I think I do a pretty good job of staying happy.  Of course I get down some, but not that much.  I do this by constantly reminding myself that I have it better than 90% of the planet’s population at the start.   Sure there are nicer places to be born, but in general, we all won the lottery being born in a 1st world country.  We have options, that we consider rights, that most of the rest of the humans on the planet can only dream of.

Anyway, I hate being sick.  Honestly, I don’t get sick as often as I used to.  I’m not sure why that is.  I used be sick every spring, bar none, and then usually again once again during the season.  When I get sick, I don’t get well quickly.  I think that might be because I don’t have a spleen, but that is just a guess.  Whatever the reason,  it is hard to stay upbeat once I know I’m in for a long run.  Athletes, in general, are horrible patients.

It is easy to reminisce about how much time and effort I’ve already put in, all for not.  I rode close to 800 miles the previous two weeks and now I am struggling to do a 30 mile ride.   It seems like I’m at square one.

But in reality, you never go back to square one.  I know that.  But when I’m sick, the doom’s day thoughts come to the forefront of my mind.

This morning, for some odd reason, I got a Facebook notice on my phone.  I clicked on it and it showed a picture of me 3 years ago and there I was, sitting in a hospital in Vail, looking all disoriented after rotator cuff surgery.  That might have been the worse 6 weeks of my life.

All of a sudden, I am cheered up, thinking how stupid I’ve been dwelling over a chest cold when I could be where I was three years ago.  Weird how that is.  Happy being sick when you acknowledge the other situations that could be much worse.

Anyway, it is only going to be in the 20’s today.  I feel badly for some of the weekend riders because the winter weather in Kansas has been super this year, but only during the week.  The weekends seem to be the worst days of the year.

But, it is only going to be warmer. Next week looks amazing, minus the wind.  It’s funny, even just a few warm days to look forward to can cheer me up. 

We have a group ride going at noon.  Just for a couple hours. The KU vs. OU rematch is at 1:30, so we’re going to probably miss the start.  I haven’t had the luxury to be able to just go out and do the miles sitting on this past week.  I hope enough guys show up so I have that option.

Facebook memory from 3 years ago.

Weather for the next week.

Tucker photo. He is pretty much getting along with all the cats. I think that is because he’s about the same size as some of them.