Friday something happened and I can't explain it. In a moment's time, I regained the passion I've had for cycling since I got my first road bike 5 years ago (almost to the day). That passion completely left me in February, and that sent me down the road of "normal" life. During that time, I pursued a new job and I did need extra energy to do that. The new job is great, but there's stress involved with doing anything new. Almost everything that had been constant in my life changed in the period of a few short months. (No, I didn't move.)
It was weird, though, these past few months of not being cycling-centric. Every time I've been on the bike, even for the short commute, I had nothing in my legs. Zero energy, zero desire to go fast. Zero desire to race. Not like me at all. Nothing was moving the bike forward...on most days. It's a place I never thought I'd be before and I hope to never experience again.
Friday's ride was a religious experience. There was a fair amount of spitting rain and I was able to skirt an on-coming storm. I rode around the storm and saw blue skies in the distance, though the storm was brewing over Denver. The splatter of the tiny raindrops felt amazing. I was smiling, riding hard, wanting to stay out for hours.
It's become clear to me that when I don't ride, I don't have the energy to focus as much as I need to on all of the other things. It's easier to be aimless in purpose. Life without cycling is not complete. It's probably true to extend this to mean that life without any emphasis on something physical is incomplete. After riding this morning, I got more work done than I have in weeks. And I feel great. My appetite, incidentally, is also under control (which it isn't when I'm not riding). Interesting, eh?
My passion is back and so am I. It'll take some time before I get my form back, but I don't care. I just want to be back in the place where I'm most comfortable--on the bike, in the peloton with my cycling friends, sharing the best life has to offer, which happens to be on the road.
1 comment:
You are absolutely correct when you don't have some physical to drive you that it feels like you wander through life without purpose. I am loving running again and it gives me more energy and desire to eat better.
Enjoying the blog ... keep posting with your iPhone ;)
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