Come rain, hail or shine a cycle ride can lift your spirits

My working season came to a close at the end of November. I had spent it travelling around Europe riding in some fantastic locations and meeting many interesting people and, as it all came to a close, I returned home to heavy rain, cold temperatures and a serious lack of motivation to get on a bike.

All I wanted to do was light the fire, sprawl in front of it, open a big bag of crisps and watch TV, or read a book. Not that there is anything wrong with any of this, of course, but I had just spent the previous 10 months bemoaning to my long-suffering wife the fact that I had been working non-stop (albeit on a bike and with cyclists) and never really got an opportunity to cycle for myself on my home trails and roads.

In fact, I had ridden a total of 97-workunrelated miles on home roads in 2018 – less than I have cycled since my early teens. As I travelled home by train, I dozed and looked forward to all the cycling I was going to do, just for my own enjoyment.

Except it didn’t quite happen like that. My desire to pedal soon dwindled. The puddles on the trails and roads grew deeper. Even venturing outside with the dogs became a gargantuan mission in self-motivation.

Such a dip in impetus at the end of a cycling season, and at this time of year, is not unusual, but I knew that it would only lead to a downward spiral in my mood, leading to what my kids refer to as GDS (Grumpy Dad Syndrome).

I know that, whatever the weather, outdoor, physical activity is the key component in keeping my demons at bay. The more I sat inside, festering and waiting for perfect weather to ride in, the more difficult it would become for me to motivate myself into action and the more my family would become fed up with my grumpy behaviour. But knowing something and actually doing it are two very different beasts.

What actually inspired this week’s column was a chance happening on an article in an old issue of Singletrack magazine. One afternoon I was moping around my office, listening to the rain on the windows when an image of two mountain bikers caught my eye.

The photo was of two riders on the “Coffin Road”, out of Glen Quoich in the north-west Highlands. A vast, rain sodden landscape emptied itself behind them and a hint of a rainbow was smudging the sky. It lifted my spirits and the reason why I cycle was presented before me in a full-page photograph.

I had an instant desire to be there, riding alongside my dogs and breathing in the beauty of a dramatic Scottish landscape. I started pulling out maps, planning my next adventure.

It took a few days before I actually got out, but when I did it was a spring clean for my soul. The weather didn’t matter; I was actually relishing the battle against the strong winds and driving rain.

Join the Blazing Saddles Strava Club at: www.strava.com/clubs/ BlazingSaddlesWeekendCourier

Don’t let bad weather put you off cycling – you’ll feel great once you’re out!