Be More Cat.

Sean Kelly is one of the most successful road cyclists of the 1980s, and one of the finest classics riders of all time. This is undeniable, but then he says things like, “I check the weather, I put on my gear, I go out and do my spin, then when I’m back do I decide if it was too wet or not.” This really does not help anyone and could be sighted as one of the reasons that he was a world champion and I am not…. as yet.

My friend Mario abides by his own “four degrees” rule. In that, if it is colder than four degrees he will not ride, and no amount of cajoling will change his mind. Even in the face of overwhelming persuasion from fellow club members he is stoic in his determination to stay indoors.

However, even by Mario’s standards I am cycling wimp. It may say nine, ten or eleven degrees on the weather forecast but I will still argue against venturing out. Have you taken the wind chill factor into consideration? And the fact we will be travelling fast on bikes? And the fact that if we wear Puffa jackets it may be frowned upon by the Velominati?

It was as I was going through this cycle (no pun intended) of trying to gee myself up, inspire myself to get out there one Saturday morning through the mediums of coffee, positive words and a healthy dose of self loathing that I caught sight of my cat, lounging on the sofa, paws akimbo and yawning. She looked completely relaxed. She looked contented. She looked…. happy.

As far as I am aware, nobody is online “cat shaming” each other’s pets for not not being the most athletic feline in the neighbourhood. Cats don’t suffer the Whatsapp group ignominy for being dropped on Leith Hill (or Box, Shere, Crocknorth, Coldharbour… my personal shaming knows no end!).

Cats are just very, very cool. They worked it out centuries ago and trust in their own paths. So, as you toil through the rain, sleet and snow of winter training ask yourself this, “Sean Kelly is one hell of a bloke but, overall, would I just be a little bit happier being a little more cat?”