After the shutdown: Renaissance Athlete.

What a long strange year. My mom passed away in September 2019 after months of a steady, rapid decline in health. Then, in early 2020, while still getting my mind around the reality of living in a world without her, the world itself took a turn for the worse as the coronavirus literally went viral, spreading rapidly around the world, shutting down business, separating people, limiting travel, creating social distance. Social upheaval: protests, political chaos, erupted. It seemed like the fabric of society itself was being stretched thin. The virus is not quite done yet but, it seems, I hope, that the worst of it is behind us. Emerging from the shut down brought on by the coronavirus -Covid-19- and the world is a different place. There is so much to unpack; it's going to take a while.

I feel like I need a new start, a re-centering of self. Prior to March 2020, my last brevet was PBP in August 2019. In March 2021, after a month of hourly rides, I completed a 200K but did it more on memory and will power, than on any kind of Randonneuring fitness. It was something but not quite the re-start I needed. 

 

Renaissance is a French word meaning “rebirth.” A Renaissance man is understood as someone who has wide breadth of knowledge and skills. Coming out of the darkness of the last year or so, I want to re-enter the world as a Renaissance athlete, one who enjoys a wide breadth of fitness and, is so doing, find a greater appreciation in the fullness and possibilities  of life. 

The first step in regaining a breadth of fitness is dealing with the reality of being a 50 something year old with achy knees and more weight to lose than I care to have. But that's OK. We can only start where we are and go from there. 

I'm starting here and I'll post some thoughts images here and on Instagram @ironrider6245. I hope to capture some of process and maybe do some unpacking along the way ... for those who may be interested.