The end is drawing nigh.
The end of the riding and racing season is fast approaching now, and there’s no denying it. For awhile, it seemed like summer would hang on forever. But now the trees are turning, the woods have that musty smell, and the shadows seem long, regardless of the time of day.
I have always disliked autumn, as a general rule. It leads directly to winter, which season I have no real use for. As a kid, it also meant the arrival of hay fever and school, the two things I hated more than anything in the world. I’m mostly over the hay fever now, but the onset of fall still means cool, wet days, which means less riding and being outside.
The athlete in me, on the other hand, is ready for the break. I’ve reached the point in the season where all of the intensity is taking its toll a little, in terms of injury and fatigue. My right hip has been acting up again, my back isn’t where it should be, and all the races have put a damper on my weight lifting, so I’ve lost some strength. Winter is the time I use to heal up and bulk up, training to be stronger and faster for the next season, and part of me is ready for that. It’s true that I train all year ’round, but there’s no denying that racing is far harder on body and mind than just training.
So I’ll get what I can get out of the remaining warmer days, knowing they’ll be in short supply soon. But this year, when they’re gone, I might regret it a little less.