Run what ya brung!

Though the title of this post often refers to mountain biking, I think it's got a bigger meaning and has been something I've thought about often these days.  As winter is looming, and surely going to be much worse than last year's "snowless" one, I'm thinking of more and more ways to be creative with my exercise so I don't get the dreaded seasonal depression that has afflicted me so often in the past.

As you know (or may not), I love to ride my bike.  I'll take a day on the mountain bike over just about anything else (exercise related anyway).  Being in the woods and on singletrack is one of my greatest pleasures in life.  I love my fiance, and I love my family, but being able to shred is a thing that is nearly sacred.  It clears my head and can put me in a good mood for days afterward.  These days I'm not riding as much as I want to, but when I do it's pure bliss.

Anyway, as I stated before, I'm trying to broaden my "winter athletics" horizons.  I like snowboarding quite a bit and have been exploring that avenue.  It's got all the same adrenaline rush as downhill mountain biking, and combines skills from skateboarding and surfing (some of which I have from skateboarding) that I feel can be fun and enjoyable to me.  I like building skills, both on the bike and otherwise, so the snowboarding might provide enough stimulus to get me over the hump.

Another thing I want to dedicate myself to is hitting the kettle bells...HARD.  I started lifting again this summer and since have felt so much better both on the bike and off.  It's fun to be strong and it's something that I never again want to let lapse.

The point I want to make is that you have to make due with what's presented to you.  In the past, I've let myself get down and allowed other things in life that are out of my control to dictate the way I've felt.  I've realized over the last few years that this is quite possibly the worst thing you can do.  If you can't control your body and your own emotions, what can you expect to get out of life?  If you let yourself get frustrated with things that are and never will be in your control, you will be lost.  No matter what life gives you, make the best out of it that you can.  Run what you brung!