Obsessed?

So much for yesterday's full on thirty degree plus heat as I got off the plane - this morning dawned grey and cool(er).

In fact, perfect for cycling - so off I went for my morning gym session so to speak. This time I correctly worked out the prevailing wind direction and so cycled into the breeze through Pennautier and Ventenac-Cabardes and on to Villesquelande before turning back towards Carcassonne through Caux and Greves. It was just under 30kms in total and I was back by 10.00am and feeling energised and alert.

I am actually becoming a bit of a cycling junkie. Each day I am thinking when can I get out on the bike and I am pushing myself more week by week. I now have a 'bike computer' which records my trip distance and time and average speed and all the rest and I religiously look at the results and vow to go further or faster next time. I know all about obsessions and am very conscious that this could easily become another one if I am not careful - so I need to keep it in perspective.

Why am I cycling?

What am I trying to achieve or prove ?

I started (once again) because I had put weight on over the winter and I wasn't doing any exercise. It was a struggle at first, as it had been when I first bought the bike for the very same reasons four years ago - but soon, as I forced myself to go out and did so more often, I started to enjoy it and started to push myself further and further, harder and harder.

Maybe my impending 50th birthday has something to do with it. Maybe Debrah's sudden gym obsession has something to do with it (I am slightly worried that her personal trainer has taught her how to punch properly!).

There is no doubt that I feel much better for it. I have lost a lot of weight but have no idea how much exactly as we don't have any scales here - that's not really that important though is it? I feel much more alert and alive, which has to be a good thing.

Obsession has to be better than addiction and for that reason I am content with it.