Upon looking back in time if my future self were to ask my past self about my time in 2020/21, I’d say it was a lot of running - at least in the first half of 2020 and then I added the cycling. And also a lot of laundry - for some reason I seem to be laundering, drying and folding clothes everyday. I don’t recall why I’ve not done as much laundry pre lockdown era. The most of it is also yelling - mostly as the kids are running wild with no school and leaving a mess all over the place. Homeschooling and work do not mix. Come 2021 everyone thought t it would be anticipation of a new year with change and the vaccine but actually I think it’s worse because school is expecting parents to home school and submit homework as well. *vomits blood*
Life otherwise we and the whole world settled into the work from home routine which actually drives longer working hours and distracted back to back meetings and half listening mode. Suffered from small laptop screen syndrome until a visit to my cousins in Paris delivered a breakthrough in mobile portable screens. Thank you Emily!
The other benefits of wfh is also the liberty to have a fixed early morning exercise routine which has extended to 1.5-2h runs and weekly practices of not falling off the bike and eliminating embarrassment so that’s a big win.
I’ve run so much that sometimes I can tuck in a half marathon before starting work. Also I’ve managed to come to a phase where I have a great selection of routes and know the home area pretty well on foot like the back of my hand. I guess that’s where I can say that I know the ‘lie of the land’ ie. Where the dips and slopes are, where the inclines and declines are. Which is curious as driving around in a car you don’t pay much attention to these things.
What I’ve been really pleased about is actually being able to cycle on the road without hyperventilating every time a car drives up. Started because of Bonnie who came by one day in July 2020 for a ride and I’ve not stopped since so Thank you Bonnie! I’ve had every imaginable fall and the badges of honour on my knees to prove it but luckily I’ve not broken anything. Yes I do ride defensively and still have the dreaded feeling every morning but will still force myself to go out in the dark because the only way to learn how to ride a bike is to actually BE on a bike! Next goal is ride be able to ride clipless in 2021.
