Know when to stop pushing !

Have you ever gone out for a spin on a bike just after a shower of rain in summer time . The air is clear and the grass and trees are greener , and there is a really clean fresh healthy smell in the air . Have you ever pedaled up a tough climb and taken he time to look around at the view . Have you ever had a really good chat with the rider beside you whilst just rolling along . Have you ever returned from a spin with a clear head having solved all of your problems during the think time of a three hour ride . Sometimes it’s important to just head out for a spin on your bike rather than an interval session , a sprint session or putting pressure on yourself to return with a 32km average speed .

Many cyclists make the mistake of over training . When they find themselves going backwards with plenty of training in their legs they resolve to train more . Very often , however , their body is just telling them to ease back . A week of short easy spins might be enough to recharge both body and mind and their form may well return .

It’s important to know when to stop pushing yourself , to wake up and be happy with just going for a cycle .

People are rarely satisfied . The A3 wants to be an A1 . The A1 wants to be a pro . The pro wants to be Lance Armstrong . And Armstrong , well he wants to win the Tour eight times . I think seven might be enough for most people . Although most people won’t win the Tour seven times , if they did they too would probably want another one .

The same rule applies when it comes to houses , cars , jobs and just about anything that you care to think of . Most always wants more .

It’s a human condition to be dissatisfied with what you’ve got . Ambition is a great thing . Without it we would all be still living in caves , but it is important to get the balance right .

In a race of 100 riders the guy who finishes last is just as important as the winner . If all the guys who finish behind the winner didn’t bother to turn up there would be no race . His name is just as important as the winners and just as the winner is congratulated he too should be acknowledged and encouraged , as the effort that the guy who finishes last puts in can sometimes be greater than that of the winner .

Everyone has their own level , both on and off the bike and whilst everyone loves a winner , some of the nicest guys that you’ll ever meet are the ones out the back of the bunch , the ones who keep on going and are delighted to be able to just take part .

I once worked with a guy who had been very ambitious . In sport he always had to win . He always wanted to make more money and he always had a plan . He set many different goals for himself and achieved most of them . But when I knew him he had moved on . He said that he was fed up with never being satisfied and that he now had just one goal . It was a very simple one , his main goal was just to be happy . And he seemed to be doing very well in that endeavour when I knew him .

The funny thing is that when you do stop and take a look around at what you’ve got and where you are , and if you are happy with that , very often more of what you are happy with will come your way , just like the cyclist who is overtrained who by easing back and enjoying the bike will soon rediscover his form once again .

Camper Bike

Barry

www.worldwidecycles.com

2 COMMENTS

  • Pat

    Good post Barry. I was talking to someone recently about cycling. He had not been out for a spin all year and was hesitant to start as he would not be able to go as far as he would like to (ie a couple of hrs at 30kmh). He thought that he might start in the Gym first! If only he could see that the best thing is to get out on the road and start. The rest will happen in time.

    • worldwidecycles

      Very true Pat . The hardest part is often just putting on the gear and heading out the door .

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