This is a perfect example of the sort of conversations one’s body parts get in to when one does things that one doesn’t normally. Our ride last Saturday was in 13mph headwinds. I looked it up — each 5mph is equal to an additional 1% grade (in terms of effort) and will take your normal pace down 7%. So, yeah! It sucked.
THE SCENE:
A girl (ok, ok, woman) runs frenetically through her house, having loaded her bike into the back of her car she is doing the needful, e.g., filling water bottles and packing Cliff bars.
BACK: Uh-uh, no way, I am *not* doing this. See? *TWEAK*
ME: OW! What’s that for?!? All I was doing was filling a water bottle.
BACK: (smugly) Now you can’t go.
ME: Oh yeah? (grabs Ibuprofen bottle) Think again, punkin! I have 800mgs of ibuprofen that is going to chill you out. (takes ibuprofen and washes it down with water, and then more coffee).
Fifteen minutes in the car and BACK is silent.
ME: Oh yeah! Who’s the man (well, not me).
(Gets on bike)
THE SCENE:
It is 22 miles into the ride. Somehow, in a 36 mile course that is a U-shape along the top of the lake and back, we have succeeded in riding into HEADWINDS the entire way. This is disheartening and some of the constituency is starting to complain.
KNEES: Damn, we are sore! Where is that ibuprofen the doctor told you to take when you do this?
ME: I took it. All 4. I was good, but I can’t take any more for like 6 hours.
BACK: I commandeered it. I have the higher need you know: spinal column and all that.
KNEES: Oh no you Di-int! That was mine, beyotch! I have doctor’s orders!
BACK: Oh yes I di-id. I make this body function, punkin, so don’t give me your “oh I’m so important” routine. Nothing’s more important than the BACK!
BRAIN and HEART (in unison): Um…
BACK: well at least KNEES aren’t.
KNEES: STFU! I am the one that keeps you mobile, which the doctor also said is GOOD FOR YOU. You wanna hog my drugs, fine, but at least half of that should’ve been shared and now I’m going to show you just how hard *your* life gets when I don’t share.
BACK: Bring it!
ME: HEY WAIT! WAIT! I did what I was supposed to and..
KNEES: Tough cookies, sister. (KNEES start to ache petulantly)
STOMACH: I’m hungry.
ME: Now, BACK and KNEES you guys really need to… what?
STOMACH: I’m hungry.
ME: You just ate a Cliff Bar. Technically you’ve eaten 1.5 Cliff Bars.
STOMACH: And…?
ME: That’s enough food for you.
STOMACH: Look, apparently the BACK is the appreciated person here, and I’m not, I get that. Especially as it was ME who had to sort out that ibuprofen on not perhaps the most comfortably full stomach. So I’d appreciate it if YOU’D back off and feed me. Mkay?
ME: Ok, ok. Fine. Here’s the other half of the Cliff Bar.
KNEES: OH, I GET IT NOW. All I have to do is bitch properly, is that it? Well fine (KNEES start to really ache)
BACK: FINE! I’m tired of being the scapegoat. I’ll show you what it’s like when the ibuprofen wears out. (BACK starts to tweak and ache)
BUTT: I’d just like to say…
KNEES, BACK, STOMACH, BRAIN, HEART, ME (in unison): SHUT UP!
BUTT: Oh, it’s all fine for you to have an opinion, I get it. But last I checked, I don’t get a special doctor. KNEES gets the Sports Medicine guy, and BACK gets Dr. Cat and Massages, and all I get is wedged on this hard plastic seat.
KNEES: Well you should be used to that, what with work and all.
BUTT: Hey, it’s not my choice that they sit on me, okay? It’s just what I do. And I try to do it without complaint. I’m just saying I’m feeling a little sensitive now and would appreciate some of the ibuprofen next time, is all.
BACK: Oh yes we get it, it is *SO HARD* to just sit around all day.
KNEES (to BACK): That’s pretty much all you do, BACK, except vertically.
BACK: SHUT UP! I’M MORE IMPORTANT AND I WILL TAKE YOU DOWN!
KNEES: BRING IT!
HEADWIND: SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU! Guess what, I’m going to ramp up a few miles an hour because I’m the freaking WIND and I can’t hear myself think for all of your complaining. KNEES, you’re going to have to concentrate on what you’re doing because this is going to be like one long hill. BACK, you’re going to have to use yourself more and crouch forward because otherwise the BODY will make no progress. And if EITHER of you want to see the comfy inside of the car today (and possibly a nice hot shower) then everybody needs to SHUT IT and get to work, mkay?
ME: (to HEADWIND): I kind of hate you, and love you, for that.
Bobbie Conti 
And by pushing just that little bit harder and staying in front you get to miss the whole argument!
*snort* This is genius.