About three kilometers into my morning commute, I completely regret buying the bike. What was I thinking? First of all, I’m so out of shape, it’s embarrassing. I’m huffing and puffing my way up and down the street, and I’m sweating buckets of water. Not even the hundreds of stairs could prepare me for this! My heart is pounding, mostly in terror as I snake in and out of pedestrians or other bikers. I’m not sure I was cut out for a strenuous commute every day.
I arrive at the bike parking lot near work and dismount, my legs shaking and weary. How am I going to make it back home tonight? I will probably be a wreck by quitting time, and then I’ll have to turn around and head back. I lock up my bike and head into the gym, passing people lifting weights and running on treadmills. I suddenly have the urge to sit down and lift weights. I bet if I built muscle back up again, everything about getting into shape would be easier. When I lifted weights in college, I was in the best shape of my life.