Why I Love Cycling

This year has started off with a bang. Towards the end of last year I was given some new opportunities at work, which resulted in a lot of additional responsibility, along with the associated stress to succeed in doing some things that had never been done.

At the same time, our heralded executive director at 24 Hours of Booty, Patti Weiss, stepped down as well as our events director, Kim Uffmann (although Kim will still be on staff in a different capacity). Finding quality staff is a complex, long, and difficult process. And, as founder, I feel particularly stressed since I feel responsible for "handing the keys" to the right person.

Also at the same time, the velodrome project that I've worked hard on for 6 years closed in on the "go" phase, so a lot of things have to happen right now.

Basically, everything hit at once. The jackpot of stress and overload. Trying to manage these while taking care of my family and my personal health is probably one of the most challenging things I've met. It is high volume and heavy load.

I am getting through it, I believe, because of cycling. When I find myself taking short and shallow breaths ("stress breathing") or feeling like someone has punched me in the stomach, I keep thinking of being in a criterium or road race when I am on the rivet ("full gas" or, for you euro fans, "a bloc") and I just have to keep focusing on trying to hang on for another minute, another second, hoping it will get better, or at least ease up a little. Cycling has taught me how to stay after something when every fiber is telling me to slow down, to give up.

I think I had a taste of it playing soccer in college. Division I soccer at a perennially ranked Top 10 soccer program is no joke, and we did workouts that were over the top physically and mentally. I broke down physically many times and would give up as a freshman and sophomore, but gradually got to where I could handle it physically, but also mentally. I was also getting into cycling around then as well.

But when I think about staying focused on something when it's really hard, I only have two or three memories from my soccer days. The rest are from cycling, when I've had to stare at the back brake of a guy in front of me as my vision started to go dark and narrow while flying around a crit course with 10 laps to go. Or countering attacks on a long climb when I can't do another one, but have to. Or realizing I went too early in the closing laps of a race and burying myself in the effort, going so hard I can taste blood with snot, spit, and tears going all at the same time.

With those experiences, I find I can make it through just about anything. Put me on my bike, and I'll come off it a stronger man. That is why I love cycling.