- Cycling can be hard.
- Unless you are going on an extremely leisurely ride and you have NO intentions on pushing yourself (nothing wrong with that either).
- If you are fitness-minded and always like a challenge, cycling will be hard because of that. And you only have yourself to blame (but the masochist in you have to admit, you love every ounce of pain).
- If you are a newbie or very unfit, cycling will be hard.
- I think mainly because people go into it thinking it will be “easy” (compared to running). And when they realize it’s not, especially when cycling in hilly terrain such as our beautiful Vancouver, they will feel discouraged. And even give up.
- But when you take into account the speeds, distance and time you will go on a bike, it’s going to be comparable or even harder than running.
- I still have really bad rides. On days when I’m over-trained, sore from the gym, just plain tired or not fueled up properly. But I always go anyway and don’t give up because I NEVER think negatively about cycling. And I love it.
- That’s why mindset and thinking POSITIVELY is so important.
- When I go out for rides, all that’s in my mind is that I’m on a way to a stronger and better me… and of course, how much fun I’m having or going to have!
- When I see a hill, all I care about is getting to the top. I don’t think about how hard it will be but when that happens, I simply embrace it.
- If you go on a ride having negative thoughts (eg. OMG this hill is so hard. I’m never going to make it up! I’m going to die!!), then you will never enjoy cycling — you’re not allowing yourself to. Your getting so caught up in the negatives, you refuse to see the positives.
- Remember, hills only last for a little while. And what goes up, must come down.
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It never gets easier, you just go faster.
- But seriously, rides don’t always have to be hard and about fitness. Slow down and enjoy those slow leisurely rides around the park or to a destination such as a yummy restaurant and dine, guilt-free.
- Go on group rides because it’s a big, social event where fit and like-minded people get together and have fun!
- You are extremely lucky if you have close friends or significant others to enjoy both harder and leisurely rides with. That’s an easy way to really fall in love with cycling.
- Cycling is for everyone. There are so many different types of bikes, styles and routes to choose from.
- Bikes makes the world a better place!
If you worried about falling off the bike, you’d never get on.
