A year ago last week, I changed jobs. It's been a lot of work, but it definitely has been a good change. I actually have two part-time jobs that keep me busy at least full time. That's why I don't blog as much as I used to :) I'm finally writing about some observations that I've made in recent months - the many ways that cycling is like life and vice versa.
Breakfast
I started randonneuring in December 2013. Brevets and permanents usually start very early in the morning, which means I have to get up at o' dark thirty. I quickly learned that I could save a little time (i.e., sleep a few more minutes) by eating breakfast in the car as I drive to the start.
I've adapted this trick to my teaching job. I really like teaching erosion and sedimentation (E&S) control classes, but the days are long. I get up uber early, drive usually 90 minutes or more, arrive at least an hour before class starts to set up everything, teach an 8-hour class, administer an exam, and drive home. A 14-hour day is typical. When I first started teaching, Rita, who handles the administrative side of the classes (scheduling, receiving payments, etc.), told me that I wouldn't want to teach more than two or three days a week. She was right. Eating breakfast in the car, randonneuring style, streamlines my day a little bit. The only difference is that when I'm driving to a class, I wear an apron so that I don't mess up my work clothes.
Checklists
Both randonneuring and my classes involve a lot of "stuff." For a brevet or permanent, I have to pack my Garmin with the route uploaded, food, hydration, lights, reflective gear, weather appropriate cycling clothing, etc. I always make a list a few days before the ride. Even though I've done bunches of these rides, I make a list every time so that I don't forget anything.
My supply list for teaching includes my laptop with PowerPoint presentations, course books, field manuals, a bluetooth speaker, a projector, a big ol' screen (in case the meeting room doesn't have one), a turbidimeter, paperwork, my notary stamp... Quite a conglomeration, isn't it? That's why I have a checklist for this, too.
Rosters
Rita sends me the class roster the day before. It's usually around 4:00 or 5:00 in the afternoon - early enough to know how many books to pack for class, but not a lot of extra time. It's like getting the list of TT start times the night before a race.
Endurance
In addition to teaching E&S classes, I'm also the Executive Director of the Georgia Society of Professional Engineers (GSPE). Most of my GSPE days are 8 hours or less (it's supposed to be a part-time job), but I do get an occasional marathon day, like on MATHCOUNTS competition days. Whether it's a long teaching day or a long GSPE day, the endurance I've built up in cycling really has helped me at work. Keep pedaling...
Sleep (or Lack Thereof)
I inherited some pretty big kinks with my GSPE job. Things certainly are smoother than when I started a year ago, but I've lost a significant amount of sleep in the interim. I don't have any trouble going to sleep, but if I wake up in the middle of the night, often I have trouble falling back asleep. It's stress, pure and simple. I wish ultra cycling events were the only time I had to deal with limited sleep.
By the way, when I'm running on fumes, whether after a long day teaching or after riding a 400K, I have no compunction about finding a safe, quiet spot to pull over and take a nap in my car if I start getting sleepy on the drive home.
On Top of the Pedals
A couple of experiences I've had in just the past week compelled me to finally write this blog entry. I discovered yet another way that cycling and life remind me of each other.
This past Tuesday evening, Robert and I went to Tuesday Worlds as usual. Although I hung with the A group for only the first 11 miles, I rode well. I was putting out power and propelling my bicycle. I was the energizing force. This is in contrast to most days when I ride well enough, but I'm a more passive part of my human-bicycle system. It's not something you can really control, but those powerful days sure do feel good. Cyclists call it riding on top of the pedals.
Yesterday I went to Erosion Control Day, a day of continuing education classes. It reminded me that I really love my professional specialty. E&S control isn't a static body of knowledge; there are new, interesting, and innovative things to learn and implement all the time. The goal is to keep sediment out of our waters, both for human benefit and that of all the other creatures that rely on us to take care of this limited resource. Erosion Control Day was one of the best continuing education events I've ever attended. It got me even more excited about something that I'm already passionate about. There are plenty of days when I feel like I'm just slogging through, but yesterday I felt like I was on top of the pedals of life.
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