I registered a legitimate 355 hours to my training log since January, spin-torturing myself in the basement for 12 hours a week.Hours and hours of mind numbing base training. I watched what I ate, I got lots of sleep, I felt strong and managed to trim down to 144 lbs.
Finally spring came and race season began. I raced hard all spring and early summer and was happy to see the training pay off. I suffered less, got reasonable results and felt good about what I had accomplished.
Now it’s August and when it comes to riding I’ve got two flat tires in my mind.
Excuses NOT to get on the bike are becoming easier and easier to find. I’ve put on 10 lbs and feel my fitness slipping away.
I’m surprised by my loose of discipline. Even with some big races still left in the season I can’t seem to rekindle the drive that kept me on the bike through the long dark winter.
I got a little sympathy on my club ride last week, when a veteran racer threw me a bone remarking that “everyone has a hard time training in August”.
Even a small taste of athletic adversity helps me realize how special the pro athlete actually is. Pro cyclists are not only genetically gifted but have a supernatural discipline, a drive, a desire to suffer that far surpasses the normal mortal human.
Since I have fallen off the training wagon an unexpected thing has happened. My fans, and when I say “fans”, I mean the people I bore weekly with training updates and race reports (family, friends and co-workers). My fans have become more interested in my cycling. They are asking more questions, they are listening to my stories, and they’re showing real genuine interest.
To be fair my family (wife, kids, mother, step-father, brother and sister-in-law) have always and continue to support me regardless, but for my friends and co-workers (mainly co-workers) they seem to have found some pleasure in my difficulties. Since I started complaining about my training troubles my cycling has been the hot topic of our daily walk to the coffee shop. I have even had a few co-workers ask about coming out to watch a race. I’m calling it the Lance-France affect.
The Tour de France cycling fans, especially the French Fans have found a new place in their hearts for poor Lance Armstrong who struggled to keep a podium position at this year’s Tour. As outlined in the NY Times article and documented extensively in cycling news reports.
How things have changed for Armstrong since the last time he competed here, in 2005, when he completed the last of his seven consecutive Tour victories and was seemingly entrenched as the antagonist.
Even a small taste of athletic adversity helps me realize how special the pro athlete actually is. Pro cyclists are not only genetically gifted but have a supernatural discipline, a drive, a desire to suffer that far surpasses the normal mortal human.
Since I have fallen off the training wagon an unexpected thing has happened. My fans, and when I say “fans”, I mean the people I bore weekly with training updates and race reports (family, friends and co-workers). My fans have become more interested in my cycling. They are asking more questions, they are listening to my stories, and they’re showing real genuine interest.
To be fair my family (wife, kids, mother, step-father, brother and sister-in-law) have always and continue to support me regardless, but for my friends and co-workers (mainly co-workers) they seem to have found some pleasure in my difficulties. Since I started complaining about my training troubles my cycling has been the hot topic of our daily walk to the coffee shop. I have even had a few co-workers ask about coming out to watch a race. I’m calling it the Lance-France affect.
The Tour de France cycling fans, especially the French Fans have found a new place in their hearts for poor Lance Armstrong who struggled to keep a podium position at this year’s Tour. As outlined in the NY Times article and documented extensively in cycling news reports.
How things have changed for Armstrong since the last time he competed here, in 2005, when he completed the last of his seven consecutive Tour victories and was seemingly entrenched as the antagonist.
Back then, French fans yelled the word “Doped” as Armstrong rode by. Spectators held fake syringes with his name written on them. Some people spat on him, showing their disgust for the man who has been dogged by doping allegations at this race.
But now, the 37-year-old Armstrong has become a sympathetic figure in the country that once seemed to dislike him the most.
“There was a lot of negative stuff, and very, very aggressive negative stuff — and that’s gone,” Armstrong said last week after one of the Alpine stages of this Tour. “I’m pleasantly surprised.”
I believe the Lance-France phenomenon goes beyond the obvious short comings inherent in human nature. I think the Lance-France phenomenon is a form of arrogance, spectator arrogance.
Fans of cycling often comment on the egos or the arrogance of pro cyclists. To be honest I don’t see it. The only thing cycling has taught me is humility. Even when I win I feel lucky. I know my fitness is temporary, I know there is always someone faster, I know it is only a matter of time before I'm back struggling for a mid pack finish. The club I ride with is full of accomplished cyclists including Olympic triathletes and many Cat 1 riders. I have yet to feel an once of arrogance.
Fans of cycling often comment on the egos or the arrogance of pro cyclists. To be honest I don’t see it. The only thing cycling has taught me is humility. Even when I win I feel lucky. I know my fitness is temporary, I know there is always someone faster, I know it is only a matter of time before I'm back struggling for a mid pack finish. The club I ride with is full of accomplished cyclists including Olympic triathletes and many Cat 1 riders. I have yet to feel an once of arrogance.
The arrogance in cycling is manufactured by the fans and media expectation, no more real than the hate between Hulk Hogan and the Rowdy Roddy Piper.
I’m sure there are arrogant pro-cyclists but it is my contention that their arrogance has nothing to do with the sport in fact I would suggest their arrogance would be worse if they had chosen a career in say medicine. The suffering needed to be a pro-cyclist only helps to curb arrogant thoughts.
So set aside your own ego and enjoy the achievements of suffering. If you feel the need to pass judgement stop and ask yourself would I be willing make the same kind of sacrifice.
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