Today has been a real mixed bag, and quite frankly a bit of a struggle not to be overwhelmed by it all and stop looking for the positive, and just want to curl up and hide under my desk.

My bike ride to work was good, it was the first time in a long time that I cycled what I consider to be the standard ride to work. Which is about 12 miles, the shortest route I could do is about 8 and a bit miles. The 12 mile route takes me past Parliament Square, and if I am on time lets me hear Big Ben chime 8 o’clock, which I always think to be a good thing. I was running a bit late so it was about quarter past this morning so I missed it, but it was a bright sunny day, so I was really enjoying the ride.
Even if the Embankment is a bit of a mess with roadworks at the moment.

When I arrived at work, I had my first oh no moment. I had forgotten my security dongle, so couldn’t get into the carpark. A quick shout to security and they let me in, it always pays to say hello and be friendly to security, means that they know who you are when you get stuck.
So they let me into the carpark, but I couldn’t get to the bike cage. Where I normally keep the bike, and where my bike lock lives.
So I hid my bike around the back until I popped up to the office to borrow one of the other cyclists dongle so I could get to my lock, given he was on earlies so wouldn’t be about to let me out, I locked my bike up to the standard racks in the carpark, as I knew that I would be able to get it back from there.

Even that took longer to sort out, as I had to go back to the office twice to pick up my keys, and then trousers so I could get changed.

At which point I realised that there was a pair of trainers in my desk drawer where my work shoes live. Arg. I had taken the train in on Friday, and forgotten to change my shoes before going home.

So I would have to spend the day in my cycle shoes, which at least are mostly black. At which point I was glad that I don’t wear race shoes, as you really can’t walk too far in them.
Only a few people noticed so I mostly got away with it.

At this point I decided that I deserved cake, fortunately there was a Macmillan cake sale being held by the company on the first floor, so I headed down to buy 3 bits of cake. Which was really tasty, (I was mostly good and didn’t eat it all at once.)

Now Mondays are always quite busy and meeting heavy, at least 3 of which I have to sort the minutes for, today had the additional pressure because I am giving a presentation to the London office tomorow morning, (8:45) and had to finish of my slides.

What broke me was returning to my bike to go home, and realising that my lights were missing! Arg.
Now the carpark should be basically secure, it is only use by 1 car, the other cyclists and the smokers. Given that my bike is normally in the bike cage I feel ok about leaving my lights on the bike, but today it had just been in the carpark, and they were gone.
So I looked the bike up and went to chat to security, to learn that where I was locked up is not covered by the outside cameras. The cage has a good level of camera coverage, but where I was parked is a blind spot. I admitted that I accepted that it was my fault I really shouldn’t have left them on the bike, and that I would speak to the building management team in the morning.

Now fortunately I also have lights on my saddle bag so I still had a rear light for the way home, but I would be without a front light, now it wasn’t going to be dark on the way home, but I would have rather had lights. I felt a bit invisible as I stomped on the pedals and cycled home pushing hard as a way of working out my emotional energy. It was that or have a cry and I really didn’t want to..

I also realised that I am still unfit as I was overtaken cycling up Crystal Palace, I was giving it everything I had and doing about 14 mph uphill and I was still overtaken. Now the 2 chaps in question were serious and doing training, I know this because when they got to the top they turned around to roll down the hill to do it again.

When I finally made it home, I rolled into the garden, and remembered that I had been to Halfords on Sunday, and I had taken my lights off before that journey. So my lights where on the floor of the shed where I had left them..
Which is a relief, but has just left me a bit drained.

Tomorrow I will have to fess up my mistake to the building manager, oh well, that is still better than having to buy new lights.

Right dinner eaten, bag sorted for tomorrow, so I will have my work shoes and pass tomorrow. Time for an early night.