Starting Over

 Not all the gravel is in the country.

 A little over a week ago now I helped my neighbor move from his old home to his current home a little ways across town. I mention this because I did something- or I guess maybe I 'over-did' something, that weekend. I worked 'way too hard'. 

So, moving is an all-body work-out, and in heat and humidity, it can be brutal. Consider that I was also working in two houses with zero A/C that were both so hot inside that it felt like it was a LOT cooler outdoors! I mention all of this because I ended up working harder than I have in years. And....I paid the price. 

I was pretty beat-down last week. Tired, sore, and aching all over every day. My first day of feeling somewhat 'normal'? Saturday this past weekend. So, as a result, I have been taking baby steps back- in terms of cycling- because I just haven't had anything in the tank for many days. In fact, I skipped a few days - not in a row - from cycling at all last week because my body was telling me that I was not ready yet. 

On one hand, I have been a bit dejected about this. On the other, I was surprised at the output I still had while moving that day. I haven't worked that hard on a bicycle- maybe ever - in my life. So, what that taught me was that I have a lot left in there to work with if I can just fuel and drink correctly during an event, and have the mindset I had while moving stuff that day. I know I had a very different mindset than I have ever had while attempting to bicycle a big event. 

 A nice day Lilly seen while 'urban-gravel riding'.

 So, I've been slowly coming back to speed, so to speak, of late. I am a bit anxious, as I prepare for my Gravel Worlds attempt in mid-August. I'm sure I'll be fine by then, but it is the 'worry-gene' I have in me that makes it harder than it needs to be. I think I need to approach this like I did with regard to my moving day's activities; I just need to decide I'm taking the bull by the horns and gettin' things done. 

The mental deal is so much of what we have to overcome. I know my body is capable, but I also know that my biggest battle to overcome is from within me. It's not easy to deal with it. But at least that moving day kind of dialed up to me that I have to work on what's in between my ears more than I do my pedaling a bicycle.