Moronacity Cycling Journal » Motivation
I Will Be Strong
There really is no excuse for having a poor season. I am blessed with a body that responds quickly to a little gravitational abuse followed by protein consumption. With a little work, I am a fairly respectable mountain biker. Over the last week, I have noticed quite a difference in my climbing ability. Compared to last year, I have a few things going against me: • I haven’t been riding much. • I am 20 pounds heavier. • I’ve been severely lacking in motivation. • I’ve had a lot of personal issues to work through. Recent changes in my life have given me new hope. I am now a full-time freelance writer with another job prospect on the horizon. While I am still building the foundation of my career, I am envisioning … Read entire article »
Filed under: Motivation
Desperate Planning
Looking at the weather forecast, I see that there will be a little clear up in the weather tomorrow evening. I fully intend to take advantage of that little window of partly cloudy, 50-degree weather. I still have quite a cough, but my energy level is up and my voice is returning. Either way, I am desperate to return to cycling. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Motivation
Wherever, Whenever
I had an odd revelation, today: I will have no schedule to adhere to after tomorrow. That’s kind of bizarre. Even though I am going to try to take a summer course, I won’t have to go to class because it will be online. I’ll pick up a couple of work shifts, but those are incredibly necessary and not every week. What this all means is that I will have a lot of free time to do the things I don’t get to do throughout most of the year, like reading books for no reason other than for pure pleasure and personal enjoyment. The part that really excites me is that I will be able to ride my bike wherever and whenever I want. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Motivation
I Will Ride
Let’s ride bikes! HIGHS: Wednesday: 52 degrees Thursday: 60 degrees Friday: 60 degrees Anyone interested in doing some social road rides over the next three days? Wednesday at 6:15ish pm is good for me. I’m free all day Thursday, and I can ride [finishing] before 1:30 or starting after 4:00, Friday. Di This was the email I sent out, today. It’s now or never. It’s time to ride. Two people are interested in riding, Thursday. I sent out the confirmation email for Thursday’s afternoon ride. The meeting place is only six miles from my house, so I will ride in on that beautiful, sunny, 60-degree day. I can’t wait. It is going to be [almost] what I’ve been hungering for [mountain biking being the epitome of that … Read entire article »
Filed under: Motivation
The Land of Sweat and Chain Lube
In times like this, I find it quite amazing how doing something one truly loves can inspire one in so many ways, such as finding the inspiration to draw or paint, play music, capture a unique photograph, or write a blog post. Doing is getting involved, and getting involved creates an experience, and an experience becomes something you truly know. For me, to be a good writer is to write what I know. This web site is evidence that there is something about getting out on a bike that gets the creative juices flowing. It can be likened to that in the Land of Milk and Honey, except, in this case, it is the Land of Sweat and Chain Lube. Yes, in the Land of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Motivation
Dissuaded
Tomorrow and Wednesday, I am going to hit the pavement for a couple of short rides ranging from 60-90 minutes. Yeah, right. Sure, I did a 90-minute ride with intervals, yesterday, but I was easily dissuaded from riding by today’s cold wind. What is one to do? Well, not much. Normally, I would head to the Tech Trails and ski, and that might still happen, but what I really need to do is clean the house and pack for my trip to Marquette. I also need to study a little organic chemistry. Fun stuff. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Motivation
Motivation Can Be Found Outside of the Throne Room
Last week, I received my last issues of Bicycling and Mountain Bike magazines. I’ll probably receive the customary last-issue-after-your-subscription-runs-out-to-entice-you-to-resubscribe, but I’m not bitin’. I subscribed to these magazines three years ago. I was new to mountain biking and super hungry for info regarding my new sport. I wanted more. I just wanted more – lots more. Sure, I got some great training information, which is exactly what I wanted, but it got repetitive pretty quickly. Sometimes, it wasn’t really there at all. What I really didn’t appreciate were their annual buyer’s guides – the same issue for both magazines. Basically, once per year, two magazines, bundled together, would arrive in my mailbox. They were completely useless to me because they were chock … Read entire article »
Filed under: Motivation
Judgment
Preparation 10:00 Eye doctor – get new contacts (you have no idea how good they feel!) 10:20 Go to Keweenaw Coop, get sandwich and cheese crackers 11:00 Go to Tech, do Orgo pre-lab 12:30 Eat sandwich and some cheese crackers, drink water 1:00 Go to orgo lab and smell ether for 3 ½ hours Action 4:50 Get in vehicle to drive to Tech Trails 4:51 Eat more cheese crackers and drink water 4:52 Decide to go home and do work around house 4:54 Change mind 4:55 Take alternate route to Tech Trails 5:00 Arrive at Tech Trails 5:02 Acquire dressing room, change, dawdle 5:20 Clip into skis 5:21 Skate for 47 minutes, just like I planned to do since yesterday …and to think I practiced bad judgment for a couple of minutes. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Motivation
Cold and Tough
I’ve had something weighing heavily on my mind, lately. To be truthful, I’m a little hurt. I’ve spent the last two days in limbo between hurt and searching for a way out of that hole. Today, I’m cold. I mean, while I am literally cold because it is 55 degrees in my house as I try to warm it with the wood stove, I am finding that, emotionally, I am taking a turn for the colder. This is a part of the healing process. This is how I protect myself. Today is the perfect day to become cold, tough Di. Just to keep you guys on your toes, I don’t mean this figuratively. Literally, I am going to be cold and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Motivation
Operation Motivation
Those of you who regularly read this blog know that I’ve been quite unsuccessfully searching for that motivation I lost so many months ago (ahem, September). I was lectured in the brewpub about how I was missing out on some great snow by not skiing. That kind of stuck with me a bit. It got the gears working. Then, the unexpected happened: my motivation came back! I am generally a cheerful person, but I no longer had that zest for life that made the last three years of my Keweenaw life so spectacular. I was no longer excited about…anything. At first, I was a bit concerned that depression would take hold of my life. That is something I have absolutely no … Read entire article »
Filed under: Motivation
