My Relationship With Cycling.. Thoughts On A Post Card.

Somewhere in the forest of dean September 2017

I've been gone a while. Heres why.

Have you ever fallen out of love with anything you once loved? It could be a person, a hobby, a thing.
I know I have and it's riding my bike.

I've spent many days telling myself I'd go out on the bike a little later, even now as I sit here typing this up I'd told myself I'd go out a little later. Still, I sit here drinking my coffee thinking about if I'll go out or not? It's Wednesday the 6th of December. It's a strangely mild here in the UK almost the perfect day to go out riding so why aren't I out?

Trying to drag my arse out of this living room feels impossible. Whats wrong with me?

Summer commute 2016 Ciren - Chelt

Finding that reason why you want to ride is a big thing for everyone. Do you ride for fitness? To be the best out of your mates? The love of seeing new places? A way of getting to work? Is it a mix of necessity & pleasure?

I remember getting into cycling. I went everywhere on my bike I stopped using public transport and never got a driving licence. All I ever wanted was to be faster than everyone else. I really relished in wanting to be the best climber or sprinter on every ride I did. Somewhere along the line, I lost that but I was fine with it I kinda had my time on "top". I knew people would be better than me and that I'd be better than others ego stopped getting in the way. I didn't need to be the best because I loved getting out on my bike.

When I was living in Cirencester I was clocking in an easy minimum 160 miles a week summer and winter from my 32 miles there and back commute. I then went on to use this incredible fitness to compete my best tt season to date and clocking in a 200-mile ride in August 2016. I'd never been so fit in my life. I was tired & hungry but I still loved my bike.

Trying to stick to back roads.

Maybe I need that commute? Self-motivation has never been a strong point. Coming home after a long day at work the last thing I can think of as soon as I get home is going out and puffing my way up the local hills.
Luck would have it I've never really trained I've just ridden my bike and if I felt good I went hard if I felt crap I went easy. Having a reason to ride is always a strong motivator that works for me.

Now with work slowly sucking the life out of me and biscuits getting the better of me. My only solace I can find is walking the dog. It's just not the same as riding my bike. I need a way to break the chain of this loveless and laziness to find some way back on the bike again.

I think I'm writing this as a way to get this off my chest.

Strangely I miss riding my bike, I just can't find the get-up and go to ride.  Maybe it's just winter? Maybe its something else.

As always keep spinning.
Mike.