2005 Year in Review

Lance & Me

Bicycle racing is a European Sport. Before Lance there was Greg LeMond who also helped put the sport on the front page of American newspapers, but there have always been “the faithful” followers and participants in the sport. Still, most Americans see it all as an exercise (to the extreme) in futility. Why burn all those calories and suffer so much to get to the top of the Alps and be the first to Paris when all you have to do is fill the gas tank and drive? What is the mystery of the soul revealed in exertion and pain? What secrets do Lance and I share?

First, I would say, there is an affinity we all have with nature. Of course, you do not have to suffer to enjoy nature, but if you cannot accept or deal with some discomfort your bonding is not complete. You can walk, or garden or fish or bird watch and take your time to enjoy the beauty of nature, but when you spend some time battling the elements, surviving sun burn, insect bites, poison ivy, stormy weather and the like you grow a certain appreciation that just doesn’t match looking out the window. How does a bicycle help? You get wet when it rains and you are still miles from home. Dogs chase you and test your reflexes and acceleration. The air is full of wonderful smells and you drink them deep with exertion. Mechanical advantage takes you further than you might think.

Second, there is the psychological aspect of this and many endurance sports. Ultramarathon (distances longer than a 26.5 mile marathon) runner and author Dean Karnazes explains the phenomena of a race of any distance run the first half by the body and the second half by the mind. You just have to get past that point where you believe you can’t go any further and once you do there is no limit to how far you can go. Once you have conquered that urge to quit, self-confidence and self-esteem are assured. One interesting fact about this concept is that endurance (and maybe attitude) improve with age. Cyclists in their 70’s have crossed the US on a bicycle and the vast majority of long distance riders are probably passed their 40’s.

Third, there is preparation. Lance rides hard, practices hard, controls his diet and stays focused on the goal and elements that might keep him from reaching his goal. On a much lower level, mature adults who ride bikes and go long distances start slow, build up slow and take breaks when and where they are needed. A 10,000 mile per year cyclist who traveled around the world by bike was once asked what he would do differently if he knew then what he knows now. His answer: I would have concentrated less on miles and more on my surroundings and the local people who inhabited them. I would have stopped more often.

Fourth, there is the camaraderie of fellow cyclists and the intermingling with locals. Lance competes and wants to be the best of the best, but a long distance cyclist meets interesting people along the way. If you are with other cyclists you talk equipment and hazards and when the wind is against you you suffer together or share the burden of riding in front to help your fellow travelers. If you stop to talk to people on the street you gain local knowledge. It is a lot easier to stop pedaling and engage in conversation than it is to stop in a car. Non-cyclists want to know where you are going. When will you get there? How many flat tires have you had? Cyclists want to know where the good food is, where to camp, directions and etc.

Finally, it really is the journey and not the destination. Sure we are all going to die. Some of us will be in better shape when we enter the cemetery, but those of us who have exerted ourselves just a small bit will have seen more things, breathed more air and will have appreciated the gifts of a following wind, a scolding red-winged blackbird, and a helpful soul.

Let’s ride.

by Marc Adami, Guest Columnist
April 20, 2005