Pleasures and Pains

Filtered through the tall pines on the east side of Prentice Street, the early morning sunlight caught showers of snowflakes loosened from the pine needles by a brisk westerly breeze. My chin was chilled as I rode my commuter mountain bike south from the market toward the apartment, a fresh loaf of bread in my backpack ready to slice and toast for my breakfast. The air temperature was 10 degrees Fahrenheit, reduced to the single digits below zero by the day’s wind. My weight workout was more or less normal today, though I’m hampered by sacroiliitis: inflammation of the SI joint on my left side. I’m scheduled this afternoon for an injection to treat it. If it works as well as such treatments in the past, I’ll be relieved of the crippling pain that’s restricted my movement and training for the past three weeks. Fortunately, cycling doesn’t aggravate it, and cross-country skiing using classical technique--since it doesn’t require the same rotation and planting--is more comfortable than walking. So, despite the mysterious onset of the inflammation, I’ve managed just over 120kms of cross-country skiing since the season began with our big snowfall the weekend of December 12th. These are some of the pleasures of a winter climate and the pains of aging...