After the glory... comes the washing

A month ago I sat in a (rather marvellous) pop-up cafe on the Southbank demolishing baked goods surrounded by people I love having completed my first ever cyclosportive.  I was exuberant.  I had conquered Box and Leith Hills, and had raised a whole lot of cash in the process.  

Having had my place confirmed in February, I had a decent lead time before the big day.  And what a big day it was.  A seriously early start and a nerve wracking journey to the start which seemed like the other side of the world, at Stratford.  Many, many hours later, I finally called it a day, having had to wait for the adrenaline load to leave my system.

One month on, and I'm pretty much back into the usual swing of things.  Whilst my trusty singlespeed has got me from A to B several times a week, my roadbike has (I'm almost embarrassed to say) remained reasonably static, and remains adorned with my rider number from the big event.

However, I'm keen to maintain the fitness my ride prep necessitated.  It didn't happen overnight, and I trained harder than I knew possible.  The challenge now is to keep going, in the absence of a big fundraiser.  I have to want to do it for me.  I am reminded of the dilemma so often experienced, and even occasionally named as individuals prepare to graduate from a treatment programme.  

Working towards something tangible is often difficult, but far harder is keeping going after we've crossed the finish line.  For those of us in recovery there is no finish line.  We are forever recovering, and for that reason working a programme can be enormously helpful, if not vital.  We take certain steps, and keep going, for if we are not progressing, we risk returning to whence we came.  

The same goes for learning a new skill, or starting a new hobby.  The initial buzz and excitement can quickly wear off, particularly if we've developed this interest as part of a community or group from which we then separate.  Setting an intention is not always enough; we need to make a commitment, and the most effective way to promote self adherence is to identify the benefits of so doing.  

So, whether we're learning mindfulness, or wanting to keep fit, clean or sober it's good to know where we want to go, and why.  Then we face an important decision - to try and grasp onto intentions which whilst good our best endeavours are unlikely to be able to sustain in the changing weather patterns of our life circumstances and situation, or make a solid commitment, with study roots attached to the meaning and value we ascribe to whatever it is we seek to promote.  Don't just think about it...  Do it.