This weekend had a “getting back into riding” theme. I was fortunate enough to enjoy two rides over the weekend with two different friends that were both getting back into riding for completely different reasons. Over the course of our lives, our ability to ride multiple times during the week or month takes a backseat to injuries, work, family or just life in general. As much as we try to make our physical health and happiness come through our mountain, road or commuter biking, sometimes that just is not possible for a multitude of reasons. The welcome back rides are a great homecoming but they can also be frustrating for season cyclists as they are not able to ride as hard as once remembered. However, they are back on the bike again and that is what really matters!
Back Into Riding – Ride #1
After a long morning of sessioning the heavy bikes, I got a call early Saturday night from a friend of mine that has been nursing fractured wrists and injured ligaments that were a result of crashing during a local dh race. It was time to get spinning again! He wasn’t cleared for dirt duty yet, so it was time to tear out the road bike and get out riding on a beautiful, sunny weekend night.
We headed out for a short loop to see how the wrists were going to feel back on the hoods. When we came to the turn off, I got the question…”how much time do you have to ride?” My answer…”as long as we need.” It was time to double the ride route distance and have a longer ride than planned…the wrists were working well. I pulled the draft for quite awhile as we headed through the north Georgia countryside and before I knew it…we were at our typical sprint race stop. Now…this particular friend does the same trick to me every time, and I still do it without thinking. He lets me pull all the way to the sprint while he drafts and saves energy. When we get to the sprint line…he smokes me with all of that conserved power while I cuss at myself for wasting it all! Sure enough…same thing happened and I got beat by an injured rider who had been off the bike for 7 f’in weeks! One day I’ll learn…
Anyway…great first ride out and I was glad to be apart of it!
Back Into Riding – Ride #2
I got the call Saturday and could hardly believe it…the best man in my wedding wanted to get out and do some trail riding. Once a huckster in SoCal, he used to be able to ride circles around me. Now, with two small kids in the house, he isn’t able to get out to ride much and work has basically taken over all time outside of family. That hasn’t stopped him from building some killer rides in his downtime and he brought out his latest blinged out Turner to get some riding in at a local trail of ours.
We loaded up and headed out to get some riding in. Even after being off the bike for what seems like months, he was killing it. Of course, his heart rate was higher than he was used to and we weren’t able to put a whole lot of miles in…but he did better than expected as we ripped up some singletrack. I could hardly believe he was pedaling a sled (almost took pictures as evidence), much less riding as well as he was.
After the ride, we ate burritos and went to hang out with his two little girls for awhile. I can’t say I blame him for spending time at home…his kids are great.
Getting Back Into Riding
Cycling is one of those sports that is always there when you need it. You don’t have to be the fastest guy pedaling that day…you just have to enjoy being out. Coming back into regular riding can be difficult for some as they try to find that flow that they left behind with their busy lives. Even with the mild frustration over fitness levels and riding ability, the end result is always the same…”man, I miss this…”.
Have a friend that has been wanting to get back into the saddle? Get out there and start the push. There is something in the blood of a cyclist that never goes away…a true love for the sport.