WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVATION
Have you ever wondered why it is that some days you wake up before the alarm goes off, jump out of bed and come close to hitting you head on the ceiling from the amount of spring in your step?
These are days when the world seems an exciting place full of opportunity and adventure. You have no fear of what the day may hold or what may be around the corner as you float out of the front door. It may be the depths of Winter but on a day like this being togged up like an Eskimo makes no difference for you are alive, living in the moment, the here and now and, for those few seconds, minutes, hours you are untouchable.
So, what about those days when the opposite applies? You hit ‘snooze’ on the alarm until, in despair, it gives up on trying to wake you. Eventually you crawl out of bed and slope off to the bathroom where not even the coldest of water on your face will serve to refresh you. You realise that you’ve forgotten to wash or iron a shirt or your other work uniform and struggle to find anything suitable to wear for the day ahead. On opening the fridge you realise there’s no milk, or even worse you make a cuppa not noticing that the milk is off until you take a sip, bringing a whole new meaning to starting your day with a sour taste in your mouth.
On days like these you just want to hide away from the world, hibernate, run away, and be anywhere other than where you are. In short, these days suck!
What is it then that makes us decide to go out on our bikes in the rain and wind when we know that within the first 100 yards the spray from passing cars will soak our legs and seep down into our shoes despite wearing the best waterproof overshoes money can buy? Inevitably we know that by the end of the ride we will be soaked through and the regular café stop will have been more a form of torture as we shiver away, leaving a trail of water behind us and a puddle on the seat!
If riding in a group we bemoan the fact that half the riders don’t have mudguards yet even when riding behind those that do we still have to duck and weave in order to avoid the spray that flicks up from the pathetic undersized guards attached to their rear wheels.
Personally I go out on days like these either because I have a group of mates I’m off to meet where the banter and camaraderie overrides the trauma of arriving home like a drowned rat, or I ride alone because it’s better than sitting around feeling sorry for myself. It makes me feel alive and I feel like I’m one up on the rest of the world when I’m sitting with my feet up enjoying a nice cuppa after a hot shower. I ride on days like these because I have a choice and sometimes I don’t ride on days like these because I have a choice but one way or another I do it because I love riding my bike!
Chances are that if you’re reading this you already have the motivation in some way, shape or form to get out on your bike. But think about this – on those days when you have a ride planned and the lethargy has set in, rather than look at the forecast, the wind strength, temperature etc., think about how you can use these to your advantage.
Can you change your ride or training session to suit the elements and if you can’t, then can you adapt that session and complete it indoors on a static trainer or on rollers? How can you make your training so foolproof that no matter what life throws at you there is an answer, a solution and an alternative that stops you giving up?
The saying goes, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going,’ so what do you do to keep yourself motivated, driven and focussed towards achieving your cycling ambitions and goals?
Please comment below and share your motivation and remember, a big part of the coach/rider relationship is helping you to stay on track and working out what motivates you to get out there and keep pedalling.
