The chiselled guns of a Cyclist
Being away from the bike is agony. Even for the day, while I’m at work, my mind swims about, thinking about my next ride. I worry that I won’t be home early enough to get the ride in that I’d planned – or worse yet – ride at all. I agonize over my decision not to ride in the morning, or to work, hoping one missed day doesn’t turn into two doesn’t turn into a week.
I wonder at which bike I’ll choose; I can visualize them hanging there, in the workshop, quietly waiting to be set free from their prison – a bike is only free when it’s being ridden. I imagine they discuss among themselves which is entitled to be ridden next; they might even place wagers on which will be the lucky one. I’m not sure with what bicycles might place wagers, perhaps a bit of grease for a creaking quick-release that I haven’t noticed yet.
All day, I evaluate how my body feels. Sitting folded up at a desk is a horrible place to judge one’s weight; I’ll lean against the desk’s edge and wonder if there was less of me touching it yesterday. I’ll feel the muscles in my thighs as I cross my legs in a conference room, and judge whether they feel stronger than the day before. Sometimes I’ll feel for the fibers in my muscles with my fingertips and then realize that the other people in the room with me probably find it odd that I’m rubbing my legs absentmindedly. To be fair, I find it odd that they don’t know what it feels like to be in shape.
It is a mystery whether I’ll be strong on the bike today or not. At the office, there is no way to know how I will feel; I won’t really know until I put in a real effort, which usually happens on the first climb of the day. Strength is a strange thing; the other day I felt blocked during my warmup but hit the top corner of the first climb so fast I almost lost my front wheel. Almost losing your front wheel in a corner on a climb is a special feeling.
Tim Krabbé wrote, “Non-riders. The emptiness of those lives shocks me.” Indeed; we are Cyclists, the rest of the world merely rides a bike.
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@chris
Merckx knows I've no place handing out parenting advice, but encouraging the kid to save for his next bike (maybe with a parental match) could be a good thing in teaching the value of things we own. My last parental-bought bike was when I was 14. I think I was 17 or so when I built up my big-ass red Holdsworth. Then my Raleigh. Then my Colnago. Nothing teaches care and value like having skin in the game.
This comment is also based upon an NPR story this morning about the number of parents who unrealistically believe their kid is heading to the pros in their particular sport and the crazy sacrifices they make to do so: club teams, trips, equipment, trainers, neglect of siblings etc, etc. What if the kid never makes the college squad let alone the pros when their entire adolescence has been consumed with that goal? (The documentary film Hoop Dreams is particularly interesting in this regard.) Let the pedalwan enjoy the sport on his own terms.
BTW, I'm sure you're an excellent parent - evident from the fact that you are already setting standards and limits.
@portemat
Well good luck. Look forward to a report.
A lot of people I know from Dubai and Abu Dhabi are going over after they had a qualifying race here earlier in the year.
What age group are you in?
@chris
That's also what caught my attention: Amstel Radler. Yet, Radler comes in 2 varieties: 0% and 2% alcohol. So if the ad was for the 0%, then it would be the soda-sponsor. I cannot tell the difference between the 2 though but it is a nice drink after a ride when it's cooled. I lived in Amsterdam for many years so Amstel is -against better judgement sometimes- my beer.
@portemat Actually, now that I think of it, if this is your first proper race how did you qualify?
@KogaLover
Cruzcampo was more of a giveaway for me.
Next challenge, name all the other riders in the photo.
@KogaLover
Before anyone thinks he's smarter: Cruzcampo is the Spanish Heineken subsidiary that sponsors the Vuelta, but like Amstel, it belongs to Heineken and Heineken does not produce Radler but only under the Amstel label.
@KogaLover
THIS IS NOT BEER. THIS SHOULD BE A CRIMINAL OFFENCE.
@RobSandy
The guy with the lips around his kneecaps should be easily identifiable.
@wiscot
That's all sound advice. At the moment, I quite happy buying him bikes (and safety equipment). There's three reasons for that.
The restriction on aerobars is purely about him learning to ride what he has to a high standard.
Ancillaries, like shoes, pedals and kit (other than essential club kit) he finances himself.
As fantastic as it would be, I have no expectations that he'll make the pro ranks and whilst I'm willing to make sacrifices to ensure that he can get to events and the like, I'm fully aware of the need to balance it out between him and the other two. Your're right, though, it's amazing what parents will do in the belief that their little darling is the next Wiggo/Beckham/Federrer. Love is blind.
At this stage, I'm happy that they're all hugely into sport, healthy and want to ride with me.
@KogaLover
I only spotted the Cruzcampo bit not the Radler. Had I know we were talking about shandy, I wouldn't have mentioned it.
Having said that, it's probably appropriate as I'm having a dry September to shake of the tits I grew on holiday enjoying the rural French fare at its best.