Wake up. Dark. Push the cat off the pillow. Find smartphone. Check radar.
Oh man it’s raining again. Listen. Rain. Rain on the roof. Rain on the street. Rain. Rain for miles.
What day is it? Damn. Riding day. Nothing for it.
Find kit. Dress light. Not too many layers. Don’t want to get sodden. But cold. Find balance. Knicks. Base layer. Jersey. Knee warmers? Yes. Cold.
Gulp down coffee. Too cold, even indoors. Look out the window.
Rain. Still falling.
It’s only a commute. I could wimp out. Take the train? But it’s also a training day.
Damn.
Still too cold. Breakfast done. Ten minutes on the turbo will warm you up, boy. Get it done.
A warm rush of blood as the legs spin. Yes. Feels better. This will keep the cold out.
Ready to face it.
Which bike? Road bike. Fast, but twitchy. Wet roads. No fun. Mountain Bike? Comfortable, forgiving. Yes. Garmin on. Lights on. Out the door.
Quickly away. Rooster tails. Water seeps through layers. Cold on the skin. Face already soaked. Gritty. Wet. Pedal harder. Need to keep warm. Find a hill.
Drive the legs. Stand up. Soaking. More rain? Is that thunder?
A torrent.
Soaked through. Couldn’t get wetter. Legs turn. Grind pedals. Bends. Stay relaxed. Let the bike hold the corner. Kilometres tick by. Couldn’t get wetter. Screw it, change the route, go the long way, add some distance. Couldn’t get wetter. Keep going. Couldn’t. Get. Wetter.
How fast? Can’t see, too much rain. How far? Don’t care. Pedal. Pull up for the lights, feel the rain seeping in. Smile. GO!
Umbrellas shelter disbelieving faces. Windscreen wipers thrash. Keep smiling. Turn the cranks. Cooling off. Find another hill.
Dance in the pedals. Stay ahead of the traffic. Embrace the rain. Nearly done. Shame, that. Skip the last turning. Add another kilometre. Just for the hell of it. Smile now a broad grin. Late for work. Don’t care.
Finally relent. Time to finish. Head for the office. Into carpark. Legs steaming. Shoes squishing. No more rain.
No more rain.
I was enjoying that.
Oh well. There’s always the ride home…
