Legs of Lead and a head to match

ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my.

I woke up this morning and ok..... I am awake, I'm up, I'm going through the
motions. I'm rolling down the road at 5.20am. But I am not having fun. I meet up
with my friend after climbing a short sharp hill to get there and going lactic
in the first 2kms of the ride. We head off and it is sooo dark I can't see a
thing in front of me. Yup my light isn't working. My friend's is but I can't see
round her. No offense but she is a big girl. Anyways the road is covered in
little rocks. Scarey stuff. Now I wish for cars to go by so they can light the
road for just a moment so I can see the road ahead. My legs are tired. YOu know
that tired where it feels like you're packing 5 kilo weights strapped round your
ankles. My shins/calves are tight and my head isn't happy. It is so dark we
abort our planned route and take one that will lead us on further down the
highway and towards a big long hill. The flat is a relief and the ride has only
just begun. "Come on Sammi, find the mojo." No go. We find the base of the hill
and begin the grind and I wait for the body to respond. But nothing happens. I
can't turn back, its a dual carriage highway...it's onward and upward. "Common
TRiathlete, get your a$$ up the hill!" I find a high gear and spin my legs and
crawl slowly up the hill. Finally at the top some relief as we have a slight
down hill and a turn to the left. A short rollercoaster dip and then relief as
we find a long steep downhill run. I get into the aero position and feel the
wind whistling past my ears, my legs sigh relief. I glance at the horizon and
across the sea the sun is struggling just like me. There is a band of cloudy
mist hugging the horizon. The sun and I have something in common this
morning....a foggy start. At the bottom of the hill the road winds round a lazy
river where we swim. This morning the mud is showing through as the tide has run
out. The river and I have something in common, this morning......we are both
empty. Over a bridge and out into the country side and the bumpy original route
we had planned now has a grey outline where we can distinguish the bumps and pot
holes. Farmers share this road and drive the cows to the dairy and so the
council has never bothered to resurface this road. The cows and I have something
in common this morning.....we are challenged by the pitfalls of a bumpy road. I
search my head for strategies to rise myself above my present challenge. I have
nothing. I call to my friend that we will ride to the 'Turn around point" and
head for home. My body wants to turn around now...my bed is calling me holding
me to ransom...."See you should have stayed with me, I'm comfortable and snuggly
and I am the happy place" I reach the turn around point and not even the fact
that I am heading for home gives my body relief. I remember how big a weekend I
had and I decide to give myself a break. Let the legs do the speed they want.
Stop pushing them cause I am not going to win and they will carry me home
eventually. So at the turn around point I turn my head around and accept that
today is going to be a day of "let it go Sammi, let it go." As predicted my legs
finally carried me home. If nothing else I can trust them to do that for me.
They will always carry me home. Remember that Sammi. No matter how tired they
are, This too shall pass and they will carry me home. I carried my bike through
the house and nestled it into it's bed and then I stripped down and fell into my
own bed. I set the alarm and an hour later started my day again.