Turning over an old leaf

At my age, I can't very well expect to say I am trying to turn over a new leaf, hence the title.  I am decidedly NOT a morning person.  My husband is.  I am, by nature, a night owl, and always have been.  Two of my children are night owls,

Mini-Me

though our son, takes after his daddy, not just in looks, but in sleep habits.  So why on earth, am I trying to force myself into arising well before the dawn?

Some of you may know that I am living with Hashimoto's disease.  Essentially, my thyroid is in the process of slowly being destroyed by my own immune system.  It's perfectly treatable, synthetic hormones are readily available and inexpensive, but if left untreated, can wreak havoc on your life.   It can cause depression, brain fog, lower your metabolism, lead to weight gain, etc.  I was tired of being tired all the time.

On meds, I feel much better.  This is a good thing.  I no longer want to sleep all day.  But I still have a hard time getting up in the morning, despite a reasonable amount of sleep the night before.  I also noticed that my cycling has not been improving.  I am still slower than I would like, and that the groups I ride with(behind? chase?) would prefer too.  It bugs me.  A lot.  To the point of often putting me in a dark self deprecating mood that can last all day.  I am unsure if this moodiness is thyroid related or something else, but it has become time to DO something about it.

Since I cannot change others, I guess I have to change ME.  So I've set the alarm for the ugly hour of 5:00am, and asked DH to make sure I am up by then if he goes riding before 5:00.  That way I have an hour to myself to use the Bowflex, to try to add some strength, especially in my legs.  The Bowflex is safe to use without a spotter, and though not as "good" as freeweights, it still will provide a challenge, and hopefully will permit me to improve some muscle tone, and shed some fat.

I am also pushing myself to ride more.  Like cycling great Eddy Merckx said  "Ride lots."  Or was it "Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades!"  I am trying to do both.  Or at least what passes for hills around here... This involves an hour or so around midday, concentrating on cadence and speed.  Plus doing the local bike shop Saturday coffee rides, so I am forced to ride with folks faster than me.  I am hoping it all helps.

Perhaps I will see you out on the road some time.  If you've got a bike buried in your garage, consider dusting it off, tuning it up, and going for a ride.  You might surprise yourself!