This weekend was one of the best rides I've ever had, and quite an enlightening experience.
About a year ago, I had my bike fitted with aerobars. Using the bars gives you a good posture break, forces you to engage your glutes more while cycling, and makes you more aerodynamic. For the past year, I have been too chicken to ride for more than 10 seconds on the bars. When you get down there, you feel every little breeze, bump, and wiggle, and its harder to stay in control of the bike. Most of you know that I am extremely clumsy, and one of my biggest fears has been wiping out on my bike. So, Saturday I set out for a long, flat ride and was determined to conquer my fears and go aero.
Here's the thing, it was so simple. I put one hand down, then the other, and rode to my heart's content! I averaged 20 mph the whole ride and was much more comfortable and confident than ever before. I learned once again that the fear was all in my head. I had spent over a year feeling too nervous and scared to just take "the leap." Its almost funny to think of something as small as changing bike positions, but its so true of so many things we don't do because we are afraid. So what's the worst that can happen? I crashed!
At the very end of the ride, I overshot a curve, went off the trail and crashed. I got some good road rash and a sore shoulder, but I'm fine, and suddenly I'm not afraid anymore! The most empowering thing about being an athlete is the knowledge that you have control over your body. Its the confidence that comes with knowing you can push through pain, that you have the strength to endure. But its also being able to mentally overcome your fears, your past, who you think you are.
I have labeled myself as uncoordinated and clumsy, so I've always feared riding fast, going aero, crashing, but today I know that I'm more than those things. I have gained a few extra ounces of mental muscle that I know will be essential when the gun goes off in May and I become an Ironman!
You go Ironlady!
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