Dear So and So

[Crankin]

Dear Friends Who Don't Ride (or x country ski, hike, snow shoe),
Please don't roll your eyes at me when I tell you I went for a 4 mile hike, after you ask me what I did today.

Thank you,
Crankin

[Catrin]

Dear Friends Who Don't Ride (or x country ski, hike, snow shoe),
Please don't roll your eyes at me when I tell you I went for a 4 mile hike, after you ask me what I did today.

Thank you,
Crankin

Tell me about it, I've noticed my sedentary friends and co-workers have stopped asking me what I do on my days off... My supervisor is now extolling the pleasures of being a couch-potato. He thinks after two injuries that I need to give the bike up. Yeah, right, like THAT is going to happen

[alexis_the_tiny]

Tell me about it, I've noticed my sedentary friends and co-workers have stopped asking me what I do on my days off... My supervisor is now extolling the pleasures of being a couch-potato. He thinks after two injuries that I need to give the bike up. Yeah, right, like THAT is going to happen

My co-workers are the exact opposite. Every time we return to work after a weekend or long holiday, they want to hear how many miles I've run, or where I've been riding to. Although I still can't convince them ever to go for a run with me...

[Anelia]

My colleagues also ask where I went or what I did after the weekends. Also they want to see pictures but after the third picture, they seem bored by watching people with helmets or green mountains. But I don't blame them, it's not their cup of tea. Still they are really supportive and they are very proud of me when they see me come to work by bike in rain or snow or the temperatures are low.

[Owlie]

My friends are mostly supportive, as is my advisor (he used to be a runner, so I guess he gets it). My family, on the other hand, is ridiculous. My parents aren't inactive, but they don't do much other than walk. They ask politely and that's the end of it. My sister, on the other hand, makes derisive comments about my needing a grown-up hobby.

[Anelia]

Oh, my parents are not supportive at all. I used to ride to the place they live (25 miles) while my husband and son go by car and they found it ridiculous. How can somebody use a bike when they have a car. Finally my father forbid these visits and he said he was not going to let me in his house if I came by bike one more time. I don't want to confront them so I ride BEFORE I get in the car for the visit. They ask me all the time when I am going to give up. I got used to it and I try not to pay attention. My husband on the other hand is supportive as long as he comes to races with me, drives me aroud and he rides, too. But sometimes he gets grouchy when I spend time on the bikie and I didn't clean the dust or vacuum. Also he was really angry when I called him to go and pick me up because I was badly injured and I couldn't take the train back home. It was about 4 hours drive in one direction and he was mad on the phone but when he saw me, I guess he felt a little sorry for me. Still, he didn't miss the chance to make remarks like "You are overdoing things" or "You are not being careful".
So, sometimes it's difficult to handle the things
Well, I went offtopic....I can write something like:

Dear drivers or pedestrians,
Stop making signs by your hands "Are you nuts" when you see me on my bike riding in the snow. If I stop riding in winter, it is a difficult start of season and it's difficult to make up for the lost weeks.

[lph]

Finally my father forbid these visits and he said he was not going to let me in his house if I came by bike one more time.

How can he tell the difference anyway? Stupid question, I guess you need a shower or at least a change of clothes, but I can feel my inner rebellious teenage daughter rising up at this one. I'd be standing at the door in full bike gear daring him to not let me in.

Ok, less confrontational: you could always meet your husband and son right around the corner, change in the car, toss the bike in the car, and turn up at the house "driving"

But honestly - how can he possibly think he has this kind of authority over you, to dictate how you should travel?

[bmccasland]

Dear Friends Who Don't Ride (or x country ski, hike, snow shoe),
Please don't roll your eyes at me when I tell you I went for a 4 mile hike, after you ask me what I did today.

Thank you,
Crankin

So the more appropriate response would be....

Where'd you go, did you see anything interesting, is this a route you've done before or a new route?

[Crankin]

Yes.
The person who did the eye rolling is one who usually responds with those kinds of questions. She seems genuinely interested. So, that was why I was a bit surprised to see that body language.
She's probably just feeling bad about herself, as it's the time of year for resolutions. She later made a comment she's going to be on a diet of grapes and some other weird thing starting this week. But I know she told our mutual friend (who also rides) that she's just given up on her weight issues.

[jobob]

Yes.
The person who did the eye rolling is one who usually responds with those kinds of questions. She seems genuinely interested. So, that was why I was a bit surprised to see that body language.
She's probably just feeling bad about herself, as it's the time of year for resolutions.

Could well be - she might have been rolling her eyes at herself, as in "geeze, why can't I be doing that?"

Just a thought.

[Crankin]

It was really out of character for her, which is why I wrote this.
But, I sometimes wonder how long my friendships with inactive people are going to last. I don't want my world to become so small that I only see one type of person, but it is becoming harder. And I don't even do the amount of training that some of you do, but it still seems over the top to "regular" people.
Maybe I am getting less tolerant in my older years? It does seem that there was more tolerance when I did more stereotypical female work out things, such as aerobics. It didn't take up all of the time cycling and other outdoor activities do. Just today DH wondered out loud "what would we do if we hadn't met (our cycling friends)?"

[lph]

I have a couple of non-active friends. Strike that, they're non-athletic, which is something quite different. We're friends because we share other traits and likes, but also because we both are passionate about something. It doesn't have to be the same thing, but we understand having an overwhelming interest in something.

This sort of links to the Facebook discussion, of friends who "like" activities they don't understand. I tend to get passionate about a lot of things I do, and I like it when others are like that, even if I don't understand their things.

[Blueberry]

Dear Old Blender:

You are retired and fired.

Love,

The Shiny New Vitamix

Dear TE:

Got tricks/tips/recipes?

[salsabike]

I have a couple of non-active friends. Strike that, they're non-athletic, which is something quite different. We're friends because we share other traits and likes, but also because we both are passionate about something. It doesn't have to be the same thing, but we understand having an overwhelming interest in something.

This sort of links to the Facebook discussion, of friends who "like" activities they don't understand. I tend to get passionate about a lot of things I do, and I like it when others are like that, even if I don't understand their things.

lph, someday I am going to buy you dinner, or something. I like this post!