#dirtyreiver

The common theme of 2019 was that at least 2020 can’t be any worse. Of course I don’t need to explain that turns out it could be. Much worse. Plans for 2020 have already, quite rightly, been shelved so everybody can focus on dealing with the COVID-19 virus pandemic. It seems, in times like this, that our usual worries and tribulations really aren’t as serious as they appear. Although these worries and tribulations shouldn’t really be forgotten or under-played; they are after all what makes us human.

Very fortuitously we had been back from winter training camp in Spain for some time when the effects of COVID-19 started to really hit home. Roads there that we had been training on now devoid of riders as social distancing took effect and a ban on cycling outdoors following close afterwards. It's surreal to think how quickly, but predictably, this pandemic has happened. But, as for the rest of the season, it appears that 2020 will be postponed. To 2021 maybe. Then we can have 2021 in 2022 or maybe just a mega-season in which we all ride double the races and we have weeks in the summer of 2021 containing Wimbledon, Le Tour, La Vuelta, Glastonbury, and the second Wimbledon of the year with the Giro over the weekend. Who knows. However any disappointment for not getting to race this year is tempered with the reality of the world as it is right now. It seems churlish to mourn the loss of a season and to also mourn the loss of group rides with friends, but these things are what makes us human and to mourn them is natural and totally understandable.

This year was going to be a "big year"; winter training in Spain, racing the Dirty Reiver 200km gravel race early season, crits, road races, riding in the French Alps, and the highlight riding The Rift 200km gravel race in Iceland in the summer. Along with holidays bikepacking with friends in Scotland (mostly cycling, some whisky). Even weekend rides to the coast and exploring my current temporary surroundings in SW London/edge of Surrey. All gone (other than The Rift which currently has not been cancelled). Although of course a race isn't just a process of turning up with a bicycle and pedalling but focusing your training programme on an event, doing other preparatory events, getting acclimatised; all which are currently next to impossible. One of the biggest challenges this year is that we just don’t know what, or when, we’re training for. So, for the time being it’s reasonable and proportionate training to maintain fitness and good mental health.

Of course there is Zwift (other virtual cycling apps are available) which is, quite frankly, a blessing. I am really lucky to have a Wattbike Atom, a big screen, and Zwift so I can keep training and riding with friends but it's certainly different. I suspect at the end of this period of lockdown I'll have a reasonable level of crit fitness, or "critness" if you like, but training for longer events over challenging terrain and through challenging circumstances is all but impossible at the moment. But, again, I'm still lucky to have what I have. We'll see. I wake up every day, have breakfast, a warm-up ride on Zwift, and then log in to my work systems and begin my day's work; thankful for health and a safe place to live, and a wonderful daft dog to share lockdown with. Perspective.

Who knows what the rest of the year will bring us but it is still ok to mourn our losses; of people we love but also even just of time with our friends or a Sunday ride to the coast and eating chips on the beach.