Old doubts creeping in

It’s been a hard week for me, mentally. Maybe it’s all the miles catching up with me or the lack of sleep due to having 3 young kids. It could be that I’m also busy at work. And to top all that off, it’s that time of year when all those wee jobs around the house need to be done. Yep I’m tired this week and with that comes the question. Why am I doing this?

Oh, how I wish I was like everyone else. Just watch telly in the evening. Lie in on the weekends. Life would be so much easier.

Even though I do my training at times that have the least impact on my family I still miss them when I’m away on the long spin. I feel selfish at times.

So why am I doing this?

I’m this mood, it’s hard to find an answer. I guess it’s because I’m getting closer to the big event and I have the 400km next week. Maybe the nerves are starting to kick in and that is making me doubt myself. I only hope is that the 400km goes smoothly. I’m sure this will give me great confidence if it does.

This weeks training

So I didn’t get a great amount of training done this week due to other commitments.

I had my Tuesday night mtb race which I really enjoyed. It wasn’t raining so the pace was faster over the rough stuff. I felt a lot fitter than previous races and I was beating others that were beating me the week before. I love the feeling of feeling fitter.

I cycled into work on Thursday. On the way home I did the local “big hill” and again I got my fastest time this year. Love it.

On Sunday morning I was on the road at 5am. A perfect still morning but it was cold. I went without my overshoes and after an hour my toes were freezing. This made for an uncomfortable ride until near the end when it eventually warmed up.

I left Dundalk and cycle through Blackrock where there was an amazing view of the mourne and cooley mountains with the sun just rising behind them.

I kept close to the coast as I cycled south through Annagasson and on the Drogheda.

From here, I started to turn for home and cycled up to Collon, then to Ardee, Dundalk.

I was back home for 9.30 with 110km done. It was a nice ride (despite my toes). I kept the heart rate low I wanted to mimic my effort for next week’s 400km cycle.

So all in all 150k  done this week. Note bad I suppose, but not sure of its enough for what I’m about the do next month. Let’s hope it is.

On reflection

After reading back what I done this week a noticed a bit of a trend. I loved every ride. So maybe that’s why I do it. Just simply , for the love of the ride.

I don’t really wish I was like everyone else. Watching TV and lie in’s are great sometimes but when I think of all I would miss if I didn’t ride my bike it gives me the motivation in the morning tho get out and ride.

Everyone else can keep their telly and lie in’s. They don’t know what they’re miss.