I have a large number of friends, co-workers, and family (including my gf but she is learning...) that don't fully understand my cycling so I thought this might be good to clear the air. I've had the idea for this post for some while now, just hope I can do the topic justice...
Yes I ride my bike and yes I race my bike...but for the sake of what I do in this sport, they are defined differently. One who just rides a bike in a racers mind is a recreational cyclist. Mostly out for longer group rides on the weekends to get some physical activity. They relish in the mass start "touring" events such as R.A.I.N and the Hilly Hundred. Now before I go any further, I have nothing against these types of cyclists, and I commend their commitment to what I believe is the best form of exercise outdoors. I am just defining this to show the difference between racing cyclists and "riding" cyclists. Most of my extended family thinks that this is all that I do, but there is so much more...
A cyclist who races started as a rider first and foremost. We got hooked on the freedom of roaming the beautiful countryside on 2 wheels that we were powering! I remember seeing nature in a completely different light once I started riding a bike...I gained an appreciation that I will never lose. Having said that, I still enjoy riding. I relish those days where speed, heart rate, and intensity level are all thrown out the window and you ride because you love it, but ever since my first race I was hooked. There is something about the competitive nature of this sport that sucks you in and never lets you look back.
Racing requires a passion and dedication for this sport that often makes a cyclist look obsessive and down right crazy at times. Countless hours spent training...monitoring everything from avg power to heart rate zones and time spent in certain interval intensity ranges. Yes it is a science...training intensity can be measured in watts or kilojoules and bike measurements are taken down to the millimeter. Still, we do it because we love this sport. Everyone knows the sacrifices we make...less time on your feet, planning weekend events with friends around your training schedule, limiting your partying and drinking...it can be a lot to achieve what some would say is a little. Any cyclist would argue that is is worth every minute you put in. There are sensations that we are addicted to...masochistic feelings. We love the feeling of tired and tight legs as we push on a few more miles or climb that one more big hill. We enjoy that feeling of being so "gas-ed" that you can't quite see straight or you might just fall off your bike because your body is so weak. I have heard stories of professionals saying that they have gone so hard that they literally get tunnel vision and their fingers and toes go numb...because their heart is pumping every bit of blood possible to the major muscle groups in the legs. I have never thrown up on my bike from going so hard but in a sick way...I dream of doing it.
This is OUR sport. A sport often overshadowed by what mainstream considers to be the "American sports", but a sport of pain, sacrifice, and glory nonetheless. It is a sport I hope never gets fully popular because I would hate to see it completely commercialized. There are so many little nuances and traditions rooted in the European history that makes this its own unique subculture. We ride because we love the bike...we believe in the bike! We race because we love the sport...we believe in the sport!
So I offer up two bits of advice for two different audiences: First, if you know anyone who races their bike...listen to them. Try and understand their sport, their passion...and if nothing else, respect this sport known as cycling. Secondly, all you racers out there...don't forget where you started. Remember that at one time you loved just simply riding your bike. So take that ride where you remove your speedometer, powermeter, or heartrate monitor and just ride!
Sorry that was a long one...just really wanted to share my thoughts.
