Living to Ride, Riding to Live
Phew… it’s a few weeks since I’ve written. In the meantime (in order of occurrence, not importance), I’ve parted ways with my former employer, gotten married and become hopelessly addicted to cycling.
While only riding for three months now, I’ve met a ton of great people and rekindled the Kaizen spirit within that had gone dormant for a bit. As if that’s not enough to get one addicted it’s also helped me focus in on what really matters in my life. A few examples:
- Having a team makes you better. Riding alone means you’re constantly working. Constantly grinding. There are no breaks. Having a team around you gives you a chance to play off of each others strengths to ride longer, ride faster and help push each other to improve. In my case, I owe a lot to the great riders I’ve recently met. Always quick to encourage and coach, by virtue of their experience and fitness, they’ve also pushed me to run at speeds and mileage I wouldn’t have otherwise considered.
- Leading is hard, but worth the payoff. Riding out front means you’re working harder, but it also means that you’re doing your part to help others. The unspoken appreciation for the job your doing is enough. You’ve given up yourself and earn the respect of your fellow riders. And, you’ve also improved yourself by driving yourself harder than you would if you were in the back of the pack. It’s a win-win all the way around.
- Your mind often prevents your best accomplishments. I’ve learned to listen to my body rather than that rabid, junkyard dog barking upstairs. Rather than think of how far or how fast I’ve ridden and assume I should be tired, I let my legs tell me that. Likewise, I’ve always been the one to self-edit my ideas or stop myself from taking professional risks because that junkyard dog is smart enough to see the downsides. Let the real obstacles stop you. Don’t stop yourself.
- Focus on what you can control. You can’t control the hill in front of you or the wind in your face, but you can shift gears so that you keep your steady rhythm and keep pushing forward. Thinking about your form, your cadence and really pulling through every cycle improves your (or at least my) speed and makes me a better rider all around. Knowing how to get the most out of each stroke helps to get me over Olde Stage when the wind is in my face, but it also helps me pick up the pace and be a better leader on the speedway of Highway 36.
- Expect the unexpected and stay flexible. Cars are everywhere and not all drivers are nice (random observation: bigger the vehicle, the bigger the asshole behind the wheel…usually, though sports cars and BMWs are the exception that prove the rule - but that’s another topic). Most drivers are courteous and give a little extra room, but you’ll encounter those who have no vision beyond their own self-interests and the hood of their jacked up GMC Yukon. They’ll honk, swerve or ignore you completely. You have to expect that and proactively anticipate accordingly. Then you have to let it go. It’s not like you can catch them.
- Live the moment. You can cover a lot of ground on a bike, but you cover it at a pace where you can actually take note of what you miss when you zoom by in a car. A dilapidated red barn, steep canyon walls, the flowing of the river. There’s a lot of stuff out there that we’d enjoy but we often miss it because we’re too focused on the destination rather than the journey.
Anyhow, gotta go. I haven’t been on the bike all day and I’m getting the shakes.
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