2007 was pretty interesting. I considered it to be the year where my life started for real. It's the year I found my true passion for cycling, and realized I want to have my life around the world and sport of cycling. That's whether it's me racing all my life, working for a cycling facility or team after I graduate with my Sport Management degree, or watching cycling events all around the world once I retire. Back on subject, 2007 is the year I started racing competitively on the bike, albeit the fact that I've ridden a bike for most of my life, even got off training wheels quicker than my older brother with no help from my parents (sorry for the embarrassment, Ben)!! Long story, I'll just end with that fact and spare further embarrassment of my brother, haha.
With the cycling, I've gained a lot of confidence, lost weight and started to tone up. Unfortunately I've gained weight and lost my achieved tone-ness after my car/bike crash about 12 weeks ago, but I should be able to get close to where I was prior to the 2008 spring collegiate season once I get my bike in the next few days (fingers crossed). I've also made great friends through the sport of cycling, my teammates and my "opponents". Most importantly I've made a great friend, pro-cyclist and Olympic hopeful, Kim Geist. Formally a TEAm Lipton rider, she helped to develop the cycling team at DeSales University, as well as "recruit" several students to join regardless of riding skills. It's how I joined, when I saw the opportunity. The only experienced I've ever had with being on a bike was mountain-biking with my friends for fun and fitness, but never raced. It was a whole new world to me and despite my bad results for the first year, I LOVE it, and will do keep riding and racing until they bury me 6 feet under.
Other reflections... I learned that nothing comes easy. As Greg LeMond once said, "It never gets easier, you just go faster". It's so true. I've ridden my bike almost, if not more than, 1000 miles over the summer (about 3 months), and it is still not easy. Whether you're me or Lance Armstrong, climbing the hills is NEVER easy. You just learn how to pedal better, tolerate pain, and ride efficiently. The word "easy" just does not exist in cycling.
One last reflection for this post (more in a later post) is that I've set a true lifetime goal. Some may say I'm crazy, some will say I don't have the body built for it, but if there's only one goal in life I'll get to meet, I want it to be this one. I want to go Semi-Pro by the time I'm 35 years old. Yes, I know it will be hard work, but I'm going to work my butt off for that goal.
Stay tuned for more reflections in a Part 2 that will come soon.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
2007 Reflections - Part 1
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2 comments:
I agree that cycling racing will never be easy. I also believe that it is all about learning how to suffer with some technique involved. No cycle racer ever has an easy time out there, even if it appears that they are.
One of my quotes is one from Lance Armstrong, who has said something like "I've read that I've flown up hills, when in fact I don't fly up hills. I slowly suffer and work my way up hill and, if I'm lucky, I get to the top before everyone else." I often get criticized for being a cyclists, with the idea that "cycling has to be easy, thus it's a sissy sport" and stuff like that, but they don't even know half of it. Thanks for your comment, keep reading!!!
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