Enough.

Ok, that’s that episode over with, back to the bike.

I struggle with my cycling. I put one heck of a lot of work in whether you know it or not. I am crazy in that I ride many miles in all sorts of weather. I may love it and I do it because I love it but there is in me this drive to do it to the best of my ability. I’ve been meaning to write about this for a while but never got round to it.

I’m getting round to it today because I’ve been following the progress of a fellow fat cycling blogger by the name of Toby. Find him here http://fatcyclerider.blogspot.com. At 18 stone now and on a mountain bike Toby did his longest ride to date today. He rode the London to Brighton sportive, 53.9 miles 6h20m. moving time 5h18m. 10.1mph average. His data is available here http://ridewithgps.com/trips/59518

Anyway he is very rightly proud of himself but said he was unhappy with his general speed and technique to which I suggested finding like minded cyclists, you know like a club? he said he wanted to get better and he wasn’t good enough to join a club yet…..

There’s that word again. Enough. Andy keeps telling me to take heart, that I’m faster than I think I am and to not be so hard on myself. Well do you want to know a secret? I’m not that hard on myself, I know what I can do.

I have this internal conversation that I envisage with any cyclist. It goes one of two ways;

1)I say “could you be any faster?” they say “yes”. Conversation over.

2)Or they say “no” and I say “why do you work so hard at it then?”.

Come on,we know the second option is boo hickey. Even a pro will tell you they are never fast enough. There is no thing as enough. I know now I am a passable cyclist, not the slowest and certainly not the fastest though I am more than pleased with my progress, I work because I am not fast ENOUGH and never will be. The thing I do know is that neither are you. I also know that riding with the faster better cyclists gets me there quicker. It helps if they are fabulous people like my clubmates. Go for it Toby, you’ll be laughing last. Well done lad, sit down on your sofa and feel replete.

Explore posts in the same categories: Friends, Guests, The Bike, Tyneside Vagabonds