Types of cyclists

My husband has always said that there are two types of cyclists…those who have fallen, and those who are about to fall.  Well, I had a minor fall last year when I attempted to make a U turn, hit a patch of sand on the shoulder of the road and did a slo-mo fall to the ground as both tires slid out from under me.  It was a rookie mistake – sand and road bike tires don’t mix.  Good  news – there wasn’t a soul around to see my display of klutziness.

So, fast forward to this year….I’m still a relatively novice cyclist but definitely gaining on experience every week.  That being said, I have already fallen twice this season!!  The first time was relatively embarrassing; the second time – super embarassing.  I wear bike shoes that clip into my pedals.  Normally, a little kick out with my heel causes the shoes to unclip from the pedals and I’m good to step down on the ground when coming to a stop.  A couple of months ago, I was going to pull out onto a road, a car came along and I had to put on my brakes and stop so as not to have a collision.  I must have been daydreaming as I came to a complete stop and never once thought about unclipping so that I could put a foot down on the ground for balance.  I literally tipped over and fell right onto my side with my feet still clipped in to both pedals.  I scraped my knee and my pride; quickly jumped up (no, I didn’t look around to see if anyone saw me as I had just passed a group of runners and I’m certain they witnessed the entire event), got back on the bike and started off as quickly as possible.  The second time was just a few weeks ago.  I have been riding time trials with a local cycling club.  I’m still learning about lingo, ride types, equipment, etc. and I think that hanging out with people who really know what they’re doing is the best way to learn.  At these time trials each week, there are cyclists there who have been riding since before I was born.  Cyclists with tricked out bikes and equipment that makes them really fast and, seemingly, really cool.  I, on the other hand, have an entry level road bike, no cool bike clothes, and am a bit slow.   At a time trial, everyone lines up single file along the side of the road and the timekeeper starts each rider one at a time about 30 seconds apart.  It’s an 11 mile out and back ride that (I think) the objective is to ride as fast as you can back to the finish line.  As usual, I’m running a little late and am one of the last riders to arrive.  There are 15 people all lined up ahead of me as I ride to the end of the line.  Well, just before the end of the line is a set of railroad tracks.  In order to safely cross RR tracks on a bicycle, it’s very important to position your tires exactly perpendicular to the tracks.  For some reason that is still unclear to me, I decide to look down to re-set my bike computer at the exact instant that I am to cross the tracks.  Needless to say, as soon as my carelessly positioned front tire hit the first track, it caught in the ridge next to the track and I went down hard.  Super embarrassing.   I jumped up and looked at the line of cyclists in front of me and…..not a single one was looking in my direction.  This was either because they wanted to be polite and averted their gazes so as not to stare at the heap of middle aged momma with a bloody knee on the ground, or because they couldn’t possibly be bothered by such a novice puppy as myself who couldn’t even stay upright prior to the time trial even starting.  I think probably the latter.

Once I was back on my feet, I started to walk my bike to the end of the line with my head down, feeling that I was not worthy to be among this group as I had just made such an elementary mistake, wanting to turn around and go back to my car to tend to my wounds….but I made myself walk to the end of that line, raised my head high, and never once acknowledged the blood trickling down my shin.  I stood there waiting in line to start without a single person looking at me although one woman (without looking at me) did ask me if I was OK out of the corner of her mouth.

I had survived the fall, the embarrassment, and the perceived shunning.  More importantly, however, I learned that there are actually three types of cyclists: those who are about to fall, those who have fallen, and those who have fallen and gotten right back on that bike.

Flexibility

If one knows anything about exercise, it’s that flexibility and stretching are important.  Some people work on their flexibility before a workout, presumably to prevent injury.  Others focus on stretching and flexibility at the end of the workout – to gain the best stretch by capitalizing on warm muscles.  The idea is that improved flexibility will help prevent injury.  Flexibility is essential to a good workout plan.

For me, training has forced me to improve my flexibility….not just my physical flexibility, but my mental flexibility as well.  I always like to have a plan and it stresses me out if the plan is changed at the last minute.  I am learning gradually to be prepared and ready for change.  Importantly, to not let a change of events sabotage my training.

Training for flexibility:

After work, I had originally planned to ride my bike outside for an hour.  One look at the sky, which looked ominous, convinced me to go inside and take a spinning class and then swim afterwards at the YMCA.  Not exactly what I had originally planned, but still a great workout.

I usually attend a running group once a week at the Y to do a speed workout – last week, my schedule didn’t match up with the group so I convinced a friend to do the speed workout EARLY in the morning with me.

I’ve also been attending a Time Trial occasionally with a local cycling club (ride as fast as you can for 11 miles).  The other night I arrived and found that I had a flat tire!  The only other time I had changed a tire was for practice and it was the front tire which is so much easier (when it’s the rear, there are intimidating gears and the chain with which to contend).  I stood and looked at that tire and contemplated my options for several minutes…..1) to quickly throw the bike back in my car, drive off, and ease my fear of bike maintenance with an ice cream cone; or 2) tackle the flat and conquer my fear that, after attempting to change the tire, I would be left covered in grease with an inoperable bike.   I chose to change the flat…..and, of course, bargained with myself that if I was successful, I would still get that cone.  In changing that tube out, I somehow remembered to check the tire for the particular hazard that caused the flat in the first place.  I found the tiniest filament of metal had punctured the tube (picture something the size of a bristle on a hairbrush!).  It’s amazing how something so miniscule can create such difficulties!  A fellow rider took pity on me and assisted me when I was struggling with the chain.  Baby wipes took care of the grease smeared everywhere and I was still able to get in my workout.

I have become more flexible, less rigid in my plans.  I start out every week with a training plan but, at the end of the week, the completed plan rarely matches my original plans.  It’s uncomfortable, but I have forced myself to adjust to the curveballs that I’m thrown.  It’s getting easier – I jokingly told someone this weekend that I’m the “Excuse Eliminator” – instead of getting uptight when plans change or problems present themselves, I challenge myself to find a way around them.  I now refuse to let something the size of a hairbrush bristle derail my plans.  Flexibility is essential to a good workout plan.