Hiatus - Life Updates ~ Sept-Oct

I've been quiet.

September was a busy month - a mix of long-days out on local lanes, trips away to see friends and celebrations (anniversaries, birthdays, etc). It was also a busy, busy period of job applications, interviews and pitches, which hasn't given me a lot of time to pause and reflect.

The good news - I have a new permanent job! The type of job i've been waiting for - a great career move and the financial stability to start getting excited about new trips, upgrades to the bike(s) and potentially other life changes. Obviously, that means a reduction ride time, and perhaps a shift in what I need (ie. 6 hours a week means I hardly need loads of bikes) so i'm reviewing my initial bike upgrades in favour of more specific adventures as well as more targeted weekenders.

Given it suits me more, my (fairly light) indicative schedule leans a lot towards gravel:

• Sherwood Pines Glorious Gravel long (Jan-March)
• Scarborough / North Yorks Moors (TBC - Date)
• Norway Gravel (recce) ?? (May)
• Slovenia Glorious Gravel (June 3rd-June 8th)
• Dunwich Dynamo > Suffolk (20th July tbc)
• Provence (Ventoux) - (31st - 5th September)

I'm also hoping I can apply for a Glorious Gravel season-pass to cut the costs of the rides and jump onto one's as/when my schedule is light/I can. Otherwise, I also want to try and get a couple of Audax's under my belt, body, mind and time permitted.

For now, it's back to (probable) damp weekend club rides, indoor sessions and hopefully some slippy, sloppy gravel winter fun!

2023, complete.

An odd but decent on-bike year. Cycled similar mileage to 2022 but can definitely see really good areas of improvement, particularly in my fitness and lifestyle choices -  eating healthily, less drinking, combining to drop me down to a much more natural weight of around 70kg (170cm). 

I also feel far more comfortable on the bike with a combination of improved flexibility (thanks Yoga with Adrienne lol) and better bike-handling. My main struggle of 2023 has been staying healthy - a combination of stress, weather and (from time-to-time) pushing myself too hard and expecting too much (watts, power, speed).

I’ve improved a lot and know I want too much too quickly, so 2024 aim is to be a bit more intentional with my training, get a coach/trainer and just manage my expectations. 

Sadly cycling oversea’s eluded me for another year, but really did enjoy a lot of UK roads and fields, mostly in-and-around Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire, as well as a couple of excursions into Yorkshire. Nearly did a bike-packing trip around Cornwall (overnight sleeper), but storm-stopped play, but is back on the list for 2024.