Goals

It is a hard thing to do.

And some mornings, I really don’t want to go through it. The pain and the suffering. It can be really, really intense.

This morning was one of those mornings. Even though I had a recovery day yesterday, I felt like I needed more rest. My legs were hurting. I was sore. I was stiff. I really did not feel like going down into the pain cave.

It was The Best Thing In The World.

This training video is a tough one. And it did not feel at all like the best thing in the world.

But I did it.

And yes, it was hard. It did hurt.

But I did not quit. I got on the bike and I worked hard.

Becoming Minimalist made a great point on his blog this week:

We prove what we desire most by our actions, not by our words.

I have a specific goal for a Gran Fondo ride in July. And that goal required a challenging training program.

The secret to achieving a goal, any goal, is to do something about that goal every day.

What I have been learning through my suffering on the indoor bike rides this winter is that I can become a better cyclist even in my senior years. At 59, I can still push some great numbers. I can still learn how to ride with more confidence. I can still do what I love to do: I can still ride a road bike.

That, for me, is the best thing in the world.

It happens not because I talk about the goal. It happens because I do something about it every day.

Even when I’d rather be doing something — anything — else.