Of Opportunities and Schedules

We are familiar with the situation. We look at Saturday and we think: I want to do this, but then a week or two before you see that something else is available so you think “Oh now I want to do that”. The result is that the thing you were certain about now becomes a Buridan moment.

I have such a choice this week. A group I like to cycle with once per month, or twice per month if long rides become regular, has a ride scheduled at 09:30.

Simultaneously at 08:00 two running groups are combining for the Saturday run and this is a fantastic opportunity to get a new group so I really want to join that group.

The issue is that although there is half an hour to fifty minutes of buffer on paper there is an overlap in reality.

I would have to cut event A short to arrive to Event B on time, but in so doing I’m interrupting what could be a pleasant experience, for a potential pleasant alternative that is uncertain.

So often I say that I don’t like when events hard end, once we’re back at the start point. The later event does have such a hard end, so, desspite the ride being potentially fun, I think it’s a shame to interrupt experience A to get to experience B.

I can spend hours and hours thinking of hypothetical scenarios but in the end the situation is simple. If the experience is good, I stay put after the run, and if the experience leaves me wanting more then I can walk, or run home, and get ready for the ride.

I don’t want to cut a good experience short on a “What if?”