Training As the `End' Itself.

This blog has been up and running since 2009.  By and large it has remained true to the experience of `training' on the bike.  As my cycling evolves so does the `notion' and process of training. 

The biggest change in my cycling over these past five years has been the switch from `ultra' and long distance work to shorter and faster work.  I made that change this year.  After I completed the Joshua Tree Double Century last March the `point' of long distance cycling evaporated.  I was bored and I spent too much time alone training and doing long distance events. 

I want more `results' from my cycling and I want more time to do other `work' in my life.  I've referred in earlier blog entries to the actual ways in which my training for shorter and faster cycling has changed so I won't go into it here. 

So how is it going now that I have more time?  Frustrating.  Somewhat anxiety producing.  And I think that THAT is the way it is supposed to happen. 

`Work' and `job' are not the same thing.  Work is inherently meaningful and worthy.  A job is something that generates money to pay for stuff.  Sometimes we have both in the same thing at the same time.  And when that happens we're fortunate and we feel productively and creatively engaged. 

Cycling has become more of a `work' thing over the past few years.  It has been invigorating.  I've learned and am learning many things along many dimensions.  But it isn't enough.

I now have more time.  And it would be easy to just spend my time doing what happens to appear in front of me.  Actually, no it wouldn't.  I've never been that way.  I've thrashed around ... and thrashed and thrashed some more ... testing things out to see if they engage me in a meaningful way. 

So what I'm doing now is necessary `thrashing.'  As I said earlier, it is frustrating and anxiety producing.  But when I look at this experience from the perspective of a psychologist (me), with some objectivity and remove, it is a good process. 

Training teaches me stuff.  Without it I wouldn't really know `meaningful' if it came up and bit me in the hind end.