Project 60

There was a time when adventures started with nothing more than a stupid idea and a bunch of buddies. New experiences didn’t require extensive warm up routines and planning didn’t start by pre-booking a series of visits to the physio. Of late everything seems to come with a possible consequence and the physical things I took for granted now cause me to second guess.

Of course I can ride down that drop, of course I can paddle out, of course I can fix that roof tile while dangling off the side of the ladder. As I race towards a significant birthday I seem to be increasingly stepping back from new challenges and it’s not a great place to be. Appreciate the need for self-preservation, but there is equally a need to go off piste now and then. Burning or rusting.

Working with my training buddy we picked a sporting event a year away to celebrate that significant birthday. To complete the event with a hint of dignity, new skills will be needed, a lot of new skills. Discipline will need to lift across a bunch of areas and priorities will certainly have to shift.

Entering an event hasn’t happened in a long time for me. It may have been a couple of decades since I last pinned on a number. The preparation has begun and of course it will never be enough.

My physio has been alerted and the warm up exercises have started. Strangely it feels nice to be slightly terrified.