My Brain is an Obstacle – 28.03.2020

If it had been otherwise, he would have felt it as an obstacle in his progress to the object he had in view.” North & South, Gaskell

So one would think that after the 54kms cycling marathon I completed the other day, I’d be all into this cycling malarkey, getting it into my stride, going out more regularly, etc.  Nothing else to report, and that would be the end of the diary.

If only.

I knew it wouldn’t last.  I know me!  Well, kinda of. 

Here is my new dilemma – and it’s not a physical one, but a psychological one.

Almost immediately after achieving my longest distance yet, my head went into the following space “well, I’ve done over 50kms now, clearly I can do it again, so there’s not reason for me to continue training”. 

It was a switch that went on overnight – and was the reason behind an almost full of no cycling at all.

Thankfully, there are parts of my brain which can still be rational and objective, and I am more than aware, that just because I’ve done 50kms once, doesn’t mean I’ll be able to do it again. Moreover, the whole point of prepping for the holiday – is to be able to cycle those kinds of distances for a full week, or more precisely 8 days. That is providing of course, that the holidays does go ahead, considering what’s going in the world right.

Holiday happening dilemma aside, I have barely tried cycling more than two days in a row, for anything close to 20kms. So I’m in a pickle. I need to break through the mental barrier, and get myself out training, fast and often.  April is coming, I’m supposed to be training up to 3 times a week for the next few months according to my plan, building it up to 4 days a week in September / October, and ensure that by then cycling is just my way of commuting around the city – no matter where I’m going and what time.

Let’s see.