Give up your gym membership

Wanna get in really great shape? Today I got quite a workout and it didn't cost me anything! Here's what you do.

Change from work clothes to cycling outfit. When the big boss says, as he sees you wheeling your bike out, "I hope you don't get caught," ignore the gray sky and nod confidently.

Head home on your bike. Ignore the flash of lightning. It's really far away anyway. When the cyclist at the stoplight next to you says, "Oh, I feel rain," put your handy dandy new Pearl Izumi cycling jacket on as you smile and say, "Yep."

When you get to the bike path, notice that you're barely moving, even though it feels like you're biking as fast as you possibly can. Ignore the gusting wind and pelting rain and the fact that the jacket only covers your torso.

Briefly consider stopping someplace. Realize that your home is only a mile away, and there's really no other place to stop between here and there.

Ignore the flashes of lightning and peals of thunder getting closer. Push from your mind the fact that your laptop is in your non-waterproof pannier. There's nothing you can do about either.

Head back onto the street towards home. Shoot the evil eye at the backed up line of cars, especially that one car who is inching into the intersection. Wonder why they're all in such a hurry to get home, since they are not the ones getting drenched to the bone.

You're in the home stretch. Pour on the energy and get home in record time.

Make yourself a nice homemade pizza with fresh peppers, locally grown heirloom tomatoes , locally produced feta cheese, and some corn on the cob fresh from the South Wedge Farmers' Market.

Read Jack Bradigan Spula's post at RocBike.com and be reminded why you bike.

Stop blogging and go finish your research paper.