Troubled Times

Cross right now is like a relationship going through a rocky patch. We've been together for awhile and things were going really well. Oh sure, maybe not the passion of when we first met but certainly a strong relationship that looked like it would last. But then my eye started to wander. At first it was just a some meaningless flirtations that harmed no one. A winter spent with skiing and some summer days running instead of on the bike. But then the flirtations turned to something more serious. At first cross turned a blind eye and I kept thinking that my relationship with cross was still strong. However, I canceled date nights spent doing cross drills and worrying about my technique as prescribed by a cross coach. Instead I snuck out in the evenings with shiny new rollerskis. Like in many a troubled relationship I decided to make a grand gesture of my love for cross in an attempt to compensate. How could cross not love me back after the romance of a UCI weekend!? And cross appreciated the gesture and perhaps we were both fooled into thinking everything would be fine now. However, it quickly realized that I wasn't being faithful to it and my flirtation was now so much more. Like many a lover spurned cross has decided to get even with me for what has become a full blown affair with skiing. Oh sure, it appreciates my attempts at showing it that I still care by dressing up and carving out time on the weekends. However, in the end it knows that I'm sneaking out on weeknights on my rollerskis and ignoring cross. I may have made some efforts to save our relationship but I went too far and now cross is not loving me back. Now I'm the one spurned and it hurts.

My results show just how much it hurts. I'm confident that we can survive this rocky patch and get through this season. However, I think I'm going to have to make more time for cross in the future. It may take some therapy (well, bike specific training at least) but I just don't see a break up as eminent. I hope cross feels the same way.