The best year ever?

The weather was a bit cold, a bit damp, and a bit drizzly, so I decided to go for one last ride of the year and think about all that has passed since 1st January. I bet we have as many words for rain as the Inuit have for snow.

The year has been dominated for me by my Land's End to John o' Groats trip, its preparations and repercussions. I was hideously under-prepared and suffered for it, but considering I had only ridden over 100 miles twice before, I was amazed that I did it. But pleased, and moved and touched. Some numpty once told me (in the context of feedback from an unsuccessful job interview) that bike rides don't tell you anything about the capability of a person. Well this one did. I'm not going to do the full horns of Jericho on this one, but I learned more about myself, the people in this world, and the spirit that imbues us all, form a single trip than from all the courses I have been on or delivered. So yah-boo sucks mate you are wrong-find your character at the office if you like, I found mine at Fort Augustus.

I have also done six sportives, and of those the one I really enjoyed the most is the Tour of Britain ride at the beginning of September. Two superficial reasons-the medal (of course) and the realistic feel to the event, including a proper arch at the finish-all fed my vanity. But it was that point on one of the climbs, where I (a forty-something trundler-actually dropped people, that I realised I had trained and prepped well enough to put in a half-decent performance, that's what I enjoyed the most.

Other things on the cycling front. I have developed a better technique, better on-board posture, learned how to recover properly to prevent injury and how to track stand without falling over (learnt the hard and embarrassing way). Oodles of kit and gadgets, but Charlie has to be the winner in "best stuff acquired" category. Where would I be without him? (About 350 smackers better off, but you can't take it with you).

Then there is the job situation. A new one, tougher, more demanding but actually more enjoyable too, a real test of my skills, and a chance to do the L & D stuff I really want to do. We will have to see about the values bit though, be the change you want to see, and all that.

I don't tend to talk about the family on here, don't think it's right somehow. But if they should stumble on to this post by accident, I want them to know they are the two most important people in the world to me, whatever they may think about the cycling and other stuff.

So today's ride-all about hills. Over to Wrington, up over the hill, down to Cleeve, up Brockley again, then back though Churchill, Shipham and down to Cheddar, Axbridge and up here to home. 2000 or so feet in a little over 31 miles. If you look at the profile you will see there were not many flat bits. Somehow I think that is more the shape of things to come than things past, what with the Tourmalet, Aubisque, Aspin etc. all looming in September.

That is where this blog is heading, the Raid Pyrenean next year. So the weight needs to come off, the power on, and the motivation remain. I think it will be as hard if not harder to squeeze the rides and the training in around the rest of a hectic life. But I am fortunate to have these opportunities. Fortunate to have a great life, health and family, where I need not worry about food and shelter, but can focus on heart rate and cadence. So I am thankful for that, and hope that if anyone else is reading this, on New Year's Eve 2009, you too can count your blessings and have your best year ever.

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