Change… not the kind you keep in your back pocket for your Lidls shopping trolley but the kind that intimidates yet excites you and creates chaos and growth all at the same time. The kind of change that many people crave yet fear. I feel like this year so far, I've finally managed to branch out from a routine that I felt so stuck in throughout the past 2 years (during covid). I only really see now that the lack of change in my life is what dragged me down, and although yes I was still doing some incredible things with cycling and life, in general I felt mentally a bit 'monotone' like I was just kind of drifitng through and getting round. I recognise that the changes I've made in comparison to those that have gone to uni or moved countries, are relativley small but at the moment have been enough to visibly see my enjoyment, perspective and happiness…change. It's tricky to explain in writing without coming across in an over-dramatised way, I now just realise that I was simply getting bored sticking to what I knew. Maybe its just a part of growing up where you start to lead your own life and you begin to see that there's so many other oppotunities and things to try, than just sticking to what you know. So what has actually changed? I've recently moved out with a friend, still in Portsmouth and infact really not far from my family home but its enough to feel a bigger sense of freedom and control of my life. I've just started a new job, in a totally new line of work, all exciting and new. However, I'd say the main difference for me this year would be switching my focus to road racing rather than MTB. Initally I wanted to do this to ensure I had better fitness for the start of CX season and with the move to race for TEKKERZ this year fitting with my plans perfectly, I've been lucky enough to branch out into many other things. By focusing on a different disipline, I've met so many new people, those who I can locally train with and those I can learn from in racing rather than worrying about wanting to beat them. Not only this, but having set my expectations lower meant I could actually focus on the process rather than results. I mean no ones perfect, I look back as some results this season and think 'wow that was a pretty poor postition' but also I can look back at statistics from Jan-now and think 'wow I've improved massively'. My previous 4/5 summers have always been focused around the National MTB season and training towards champs at the end and I'm not saying I never enjoyed those races, I LOVED racing them and because my roots are still in MTB, I still intend to continue on riding & racing MTB. But it's safe to say I've really enjoyed being within a different race scene, as well as organising and getting myself to races where I can. There's been a few other smaller changes as well but those would be the biggest differences so far. Anywho, all this speak of change, yet I'm about to start the one thing I do every year the same..cyclocross season. I couldn't give you one reason why I refuse to change this part of my life at the moment, because, well there's just too many reasons why I love it. The routine of CX is something I know and love, I can stilll hold my own in the national scene and all my closest friends race too, its the part of the year I can see my mates from across the whole country nearly every weekend!! Despite this, I knew before starting the season my training set up and/or mindset needed to change as the training for CX is harder than the racing. Dark, cold and wet riding most days- you need to love it. I haven't created any specific goals yet for this season but plan on working out my season plan etc over the next month, as I begin to get back into it with a few local rounds. So what's coming up? A Pre-season intensive Montezuma's Race Team training camp with some new teammates, leading into my first race this season on home grounds (Clanfield CX is back babbyyy!) the first weekend of September. Then a potential trip out to Belgium with the team mid-september for a weekend of racing, and lastly Kingscup Gravel champs at the end of the month. Check out my Calendar on my website, where i'll be adding in the events I've got coming up.
As always huge thank you to Pedal Potential, I wouldn't have been able be more independant with my racing or be open to key opportunities without thier support, I couldn't thank them enough. Thanks for reading, not your usual monthly update this month, more of a brain dump haha :) Amy x :)
1 Comment
Les Dance
9/4/2022 01:37:28 pm
Hi Amy
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