Day Off and Time is Standing Still

Bike Time: 45 minutes 

Distance: 8.14 miles

I would love a day off from needing to exercise. I take that back--I would like a day of from riding the stationary bike. I don't mind exercising every day, but even pro-athletes get a day off to rest. Or, I would like to do another type of exercise--walk, yoga, bike outside.

Today I was at the University athletic center, riding the stationary bike in my corner office. It was hot, and I was tired and sweaty. I am increasing the resistance, so it is getting a little harder. I wanted to stop, go home, and eat lunch. Actually, I wanted a Beacon Hill sandwich from Bagel Oasis to eat with my unsalted potato chips. If I was going to eat unsalted chips, I wanted an awesome sandwich to go with it.

I digress. I was biking and hot and tired and wanted to stop. I needed to get my forty-five minutes in, and already did ten minutes in the morning after breakfast. If I were biking on a real bike, I could do one of three things:

1. Coast: You can't coast on a stationary bike. It beeps, telling everyone on the floor you are a slacker and need to keep moving. 
2. Stop for a water break: I could stop, but so would the clock.
3. Kick up the gears and ride faster, thereby getting home faster: I should call Einstein and tell him time doesn't speed up or down on a stationary bike, but he already knew that.

Instinctively, I did three. I increased the resistance and started pedaling faster. This, however, did not take time off the clock like it would on a road bike. It took me a while to realize what I was doing. Since the injury, I was okay clocking time on the bike, since that was the only exercise I was getting. Now that I am getting into better shape, I am thinking like my old self on a road bike. If ride ten miles on a bike, it doesn't matter how long it takes me. If I ride faster and get done sooner, that's even better. On the stationary bike, time does not have the flexibility of the road.