Since commuting requires different physical considerations than a weekend fun ride or training ride or race, I would love to get any comments on how other commuters ride...

For my 12.25 mile commute, I currently roll out the door and take the first two miles nice and easy (4 lane road) to get warmed up and then stop to stretch. Touch my toes for about 1 minute, then each ankle back and up to thigh for 1 min, and splits for 1 min. And then I'm off on 3 miles of 2 lane no shoulder road that I hit really hard to keep from slowing traffic terribly (usually have about 2 dozen cars go around me)... The rest of the ride is 4 lane and I just keep pressure on the road (after all, it's a commute, not a race). Once I'm at the office, I stretch again, then get cleaned up... The ride home is similar exept that I stretch before the ride starts. I can usually make it to friday without my legs being totally blown, just achy... and then it's nice to have the two days off to rebuild. I usually feel like superman on mondays...

Any comments on water consumption, nutrition, staying away from coffe/sugar/alchohol, etc. would also be greatly appreciated...