There’s no doubt I live La Vie Velominatus. Sometimes I think I live it maybe a little too much, as I’ve been told by independent observers that bicycles and all associated with them dominates my very existence. And it’s true; I work in the industry, dividing my time between editing Spoke magazine, writing (not nearly enough lately) here, and a couple of days a week in the shop. Whenever there’s a spare moment, it’s usually spent surfing the web, and nine out of ten sites I’ll view are in some way bike related. To end the day I’ll settle down with a book or a magazine in bed. No need to tell you the subject matter. (It’s not porn… really.)
Is this healthy? Cycling is by definition a healthy activity, but when one becomes all-consumed by a solitary pursuit, it can be seen as unhealthy in itself. An addiction. Addictions are usually construed as being bad things, but surely an addiction to something so pure can’t be harmful?
Well, not if you aren’t actually riding. If the only link to cycling is from sitting in front of a computer, writing about riding, reading other’s articles about riding, and making a magazine about riding, all to the detriment of actually getting on a bike and doing it, that takes its toll, both mentally and physically.
It’s a Catch 22 situation. You don’t ride, and you lose fitness. And when you lose fitness, riding becomes harder. So you shy away from hard rides. Consequently, you lose even more fitness. Then you get to the point when you say fuck it, and just get your ass on the bike. You ride with your usual crew, you lag on the hills, but you feel stronger the farther you go, drawing on the energy from the simple act of being out, turning the legs and breathing fresh air into the lungs. You get caught up in the little sprints and KOMs, and find you still have something in the tank. Deep, buried reserves forged from la vie. You finish the ride feeling rejuvenated, tired but refreshed. You vow to ride again tomorrow. But there’s a deadline to meet, proofing to be done, a last mintute article to write. Life gets in the way. And so it goes.
I know. I have ridden my bikes probably on average twice a week for the last six weeks. I was supposed to be doing a race this weekend. I’m glad I’m not. The principle reason for not doing it was money, the very coin I’d spent on getting a bike to race on conspired against actually racing. That, coupled with a grand in dentist fees, a visit from an Aussie friend which helped drain the bank account, then an ensuing illness and my race fitness, which was well on track those six weeks ago, has now all but disappeared in a cloud of debt and lethargy.
Yep, life gets in the way of having a life. A life of riding. But I still have a life of cycling, it’s just being lived through other means right now. And that’s better than not having a life at all. I will be back. Vive la vie Velominatus.
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Gorgeous pooches Frank :)
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Ironworks BBQ used to be one of the best. I'll query some of my Austin crowd.
@frank
you have some handsome looking dogs. For my life style a cat is about all I can deal with. I got her when I was 22 and I am now 30. in that time she cost me a pair of fine Italian road shoes or a pro level helmet or carbon pedals but I wouldn't trade here in for anything
This rings so true on may levels. I'm lucky in that my time is mine and no one knows how much time I spend on my bike. I've lurked her for a while but had to comment on this one.
(I will say up front that when I race I swim before the ride and run after it. But the bike is by far my favourite. That fact that I just acquired my second bike supports this fact.)
@jen
Glad that you have found us before it became fatal.
Hang around a bit and we'll see if we can cure you of that swim/run disease that you currnetly have! Don't worry, some of us used to have it but, thanks to Fronk and The Prophet, we were cured.
@brett
Spot on.
@Buck Rogers
Eddy: "Ride. Lots."
@itburns
Yes it was. Totally forgot about Ironworks. Please, check with Austin friends. There's lots of recent places I don't know about. I for sure know I'm going to Kerbey Lane Cafe for a stack of gingerbread pancakes. And Amy's Ice Cream on Guadalupe for a fresh cream and strawberries milkshake. And Conan's Pizza for The Savage. (I'm arriving Friday night, so I'm going on a gastronical "remember when" tour.) Oh, and I'll bring back a Mangia Pizza spinach pizza to enjoy in the lovely confines of Houston. My favorite Tex-Mex restaurant, Seis Salsas, got shut down years ago for multiple health code violations (dammit). That leaves me with El Azteca to get my Tex-Mex on. That meal's gonna happen without my 9-year-old daughter 'cause she doesn't like Mexican food. I'm pretty sure she's not really mine. Space alien, or maybe switched at birth.
Help me, Keepers. I must have said something bad again, like Tex-Mex, or space aliens, 'cause I'm in the "awaiting moderation" penalty box. Gracias!
@Pedale.Forchetta
You took the words from my mouth! The balance between Pedale and Forchetta is a message, ever since I learned what your name meant, I have been obsessed with it. Balance between sport and life. We are not professionals, after all.
I am someone who makes decisions as they come, with the information available, and do as well as I can with what I have. With that as my guiding philosophy, I know I'll make mistakes, but I can live with them because I do my very best. I had the chance in my life to become a true sportsman, but it was in a different sport, and as my life has evolved, the one thing I think about having done differently is to be more directly connected professionally to cycling. Velominati gives me some of that, and for that I am incredibly grateful to this community. But Bretto - you have walked the path, and I admire you for it. Sure, your profession keeps you from your bike, but you've managed to keep it part of your life. Good on ya.
One of the things that kills me about balance is some of the athletes I used to train with. They were 100% committed to skiing, except the fact of the matter is, they weren't good enough. I always felt going to the olympics was a huge deal, but why devote your life to it if you don't have a chance of winning? There are other arenas of sport and competition that don't demand 4 years of total commitment in order to enjoy the prestige of racing against the best in your class.
A case in point is a documentary I just watched on the US Ski Team prep'ing for the 2010 Winter Olympics; it was summertime and every one of them is in their summer training and talking about the devotion and how they are driven to be the best. The fact is, they aren't even the best on their team. Most of the subjects didn't even qualify for the Olympic team. It breaks my heart to see the imbalance between dedication and results. For me, it is much better to choose the balance that is fulfilling both in sport and life.
Sport is a hard, hard world, and only one can be the best. Only a few can be close enough to fight for it. The rest of us? We have the sport and a balance between that and life. And life, after all, is a mighty fulfilling thing. I'm glad I have Pedale/Forchetta.
I ride and train as much as my life allows. I have set ambitious goals. I intend to meet them, or determine through trial that I can not. If I don't meet them, that's fine - so long as I did my best to. These ambitious goals, by the way, are not just my sporting goals. They are my life's goals.
Set lofty goals, and work hard to meet them. If you fail, fail trying. Whatever they are.
@Buck Rogers
Triathlete- jack of all trades, master of none. That way I don't offend anyone, especially the cyclists.