Didn't Feel Right

I must be going through a "feeling lousy" phase. It's funny the way you'll feel up one day and down the next with no particularly good explanation for either. Today was one of those days when I just didn't feel "right."

Yesterday started out kind of normally enough, but the stage had already been set for a break from routine. The forecast had been calling for a 70% chance of rain, and when I checked the radar before heading out I could see a line of storms approaching slowly from the west. They were all a good 100 miles away, so I was pretty sure we'd make it through the training ride with dry feet (we did), but the remainder of the day was not looking too good. I wouldn't have been too concerned, except that I had a meeting downtown at 11:00, and as best I could tell that was about when the rain would arrive. Rather than ride to the office and then take off an hour later in the rain for downtown, I decided to do my morning email chores at home where I would be closer to the meeting location. The whole time, though, I was dreading the thought of having to ride down to the LSU Health Sciences Center in a pouring rainstorm and then having to endure what promised to be a long meeting with wet feet, looking like something the cat had dragged in. I even considered skipping the meeting altogether, but I had a feeling it would be an important one that I really shouldn't miss. So I watched the radar carefully and then left a little bit early to be sure I made it there before the rain. The meeting, as I had expected, lasted until nearly 2:30 and had it's share of fireworks, and as I walked out of the conference room I anxiously looked for a window in order to check on the weather. Surprise! Although it had obviously rained a bit during the meeting, it was no longer raining, so I happily made the ride back uptown to the office, pleased that I had successfully eluded the rain three times in one day. Ahhh, but the rain gods were not finished with me yet. I was halfway home that evening when the rain started, but it was too little too late and for once I snubbed my nose at the rain gods.

So after feeling pretty good all day yesterday, I inexplicably fell asleep around 9 pm that night. It was a sign. When I awoke, the first thing I thought was "damn, my left knee feels sore." Sore knees are not normal for me -- ever. To make matters worse, I felt tired and achy, and there was a little voice in my head telling me to skip the long Thursday ride. Of course I ignored it.

Luckily, the ride this morning was smooth and steady and although something still felt vaguely wrong, I can't say I felt particularly bad. My knee continued to feel a little heavy, and my feet never quite warmed up despite the moderate temperature, but by the end I was glad I'd ridden. So who knows? Maybe I'm fighting off a little bug or something. It's been said that life is like a box of chocolates. Sometimes if feels a lot more like a roller coaster ride -- immediately after eating a box of chocolates -- all with squishy centers.