PLAYING THE WAITING GAME

It feels like I'm playing the waiting game at the moment and it has been like that for a few weeks. The Bontrager Twentyfour12 seems to have been "just around the corner" for months, and there's still 4 days to go before the start. Add trying to keep up with the riding and training during this changeable, ok, wet, weather, I must admit that my motivation and enthusiasm has dwindled at times. However I returned to an old favourite this evening and rode the trail where it all began for me a few years ago, and where I got my first taste of mountain biking.

That trail of course, is Penhydd at Afan Argoed, and I've come to realise that every time my motivation to get out and ride fades, that's the place I go to to get me going again. After the Mountain Mayhem in June and the seemingly endless periods of rain we've had, and having to ride day in day out in the wet conditions, I have found it hard to motivate myself to get out and train. However, today, even though the weather was grim, I decided to go back and ride around Penhydd, and for some reason it made me remember why I do what I do once more.

It's not the longest, hardest, gnarliest, fastest of trails. It's not a "natural" ride, and you don't need a map to find your way around. It hasn't got the newest jumps and bumps or tabletops or berms either. It's just fun. For me, it's a classic trail. And tonight I even managed to make it longer and include some hill intervals as part of this week's training plan.

It also reminds me to take a step back, away from the hype, the magazines, the forums and racing and remember why I ride a bike. It's to get exercise, to enjoy the scenery, the fresh air, to be with your mates (was alone today, apart from Hamish the dog, but he doesn't say much), but above all else, to have fun.

So while I am sat here, I find myself looking forward to the weekend's racing and my enthusiasm has returned. Thanks to riding Penhydd.