Friday

What's this picture of? It's my bike speedometer from last summer, right after I rode my first 100 miler. I don't remember the exact date, but I do remember the ride fairly well. I rode most of it by myself and then connected with Tim the Elder, Tim the Strunker, and Iron Bill, for about 30 of the middle miles. They were a welcome break for riding alone.

Today is Friday, so I plan to get on my bike today for a little more than an hour. I will do my 3rd core workout for the week. I'm still right on my 26.2 days of discipline plan. I have only deviated twice, once on purpose and once on accident. Last Saturday after a 12 miler in pretty cold conditions, at breakfast I drank some coffee, and the other day, while talking with someone at lunch, I just grabbed the salt shaker without thinking and shook it a couple of times before I came to my senses. I immediately stopped, announced to everyone in the restaurant what I had done. I then began the process of self-flagellation. Please don't confuse this with another similar word.

Speaking of flagellation, and I didn't not wake thinking of this (remember which word we are talking about), a story comes to mind, a story from a few years ago. I was at a monastery where Benedictine monks live, receiving a nice tour of the place with a nice monk. He took us into a hall that had murals all over the wall and ceiling. One of the them depicted monks involved in self-flagellation, a practice associated with the past. So I ask the monk, "Do you still practice this?" He said, "Yes, in principle."

I could tell he was wanting the conversation to stop, but I pushed a little, "So what do you do?" He said, "Well, we don't beat ourselves anymore, but we do things that help us deny the power of the flesh." Not giving up, I said, "Like what?" He said, "We'll, let's say after supper, chocolate cake is being offered for dessert, we might deny ourselves that." I said, trying to keep from bursting out in laughter, "OK, thanks."

Beating yourself vs. not eating chocolate cake - sounds equal to me!