you're out there working it, so are you.

P.S. The extended LA River Path is most definitely something awesome. Much thanks to the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.