2024 review and something new
5:59pm, 1st Jan 2025 | 3 Comments
Blog by Yorkshire Mince Pie
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I never did a review of the year so here is a brief one.
At the start of the year it was all about the Fred. I'm really pleased with how I came up with my plan, trained for it and executed it.
After that there was no real cycling target, but I'm pretty pleased with the fact that I kept ticking over with some racing but not taking it too seriously.
The bigger achievement of the year was probably becoming a runner again. Nowhere near the distances or speeds I used to do, but a sensible return, with a pleasing level of consistency, not breaking myself, and starting to think of myself as a runner again.
It's also a second year of at least 5 minutes of yoga every day. A lot of days it is only 5 minutes, but that's fine - it's enough to keep the routine and get my body moving in the morning, allowing me to do longer sessions on other days.
I've generally felt like I've found a nice balance. Maybe the competitive urge has faded a little, but that's fine. And I've found more time for non active things in particular starting French classes. I was surprised how quickly it came back once I did something harder than Duolingo, and I've now read novels in French and have found some podcasts that I can understand enough of to be worthwhile (and hopefully understanding a bit more each time).
Speaking of French, we did make it into Brussels City centre last night for a wander round and get into French speaking Belgium rather than Flanders. L isn't really a city person so we didn't stay too long but we did get waffles, beer and food, and got to look at some of the Christmas lights. The fireworks woke me up but the angle of our window was wrong and I could only hear them, not see them.
I wondered whether today's treasure hunt would involve anything I could find in Baal. Success - something new? 1 January is new team/kit day in the cycling world so there should have been plenty of options to choose from
But in the end the changes to kits were only subtle and only the most fervent cross fans would really notice the difference.
So instead today's photo is new duck themed tat and a cofidis fleecy buff.
the race is sponsored by a bathroom company and they go all in on the rubber duck theme. Except it was too windy for the giant inflatable ducks. Maybe on Friday at koksijde. As long as the wind dies down - last time we tried to watch cx there it was too windy and it got cancelled.
As we have to drive to Baal anyway (no way to get there on public transport on new year's day!) we have moved hotels to gent to be closer to the next three races. Tomorrow is a day off so as long as the wind and rain clears overnight it will probably be a morning ride and afternoon/evening tourism again.
At the start of the year it was all about the Fred. I'm really pleased with how I came up with my plan, trained for it and executed it.
After that there was no real cycling target, but I'm pretty pleased with the fact that I kept ticking over with some racing but not taking it too seriously.
The bigger achievement of the year was probably becoming a runner again. Nowhere near the distances or speeds I used to do, but a sensible return, with a pleasing level of consistency, not breaking myself, and starting to think of myself as a runner again.
It's also a second year of at least 5 minutes of yoga every day. A lot of days it is only 5 minutes, but that's fine - it's enough to keep the routine and get my body moving in the morning, allowing me to do longer sessions on other days.
I've generally felt like I've found a nice balance. Maybe the competitive urge has faded a little, but that's fine. And I've found more time for non active things in particular starting French classes. I was surprised how quickly it came back once I did something harder than Duolingo, and I've now read novels in French and have found some podcasts that I can understand enough of to be worthwhile (and hopefully understanding a bit more each time).
Speaking of French, we did make it into Brussels City centre last night for a wander round and get into French speaking Belgium rather than Flanders. L isn't really a city person so we didn't stay too long but we did get waffles, beer and food, and got to look at some of the Christmas lights. The fireworks woke me up but the angle of our window was wrong and I could only hear them, not see them.
I wondered whether today's treasure hunt would involve anything I could find in Baal. Success - something new? 1 January is new team/kit day in the cycling world so there should have been plenty of options to choose from
But in the end the changes to kits were only subtle and only the most fervent cross fans would really notice the difference. So instead today's photo is new duck themed tat
and a cofidis fleecy buff. the race is sponsored by a bathroom company and they go all in on the rubber duck theme. Except it was too windy for the giant inflatable ducks. Maybe on Friday at koksijde. As long as the wind dies down - last time we tried to watch cx there it was too windy and it got cancelled.
As we have to drive to Baal anyway (no way to get there on public transport on new year's day!) we have moved hotels to gent to be closer to the next three races. Tomorrow is a day off so as long as the wind and rain clears overnight it will probably be a morning ride and afternoon/evening tourism again.
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Yorkshire Mince Pie
I have definitely given up marathons this time.Because I have discovered bikes...
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