Headspace

I got up today. Pretty drained. Yesterday was hmmmmm…. challenging to say the least. Work was off the scale for a number of reasons.

I lay in bed about 6am and I couldn’t motivate myself to get on my turbo trainer. Thats not like me but I did rag myself for 50 mins yesterday morning which probably didn’t help. Sally had just come home off nights so spontaneously I said fuck it, I’m going for ride.

I had completely stripped and rebuilt my bike on Sunday and it still hasn’t got any bar tape on but that didn’t matter. What did matter though was when I got dressed I realised my cleats were still on my summer MTB shoes. FFS! So I had to swap them back over onto my Winter Boots.

I was out the door about 7.40am but the bike felt odd. My seat was too low because it was setup for my summer shoes (5mm difference between shoes and boots). A quick adjustment and I was away and free. Fresh, sunny, quiet. This is what I was missing. Instantly the euphoria and stress of yesterday and the mild dread of today was lifted. Its hard to explain to someone who doesn’t experience it or get it.

I was on my gravel bike with my fat tyres so it would be rude not to venture offroad. I headed up and over the Lickeys. Surprisingly there were plenty of drivers about but I saw more walkers, runners and cyclists than normal too. I dropped down to an offroad path by Bissell reservoirs but it was a mudbath so I decided to stop, take a pic and then return up and over the Lickeys to the Vistors centre offroad. As soon as I got on the path, I was bouncing all over the shop. My tyres were pumped up too hard so I quickly let some air out and I was away. Great fun.

My new 30-32 gear is an offroad revelation! So much easier on the really steep stuff

I’d only planned a quick spin, 45 mins so my final ascent was back up over the Lickeys again tracking Beacon Hill on the offroad path parallel to it. A good technical test as much as your lungs and legs.

I got back, jumped in the shower. When I got out, I actually said to myself ‘..man I needed that..’

The morale of this story is don’t let COVID-19, self isolation or working from home imprison you. Its safe to be outside alone. It will give you the headspace you need to cope with the times when you are inside.

I know what I’m doing tomorrow morning now