How I Didn’t Think I’d Ride 10,000 Kilometres This Year
At the start of this year, no number felt as distant as 10,000km. I was floored by an Epstein Barr virus diagnosis a soul-sapping setback that handed me weeks of fatigue and forced rest. I resigned myself to the idea it’d be a long recovery, if recovery ever really happened. Cycling is my routine, my release, my way to see friends, escape and forget, it suddenly felt out of reach, now that was tough.
The Reality of EBV: Resetting Expectations
If you’ve ever had EBV or something similar, you know: it’s not just about feeling tired. It’s about watching your energy vanish, rationing what’s left, and enduring the mind games that come with chronic fatigue. Pros like Mark Cavendish know the struggle all too well well, never did I think this would happen to me.
When I went to the doctor he asked me in a joking way “are you an alcoholic?” I hadn’t touched alcohol in years now so I laughed, but m liver was that of one, another effect of the virus.
So I did the onl thing I could, I focused instead on rest, careful increments, and not crossing the invisible threshold that might spark relapse, still eating like I was riding 400km a week watching the kilograms pile on.
The Turning Point: Slow Rides and Social Stops
I remember the first ride back, felt like a MAMIL in my kit, it was tight, my legs hairy and I instantly knew when I got back my body would ache.
At first, my rides weren’t about distance. The highlight was simple getting out for coffee and tostada with friends. Social rides were not a thing though, u really didn’t have the pace, I wanted them back so bad for my morale, to for rebuild my sense of belonging after illness.
These easy spins were all I had for now, short as they were, they kept me connected and motivated, even if they felt a world away from the high-mileage weeks I used to chase.
Trusting the Process: Training Plans and Patient Progress
After weeks of cautious recovery, I gave a social ride with some friends ago, figured I would sit in and draft, I definitely overestimated things, I felt okay at first but towards the end I had faded, my mental state had turned, I couldn’t hold the wheels. In the end I let my friends go ahead, I was only 20 minutes from home afterall. I dropped back and sat at the side of the road and cried, it was tough, I’d never been in this state before. After the 20 minutes ride was more like 35 because there was a climb home up from Orba.
After this moment I turned to give structure a shot. I dug into training plans specifically designed for athletes returning from illness schedules that emphasised gradual increases and forced me to listen to my body. The guidelines were simple but effective: start light, prioritise rest, only add intensity when it was clear my system could take it. Tracking progress became as much about celebrating small wins as chasing big numbers.
The payoff came slowly, then all at once. First a return to 100km weeks, then consistent 200s, then pushing 350 to 400+ kilometres week after week. The invisible wall of EBV started to crumble, and it felt some days like I was coming back stronger than ever.
Myself and Eva even got a trip to the pyrenees and ticked off some bucket list climbs and linked in with seeing our friend Chris who was in Font Romeu.
Rediscovering Momentum and Hitting the Milestone
As this rhythm kicked in, my goals shifted. Social rides were still lifeblood, but my confidence returned. Suddenly, chasing the 10,000km mark was more than just possible it was within reach. The crazy thing? I didn’t even realise I was getting close, I just followed my training and rode, it’s the unexpected joys like this that bring a smile to your face. And I felt a mix of gratitude for what my body could do, and pride in the discipline that got me here.
Now, with two months left in the year and rides still on the calendar, I’m closing in on 10,000km. The number means nothing if we’re honest about it, it doesn’t make you a better cyclist, but for me it’s proof that setbacks aren’t the final word in any story, and some milestones mean more once you’ve nearly given up on them.
Lessons for Others Facing Recovery
If you’re coming back from illness, trust the process go slow, start small, celebrate every ride, no matter how short. Surround yourself with friends, good coffee, and patience. Setbacks will happen. Progress isn’t linear. But movement however gradual has a way of surprising you.
And if you’re counting kilometres this year, here’s hoping you find your own story on the road. But no matter the number the ride is stilL the most important.