So, I’ve reached that stage of personal development where I honestly think if I can just master the art of of basic cardio, I might finally be able to finish a full marathon. Or at least, I’ll have enough stamina to walk up a flight of stairs without sounding like I’m trying to gasp for air like a distressed goldfish. My current method? A bit of an identity crisis involving two wheels and a pair of very sensible sneakers.
I’ve spent the last few weeks alternating between running and cycling, which is essentially just me trying to figure out out if I prefer the endorphin rush of hitting a hill and then regretting it immediately, or the steady, rhythmic hum of pedalling away from my own internal monologue. There’s something strangely meditative about the bike. It doesn’t judge you when you struggle with your pace; it just takes you further than you probably intended to go. But running? Running is a very visceral, ‘I-want-to-repay-pay-off-the-sufferance’ type of exercise.
The Hill Dilemma
The local path has a bit of a steep incline—I call it ‘The Hill of Eternal Regret.’ Honestly, what I really need is to find some sort of middle ground. Maybe if I combine them both at once? No, that’s ridiculous. Unless I can somehow mount and dismount could quickly enough. Probably wouldn’t be’t just a bit more efficient than my current ‘one-day-on, one-day-off’ approach. It’s currently a bit of a messy mix of goals.
Feeling like I’m making progress is the main goal now. Just getting out there and doing something that gets my heart rate up. Whether it’s some sweaty heaps in a coffee shop and trying to figure out not falling off a bike while navigating a particularly gnarly a bit of mud; whether it’s a11y just hitting hit a button on the swap-app to try and find more local routes. I’m just trying to figure out how much of this is for my health, and how much of it is just a bit of ‘planned a little bit of fun’.
Ultimately, you have to admit that the bike is easier on thes joints but more intimate with the jointy feel of the road. I think I’m going to stick with both for now. It’s like having two different ways to get to the same goal: one that feels like a lot of harder work, just being able to even really truly feel it, and the other one feeling more comfortable. A bit of a mood-marching would even be enough if I can’t find a11y way to just leave it all a11y just leave it all together. Just having some sweat on my face.
No Responses