Goodness, these hot days just keep coming! Is it age catching up with me? Or is it just my natural constitution? Either way, I’ve always been terrible with heat. And direct sunlight? I can’t handle that either?it just wears me out. So, during July and August, I only do outdoor activities from dawn until early morning?basically, before breakfast (←decidedly so!). The only ones who can get away with declaring such things are us ultra-small business owners... right?

Anyway, my pre-breakfast workout consists of driving to Hakuba and going for a 1?2 hour ride on the bike. Last year, I remember feeling a little self-conscious about riding in just a T-shirt, shorts, and a towel around my neck, but this season I’ve gotten so used to it that I can’t even imagine putting on the usual tight-fitting road bike gear anymore. Yep, people do change...

Now, for these pre-breakfast road rides, I’ve set one rule for myself: Always ride in the outer chainring. Never drop to the inner. What that means is simple?I avoid any climbs that would require me to shift down to the inner ring. In other words, no hardcore hill climbs. This part is important: pre-breakfast workouts should stay in the realm of moderate effort. Overdoing it is a no-go. That’s a key point.

After 7:00 a.m., you start to feel the sun’s heat. That’s the beginning of the real heat. Arriving back at the parking lot with a light sweat, I crank the car’s A/C to full blast?blissfully cold! That blessed feeling of air-conditioning on the drive home is... honestly, it’s not an exaggeration to say that it’s half the reason I do this every morning.

Then it’s back home: a hot shower?refreshing! A glass of cold barley tea. A hearty breakfast. That’s a wrap! These early-morning rides will probably continue through the end of August. Once September rolls around and the air starts to cool, I’ll likely switch to slow jogging before breakfast. Then I’ll save cycling for later in the day, after breakfast. And when the autumn leaves start to turn?that’s when the perfect cycling season begins. Ah, I can’t wait! I hope this scorching summer ends soon.

Morning rides, morning jogs?if you're a guest staying over, feel free to join me!

August 16 / 21, 2025