I love biking. I really do. Some times I forget just how much I love it, like this morning as I was dithering over breakfast and the newspaper, trying to talk myself into heading out for a short ride while my lazy body wanted to go back to sleep. Luckily my brother came down and asked if I’d been out for a run, which was enough to shame me into going for a short ride as planned.

As I was biking under tall trees and past beautiful homes [this area is really charming to bike through], I was reminded of all the times in the past few years I’ve wanted to bike, but had no opportunity to do so. These past few years running has been my exercise of choice, in part because it requires so little equipment and can occur almost anywhere. Biking and rollerblading required gear I couldn’t store, swimming and dance or yoga, facilities I didn’t have ready access to. In college I had readily replaced team sports like badminton and cross country with dance classes, swimming, yoga and the occasional weights, but once thrown out into the working world I was back to a pair of running shoes and all the dirt paths the park had to offer.

This summer, though, reunited with my bike, rollerblades, and a community swimming pool within striking distance, I think I'll give my knees a break and take advantage of other forms of exercise that I love. Running is my default, my backup, my longstanding partner in the quest for lifelong exercise and well being. But even best friends occasionally need a break from each other, and because cross training strengthens your body by challenging it in new ways, this long-term relationship can only improve with a bit of absence.