Cycling

So Rob is talking about how running is his mental saviour.

Now I know for sure that running is *not* my mental saviour. In fact a proposed entrance into the Great North Run has been cancelled not because I can't do it but because I realised I don't get anything out of it. When I run, maybe because of the way I run, I don't get any mental space. My mental space fills up. It just doesn't work for me.

My mental saviour is cycling. Now there's a thing. Getting to work and back on a ridiculous bike. It's marvellous because:
(1) it happens at the beginning and end of each day, neatly mirroring my "limber up for work" and "de-stress after work" patterns
(2) it happens in the background because it's not as strenuous as running for me
(3) it gives me a powerful "superiority" over traffic - I feel like I'm getting to work faster and better than everyone stuck in their cars
(4) it's way better than any form of public transport, period
(5) I can appreciate the weather, the fresh air, the sunsets, the beautiful sun on the river in the morning, the wind, even the rain

It's such a valuable thing that I don't know if I would ever be without my daily cycle to work.
It's what lets me do my (relatively) stressful job and still (hopefully) not be headed for an early death. Now there's a positive benefit.