So far this year, my cycling activities can best be described as inconsistent. That is also true when it comes writing new stories for this blog. I guess that makes sense because this is primarily a cycling blog after all. Still, there is an internal pressure building that I should feel more motivated to both ride and write.
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve definitely had my moments this year. However, I seem to get going and then let it fade. Then I get it restarted only to let it fade again. Then I get restarted and . . . well, you get the picture. So, what’s going on? I think there are multiple reasons with some being more critical then others.
Part of my inconsistency is easily explained. I had a terrible cold in February, which was right in the middle of my half-marathon training. Oh yeah, I also trained for, and ran, a half-marathon in May and that put a huge dent in my free time normally reserved for cycling. Of course, no cycling meant no writing. I mean, with all due respect to runners, the stories from running are not nearly as adventurous as the ones from cycling. How can I compare bombing down a descent at 40+ miles an hour with running by the same houses as the day before. It just doesn’t have the same adventurous ring to it.
Another issue is work. We went through a small merger this year (we absorbed a smaller company). For a lot of different reasons this merger needed to be completed quickly so it was all hands on deck. And while the projects I was involved with were quite rewarding, there were a lot of early mornings, late nights and the occasional Saturday spent in the office. Once again this translated to time off the bike and a lack of adventurous stories to share with you. At one point I was going to try and compare changing the toner in my printer with fixing a flat but that felt like a stretch.
Both of those are good solid reasons for lack of consistency. Sadly, they aren’t the real reason. You see, for whatever reason, I simply have not been motivated to ride this year. There have been numerous rides where I felt like I was riding because I had to and not because I wanted to. There have been many mornings when I planned on riding and didn’t. It seems any excuse will work and that’s not a good sign.
What’s the solution? Well, I know myself pretty well and I think this is just a phase. After 8 years and over 25,000 miles on the bike, I think I just needed a little break. The half-marathon actually helped in this regard by providing a nice distraction. Typically in these situations, I just roll with it (pun intended) and let things sort themselves out on their own. That’s my plan this time as well.
I know it’s down there somewhere. That spark of excitement I usually get when I’m getting ready to ride. I just need to let it re-ignite on its own and not force the issue. If I do it right, I will soon enough be rolling down the roads with the wind in my face and good friends by my side and knowing that, in hindsight, what seemed like inconsistency was really a re-awakening.
Ciao!
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