In Covid times, two of my fellow-travellers were James and Simon from GCN (Global Cycling Network), whose endurance ride up the Passo Falzarego and V02 max session up the Passo Pordoi (available free on YouTube) helped pedal me through a running injury. Years later, when I tune in for the occasional session on my trainer, the sound of their voices still cheers me up. They helped me through a lousy time.
One of their mantras stuck with me. Warning riders not to rush into their first tough interval on the endurance ride, James says wisely, “We’re going to look for the effort to come to us.” This idea runs counter to all of my thinking. If you want to do a thing, make yourself do it! If you’re not doing it right, try harder! Stressing about it shows how committed you are!
But sometimes, trying harder only leaves me frustrated and defeated. So, this summer, I decided to back off effort entirely during my runs. Instead, I’ve been enjoying the beautiful summer mornings that London, UK, has offered me, jogging around my local parks and along the Regent’s Canal. I have a Park Run start line steps from my front gate, so I’ve enjoyed meeting locals and running around Highbury Fields on Saturday mornings. And, without thinking about it, I’ve been getting faster each week. I don’t set out to race. I just wait for the effort to come to me.
I’ve tried applying this approach to other activities. Like walking home from work. Some days I’m tired and would rather sit on a bus than walk 3.5 km. But when I tell myself that there’s no rush and remember the lovely community garden that I pass along the way, where there are roses blooming, I think less about effort and more about pleasure. The effort, such as it is, takes care of itself.
Maybe I need to get out of my own way more often and just show up—so that when the roses along the way appear, I’m there to smell them.