I like a lot of things. I love hanging out with my family, watching movies, goofing around. I love reading, always loved reading and I have really early memories of reading marathons and covering thousands of pages over a weekend. I love hearing and watching my kids’ talk, sing, argue, think and grow. I like cooking and baking, not every day but most of the time. I love packing up the car, going on road trips to new places and trying new foods and watching the sun go down. I love brie cheese and I can’t stop eating until it’s gone. I actually love teaching too, and I miss regular every day teaching in my own language and spending years with kids and seeing them grow and move forward. I am in love with a flowered patterned couch and I know that it is crazy but one day I will spend 20 000 dollars and buy it and ship it over here. I love the smell of fall in the forest, sitting on a rock and drinking coffee from an old thermos listening to nothing and watching the grass grow. And I love working out, anything from a class at the gym to a trail run or a hike. I like to ski, bike and sometimes even play golf. I would love get a pair of roller skis, I think it looks super fun.

A couple of weeks ago I had a chat with a trainer at the club and got an interesting question that actually made me completely quiet. He looked at me and asked why I kept pushing myself, obviously not feeling very comfy with my arm in a cast and not just cutting back on calories. I got so surprised that I just looked at him and wanted to ask how on earth he could do what he is doing if he thought everything was about calories. So I just said, yeah right and walked away. The same week another trainer hinted in a very fun and relaxed tone that I had tendencies to do unnecessary training. Not the first time I’ve heard that from him. I wish I would have asked him exactly what he meant. So is it about calories? Is that why the gym is filled up with sweaty and some not so sweaty people every day? What about life people? I actually wanted to say that I am training for the coolest thing ever and every step and stroke feels important, but after breathing deep I realized that we all see life in different ways and we are all moving but not always in the same direction.

I must admit that I got a bit annoyed by the comments. Is that how people see me? That I am at the gym taking an unnecessary class? (My gym time is actually less than it’s been in years but my trail time seems to grow.) Then what about a hike? Do people hike to burn calories or to feel stronger, get your heart pumping and enjoy the time outdoors. And what about the view? Or the company? I like eating and I enjoy a nice glass of red or two and I couldn’t care less about the calories. I am strong, I can run for a long time and I think I could walk for days if I had to. And I can’t wait to do more, run longer, hike another mountain, get stronger and keep moving. To burn calories? No, just to keep living and exploring.

And since I am stuck on the indoor bike for a couple of weeks I’ve been exploring my cycling playlists and planned on giving you the best song I could find. But there are too many good songs. Seize the day, Cobrastyle, Greyhound, Oh Yeah, I feel your pain, One way or another… can’t choose. Well, Highwayman it is…

And this song must be the worst nightmare in a cyclingclass…