FBinNY 

Liz,

I wish I could tell you that it'll get better, and i guess I could just to do so. But nobody know what the future holds. OTOH - whatever comes your way, you'll probably be able to cope or overcome, because all that adversity has made you stronger, and you'll continue to grow stronger every day (with some reversals here and there).

In some ways life is like riding a bike, with easy days, and harder days of rain, headwinds or big climbs. You get stronger on a bike by riding more and the best hill climbers are those who have to climb them the most. Likewise with life, adversity makes you stronger, and you get better managing life by living more.

As for riding less, and any disappointment about your hopes to ride the century, that'll pass, and the century doesn't matter. Riding joy isn't measured in miles. I've ridden many centuries, done some ultra distance rides, toured extensively and can assure that there's absolutely no relationship between distance and enjoyment or satisfaction. So, don't give up on the century, because it'll give you a nice feeling of accomplishment, but don't be unhappy if it doesn't happen, as long as you're enjoyed the riding you did hoping to do it.

One of the most memorable bike moments for me was seeing a hawk swoop down over my shoulder and snag a squirrel crossing the road about 25' in front of me. That happened 50 yards from my front door, and I might have missed it if I were focussed only on pounding some miles.

So, my dvice is very simple, ride when you can, and make time for it if you can, but don't be frustrated if it doesn't happen. Every morning you get a fresh start, so consider parking your bike near your bed so it's the first thing you see in the morning, and gives you the nudge to go.