The past three months I have focused almost exclusively on cycling. For over two years I ran on average five times a week, until a foot injury forced me to slow and then eventually stop running. I keep hoping that not running will let it heal, but so far that hasn’t happened to the point where I can run again. So, since I’ve completed a few triathlons I figured I would work on cycling.
Whereas with running I just throw on some decent running shoes and some clothes that won’t hurt me while I sweat, with cycling there’s a lot more preparation. Living in the suburbs there are few open roads, so I have to drive at least 20 minutes, often more. More equipment goes into cycling. Then, once I’m in the country, cars still zoom past (some fairly close, but most move over), though there are some great roads with very little traffic. With cycling you get to see more, since it’s easier to ride great distances than run them. I don’t feel quite as alive as when running, since my heart rate never elevates to the same level.
I usually ride solo during the week, and then on Sunday join a local group ride. When I started riding with the group I ended up somewhere in the middle. I usually got dropped by the fast group – the hammerheads, as I call them – after four miles or so. I also found I was a little faster than the next group, and so I’d end up riding solo for 90% of the “group” ride. But the way to improve is to challenge yourself and have others challenge you, and lately I find I can hang with the fast group, except when climbing hills. At this point my speed drops, and I fall further and further back. When I conquer the hills I will have reached the next level. When on the flats and downhill I’m almost a hammerhead myself, but a junior hammerhead.
I have a great deal to learn about cycling, both solo and in groups, but I’m hoping that if I’m ever able to enter another triathlon all this effort will pay off on the bike. In the meantime, I’m learning just to enjoy riding more, and trying hard not to think that I’d rather be running.
