Finding Motivation Early in the Morning

The alarm rings at 4:45 am.

It is dark.

It is cold.

I’m tired.  I need sleep.

I don’t think I’ll ride.

I turn off the alarm, roll over, and my thoughts continue:

Those guys will miss you, and you’ll catch flack.

Mike B will hold you accountable.

It’s not that cold … wimp.

You will get behind in your miles.

You are in training for the Flèche.

If you don’t ride, you are restricted to 1400 calories today.

If you are going to lay here debating about whether or not to ride, you might as well get up and ride.

And so I climb out of bed, get ready to ride, and make it to the Rusty Bridge on time.

There are a total of 6 people out in the 23° F temperatures and we ride.  We ride fast for a little while.  We ride slow at times.  And at the end of the morning another 24 miles have been logged.  Conversations have happened.  Friendships have been tended.

But more important than the miles logged is that I’m glad I made the effort.

It makes no sense to ride only when I feel like it … because those times will become more frequent the more I miss a ride.

This Morning’s Ride: 24.1 miles
Month: 44.3 miles
2013: 44.3 miles
Total since 1/1/2010: 19,817.2 miles