Last week didn’t unfold quite how I’d planned.
After getting a solid cycle in on Monday, the rest of the week was swallowed up by an overseas work trip. Early starts, long days, and the usual travel constraints meant that any kind of regular activity just wasn’t on the cards. In the past, I might have let that derail momentum or become an excuse to slip further off track—but this time feels different. This journey isn’t about perfection; it’s about consistency over time, and adapting when life inevitably gets in the way.
And as it turned out, the weekend more than made up for it.
Saturday became something special. My wife had been making do with our daughter’s gravel bike, so we put that right and got her one of her own. What followed was one of those simple but genuinely meaningful afternoons—building the bike together in the garden, taking our time, enjoying the sunshine, and just being present. No rush, no pressure. Just the pair of us, working on something together.
Sunday morning was where things really came together. We headed out for our first gravel ride as a family. Same route as my wife and I did three weeks ago—but a very different result. We completed the 30 miles 16 minutes faster this time around and we weren’t pushing. That’s not just a marginal gain—that’s real, tangible progress.
More importantly, it felt better.
Stronger legs, better pacing, more confidence across the terrain—and a shared sense that we’re improving. That’s the part that matters most. This isn’t just an individual journey; it’s becoming something we’re building together, and that adds a whole new level of motivation.
Now, we turn our attention to the week ahead.
We’ve got a 50-mile road ride coming up for a charitable cause. It’ll be a big step up—my wife and daughter’s longest ride by far, and my longest in nearly a decade. There’s definitely a mix of excitement and nerves, but that’s exactly where growth happens.
The goal isn’t just to complete it—it’s to enjoy it, support each other through it, and come out the other side stronger.
No matter how it goes, it’ll be another marker on this journey of shifting the spark—turning intention into action, and building something healthier, more active, and more meaningful along the way.
Let’s see what this week brings.