Fitness is a journey, not a destination. We have to make it happen, and keep on making it happen, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. This month the scale and the mirror seem to have a difference of opinion regarding my fitness. The winter, shortened by a full season of cyclocross, did not manage to increase my mass quite so much as in years past. Give some credit to running as well. My weight is just 5 pounds or so higher than during my best period of fitness last summer, a time when I was racing fairly well. Why then, do my stomach and love handles look so much worse?
I guess it does not matter. March and April have always been difficult months for me. Riding in the winter is easy. Expectations are low, and you know it will be cold, so you just wear all your clothes; the risk of being overdressed in minimal. The spring is different. You have to anticipate the conditions and figure out how to dress. This isn't too big of a deal, but once in a while you are going to mess up and be miserable out on the bike.
Then there are the nice days. Everyone gets out, you do some good riding. The problem is, on the subsequent not-so-nice days, the temptation to say "screw it" and wait for tommorow is very strong. Getting oneself onto the trainer presents an even greater challenge after a week of sweet outdoor riding. Yet the pressure to stick to your training plan balloons during these months. Racing begins soon. Endurance, power, and speed all need specific attention; this is a critical time. The ups and downs of New England weather, along with the complete lack of holiday within these months are the curses of my spring. Thankfully we have the excitement of the new season to keep us moving along in our journey.
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