Perceptions
I left the office late, hungry and tired. Once I got on the road, I faced a headwind and was dodging the puddles and debris washed into the roadway. Yesterday was a nice tailwind and I made good time. Today I thought I'd just take it easy and enjoy the moist air.
Sometimes you just need to let the bike ride be a bike ride. I found myself in an easy spin going up the hills and a lazy low cadence coming down. I was using all my gears and I didn't feel my usual urge to push the pace.
On the last few hills, I ran into a fellow commuter and matched up with his slower pace. I had all sorts of good reasons for taking my time that day.
When I got home, I logged my time and got a surprise. I was all of 12 seconds slower than yesterday. Reality whacks me again. Perceptions fall apart.
However inaccurate or fragile my perceptions, I guess I can afford myself 12 seconds every now and then. After all, having enough time -- or not enough time -- is just a perception.
Commute Summary
Round Trip Distance: 12.2
Number of Cyclists seen: 16
In-bound Route: Piedmont Park
Out-bound Route: Emory via Clifton
Weather: We got a nice downpour mid-afternoon, the first in weeks.
posted by Jett @ 9:34 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Haha, sometimes your mind will play tricks on you like that. On the other hand, sometimes I want to take it easy and sometimes I want to ride harder. It's usually not because I'm running late, sometimes I just feel like riding fast. Your post is a good reminder that riding faster doesn't really pay off most of the time if the goal is to get somewhere faster.
Looks like I'll get my nice tailwind this evening. Headwinds were ~18 mph with gusts to 25 on the way in this morning. Sustained winds are supposed to be 30+ mph with gusts to 45 for my ride home. (Almost didn't ride today).
So, how many Peachtree streets do you pass on your way to work?
Apertome, today I felt like pushing it, rode hard and finished the route 14 seconds faster. I may have to chart this perception vs. actual because I thought I was moving.
Warren, two Peachtrees. THE Peachtree Street, Midtown's backbone and then the office building is on West Peachtree. Did you used to live in Atlanta?
Sustained winds of >30 MPH. Hmm. that would probably cut more than 14 seconds off my commute -- IF I could stay on the road!
Heheh, when I was in high school, we took a trip to Atlanta, and our bus driver got lost because of all the Peachtree and other Peach-something streets. So I know where Warren was coming from with that question.
I've been down several times working with the Cox radio stations (primarily) and a couple other radio stations down there. I always wanted a picture of the street sign for Peachtree and Peachtree. I was amazed that the guy that did the traffic reports for WSB-AM could keep track of all the Peachtrees.
Atlanta is a great town!
Winds were even worse for the ride in this morning. Sustained headwinds were 29 MPH with gusts to 41 MPH. Had to dodge a TON of debris....
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