Or why 6x18?
That's a very good question. Maybe I should back up and explain a bit. Back in the early to mid 90's (19, not 18 ;) ) I got bit by the cycling bug. Hard. I rode everywhere, for everything. I commuted, I rode with local clubs, I even did a few bicycle tours along the California and Oregon coasts (highly recommended thing to do, I might add). Around the beginning 2000, I drifted away from bikes and cycling for a number of personal reasons.
Days turned to months turned to years. I became more sedentary. The weight slowly started building where once I had well defined muscles. My bikes sat, unridden in the garage. About three years ago, I tried to get back into my cycling groove, but I was really forcing myself. Forcing oneself to exercise is seldom something that lasts. I tried to encourage myself to ride by updating my bikes. It helped a bit, but in the end I was doomed at that attempt. Oh, I rode, just not really for the joy of riding. I was riding out of a sense of obligation. I did loose a bit of weight, but not a whole lot, and of course it came back on once I got off the bike again.
Fast forward to the beginning of this year. My wife fell ill. From January until May, she was hospitalized three different times for differering reasons. I started to ride to visit her in the hospital. It gave me purpose in the morning. A sense of peace, being at one with myself. I was riding for me, even though I didn't realize it at the time. That was my time. No calls to make. No doctors to speak to. Just me.
My wife came home shortly before bike to work day after her last round in the hospital. I stayed with her as she got settled in, and felt more comfortable being home again. On bike to work day, I took my bike out for a ride and hit a few energizer stations in the process. A week later, I realized I hadn't had a day off the bike since then, so I decided to take a day off, so not to overdo it.
What started out with a reluctant "I'm not sure how long or how far I'll ride" attitude, over time became a routine, and eventually, a personal commitment. 6x18 refers to riding 6 days a week, at least 18 miles each ride (the 18 is the mileage on my normal route that I was doing at the time).
Since the end of May, I've ridden over 2,500 miles this year. I've lost over 40 lbs to date, and am at a point where I'm comfortable with where I am weight wise and am leveling out at 170 lbs. currently. I've also joined a local bike club, the
Cherry City Cyclists (a great group of cyclists) to keep me spinning down (and up) different roads on their club rides. I feel ten years younger, maybe more. I know my blood pressure and heart rate are way down.
So lifes good. Thanks for reading, and welcome to my humble blog, 6x18. Now you know what the name's about.
