Tentative non-start

Yesterday I went for a ride that I'm refusing to call the first training run because that would mean that I've officially started and I don't want to do that this side of Christmas. There's too much distraction and temptation in the way during December so January's the month it'll all kick off. I'll stop drinking for at least that month and really concentrate on building up some miles in my legs.

It's just as well I've not started properly yet because yesterday was hard work. I went 34 miles at an average of 17mph, which is about where I'd want to be at the moment I suppose, but it really felt tough. The weather didn't help - I was going into quite brisk winds for some of the time (and being pushed along by them at others of course) and there were a couple of cold, sharp showers. At least half of the family is mildly under the weather at the moment so I'm probably not firing on all cylinders either. And drinking two beers and at least half a bottle of wine the night before wasn't the ideal preparation. But hey, there's got to be a starting point, right? And the lower that is, the easier it is to make dramatic progress.

I was talking to Madge (my wife Rachael...don't ask, long story) yesterday about the fund-raising challenge and I think that, with her help, I'll be okay on that score. It'll be hard work but as long as I can summon the same enthusiasm for that as I'll need for the training challenge - and, crucially, that I start addressing both challenges right at the start of the new year - there's no reason to think I'll fail at either.

Ah the easy confidence of someone who's not yet got stuck into a challenge! I'll re-read this at times next year and wonder at my hopeless naivety, I'm sure. There's no point approaching it any other way though - it would only give me sleepless nights, and I'm having enough of those as it is thanks to a rather abrupt career change I'm halfway through at the moment (another long story - best left for another day I think).