soup de jour

I had no idea how much I’ve had cycling on the brain until today. While attempting to read a work-related article heavy in acronyms, I was hard pressed to train my brain to recognize the acronyms for what they were meant to signify.  TDF and TdF are not the same. Nor are SRM and SRAM alike. But, try as I might, I simply could not manage to get my brain to pull the intended meaning while doing this background reading.

This is not the first time I’ve been drowning in acronym soup. Having written about it on a few other occasions, it is clear that this soup de jour is a favorite on many industry and non-industry menus.

Even when talking about running events we have a list of acronyms we like to use. For example, if we have a marathon on our schedule, our training may be enriched with an ample amount of LSD (long slow distance). And if training goes well, we will be given a bag of SWAG (stuff we all get) at the race expo. Then, on race day, if we are well trained (and perhaps lucky too), we could end the day with a PR (personal record) or a BQ (Boston Qualification). Conversely, if we are not well trained OR if we are over trained, we might end the day with a DNF (did not finish) or DNS (did not start) beside our name instead.

Well, it’s nearly lunch time and it’s clear that I need to feed the brain something other than acronym soup. My head has been throbbing all morning and I feel like throwing up when I move my head. I’ll start with some yogurt, salad, and go from there. I can tell you this, it is certain that soup will not be on today’s menu; I’ve had more than my share, thank you.