Pedal to Podium

As with most days that begin with me finishing a night shift and end with me heading off for the next one, today felt like a bit of a write-off. It’s a routine I’ve grown used to, but it still presents its challenges—especially when it comes to fitting in training.

I had a chat with my coach a few days ago about how tough it is to get longer sessions done on these days. No matter how hard I try, squeezing in anything over 1.5 hours between waking up and going to work just isn’t happening so I’ve asked him to try and work my plan around my weird hours. Today was no exception—I managed 1 hour and 15 minutes of a 2-hour interval session that had been prescribed. It wasn’t ideal, and skipping the strength session that was also on the plan meant I missed one of my sessions this week entirely.

On top of that, I’m a little frustrated that my weight hasn’t budged at all this week, despite being mindful of my nutrition and training. It’s one of those things that can get under your skin when you’re working so hard, but I’m trying to remind myself that progress isn’t always linear.

Not everything about today was frustrating, though. This evening was a highlight—I cooked an amazing roast lamb dinner for my husband, and it was such a simple yet satisfying way to spend time together. To my surprise, he went out and bought me a birthday cake since no one had gotten me one yesterday. It may seem like a small thing, but it really touched me, especially after feeling a little let down about it on my actual birthday. Sitting down together to enjoy it made the day feel a little brighter.

Tomorrow is my day off before another stretch of night shifts, and I usually use it to prioritise rest and recovery. That said, I’m thinking about squeezing in a bit more exercise to make up for what I missed today. We’ll see how I feel once I’ve had some proper sleep.

Days like this remind me that the balance between work, training, and life isn’t always perfect, but the moments of joy—like tonight’s dinner and cake—make it all worthwhile. Here’s to taking things one day at a time and finding those little wins along the way.