Ok, I admit it. Over the past while, this blog has been like a Sky fan's replica jersey when the soccer season is on. Good intentions (you should see the draft folder of half constructed ramblings which would be anachronistic to finish and post now) have not necessarily been followed up by actions either here, or more concernedly, on the bike. Last year was the first in many years when I didn't take part in a single event or sportive, even the one that starts literally 450 metres away from my house. The bike has gone weeks without being touched, and I was frankly embarrassed that my yearly total of kms "gotten in" was less than what many folk would do in a month. To be honest the rot had set in the previous year when I didn't take part in Lap the Lough, even though I had signed up for it. I had to go on a course that weekend, but the fact I was relieved to have this as an excuse should have set alarm bells ringing- the first time in 7 years I hadn't circumnavigated Lough Neagh, which was normally my main event of the year.
It wasn't cycling that put me off- I was still staying up way too late at night watching any race I could. Paris-Roubaix and the World Championships still saw me staking out a spot in front of the TV for hours. It wasn't the weather either- after all if you don't ride in the rain in Ireland, you don't get to ride a lot, and anyway Flanderian type conditions allow me to continue to fool myself daydreaming that if things had been different I could have been the next Sean Kelly (probably closer to being Frank Kelly playing Fr Jack). It just seemed that for various reasons motivation was hard to come by (I was going to add "and time" there but when I am motivated, I always find time). I would lie in bed at night planning the next day's route, but when it came to it the actual act of getting into my gear, pumping tyres, checking lights etc, it just seemed so much effort and a quick glance outside at the shrub in the garden that is a good indicator of wind strength and direction was enough to have me back down on the couch. Even a week off at Easter with some great weather saw me using painting the fence as an excuse not to go out for even a short spin.
But recently I have found some old stirrings reappearing. I signed up for LtL back in Jan to give myself something to work towards. A bit of weight loss over Lent and getting some of my evenings back (I have been constantly delivering various courses at night since Sept) seem to be helping. Some of the other issues impacting motivation are still there (though really getting out on the bike should be a cure for many of those). The average has dropped, the inclines more difficult but somehow the mojo has reappeared. I have entered a sportive just over a month from now to give myself something else to keep me out there. And that is the reason I have added to this blog tonight- it is another marker- simply doing something. Yes, this stuff probably isn't of interest to anyone out side of a small circle of friends (hey-come for the cycling content, stay for the Phil Ochs lyrics) but the Giro is on, the Amgen ToC TV coverage still has more onscreen graphics at any one time that really makes me concerned for the attention span of their intended viewer (though it would explain a hell of a lot!) and I've got tickets to see Billy Bragg in Dublin in July- so the signs are good that the motivation should be here for quite some time to come!
