I confess, I am a big slump at the moment. I know I know, wasn’t I all fired up about getting my book, my fitting and finishing the HGH? Yes, I was, but I am still in a slump. Let me explain:
It feels like one thing after another is keeping me off the bike and busy with other things. Whether it is being sick, my back suddenly being in extreme pain, work, family or other assorted interruptions, I am not getting to be on the bike as much as I should be. This does not bode well for training for events like the LA Wheelman Grand Tour, which I have intentions of riding with Errin. I already have no idea how to train, the last thing I need is less time on the bike.
To top off the time off the bike concerns, I find myself in a very strange mental state. When I am out on the bike, I think of my little girl and my wife and I long to spend time with them. Mentally, this makes it very hard to get your head into what you are doing. Also, I feel somewhat discouraged with the whole training thing. I want to get a coach, but I feel that the small amount of time I have to focus on riding the bike will not be worth the expense of a coach. There are also a lot of business related endeavors I am trying to pursue, and they could be big, but this again means that I am sacrificing time on the bike. Mentally, I feel fried…see exhibit A:
I hadn’t written a post in a little while, and after reading the words above, hopefully you can understand. I don’t want anyone to think I am defeated, but I am certainly discouraged. I decided to write this post so that I could air my feelings. I was driving into work this morning and thought that maybe I need to just get it out and I will feel better. Well, here is to feeling better.
I can relate Marcus. Being interested in these LD rides takes alot of time away from the family. It would be much easier to just do fun easy rides.
Don’t you have a MTB? You don’t have to go as far, for as long, to feel like you’ve gotten a good workout in the mountains. That would give you some training and keep the family time open.
Thanks for the comment Errin.
The problem I am having is wanting to ride the Grand Tour. A 200 mile event is not achieved by easy infrequent training. There are no free lunches in this world.
Dude, I know how you feel.
Tomi and I were driving and that country song came on
“I’m in a hurry to get things done. Rushing, rushing so life’s no fun.” She said, “this is how you are Jake”… which made me think… I need to slow down and just enjoy things more
All the cliches ” Rome wasn’t built in a day” etc… Baby steps, will make the adventure more enjoyable.
I really want to do more events and ride more, but I chose only 1 this year, knowing I didn’t want to be pressured all the time to feel like I have to achieve a certain level of training.
To me sort of takes the fun out of it if you are stressing about it…
I know I am rambling but hopefully the point is clear…
Cheers
But…
I also understand the only way to improve and get better is to push yourself…
so its a balancing act for sure…
I know how you feel about being on the bike and thinking of the time you are spending away from your wife and kid. I go through the same thing especially on rides lasting longer than 3 hours. I haven’t taken a long ride since Mt. Laguna. Now my wife is starting a new job. It’s a blessing, but she’ll be working afternoons and evenings, and weekends too. The only rides I’ll be doing on weekends will be with a Burley trailer attached. That’s fine with me as long as my two-year-old is fine with it. I wonder how she’ll take to riding up GMR with me