It turns out life really can change pretty quickly. One week you’re in Girona training in the sunshine with your mates, the next you’re frantically sorting out your team in the office before you close up and start working from home for the foreseeable future.
Normally, I have two hours of commuting every day of the week, which are often used as part of my training plan to keep me in shape for racing. Since landing back in the UK, my office closed and all of my team are now working from home. Initially, this all sounds pretty good fun, who doesn’t love a lie-in? However, after a couple of days, you really start to miss that daily motivation that comes from getting out and riding to the office.
I’m lucky enough to live on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales with access to some great country lanes and bridleway so rather than sleeping until 08:55 and rolling into my office, I’m using the opportunity to try out some new ‘commutes’ from my front door on the CGR 725 or CGR AL so if my new route takes me a little off-road the versatility of the CGR's have me covered.
There is so much locally that I wouldn’t normally explore within 30 minutes of my front door but now is a great time to discover some new scenery. This has also meant I can keep some sense of routine that I’ve come to cling to so dearly for the last eight years of my working life.
I was also supposed to be racing this year for the first time in five years. I got a new Endurance SL especially! This was all going pretty well and I’ve racked up points in my early season races after training and building into this since September last year. Now every race has been canceled for the foreseeable it could be really easy to lose motivation and simply stop training. Admittedly, I have a little. However, after a pep-talk from the coach we agreed to simply knock it back a bit; have fun on a weekend whilst the weather is good, and do some little structured sessions on an evening to keep that fitness but not peak too soon. It’s hard to be motivated admittedly but we have to keep our fingers crossed we can all race about 10 times a day come August.
Weekend rides usually involve a Sunday social ride with the local club. Since the government no longer recommends riding in groups I have been going out solo. Surprisingly, it’s not all that bad; you can choose where to stop for your packed lunch / picnic ‘cafe stop’ and you get to look at more than your mates bum for a few hours! I'm definitely missing the cake though. Some people prefer to stay in and turbo - respect if you can face up to that but I’m not there yet. There are great tools and I’m sure in the weeks to come they will be more important than ever.
I've also seen all over social, how different PT's, gyms and fitness influencers are hosting Live at-home training classes which is brilliant! I might give one of those a try to mix things up a little too.
At the moment it’s all just about finding a way to keep doing what you do, but sensibly and in-line with the government advice. Exercise is good for our physical and mental wellbeing and right now both of these things matter more than ever. However you choose to ride, be it indoors or outdoors, keep safe and keep well. There will always be clubs, races and sportives in the future!
- James. Follow my rides @jamesward01.
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