Cyclists can be a funny breed. We show up at rides with all of our excuses in line -- I've been sick, I haven't trained much, I'm going to use this ride as a training ride. Then those same people ride the legs off of everyone! It's such a common occurrence they write about it in the cycling magazines! And I mean -- it happens on almost every big ride! I always prepare myself for failure in the group by laughing at how I'm a big wheel sucker! That way I'm covered if I get dropped or can't handle the pace!
And competitive -- wow we are competitive. Even casual rides -- I mean really noone is giving us money or handing out a yellow jersey at the end of the ride! But we HATE to get passed, hate to see someone older, of the opposite sex, on a bike that "doesn't quite measure up" or etc. pass us. We'll kill ourselves trying to track them down to pass them. No -- we're not competitive in the least.
It's the same if you run, play basketball, softball -- it doesn't matter -- we're all the same. In team sports -- heck they don't keep score just for fun do they?!
This weekend Joe and Beth competed in the Fairport Harbor Triathlon. You can't help but measure up the competition at the start. The competitors are grouped by ages -- and they even write your age on your leg (so much for hiding that you are 29 huh Joe!). So that really adds to the competition -- you really don't want to get passed by someone you can clearly see is older than you!
Joe and Beth did great. Beth was worried about the bike but she charged up the hill many others had to walk. They both finished strong sprinting to the finish.
Triathlons aren't easy -- the combination of swimming, cycling and running uses totally different muscles, commands different discipline, different skill sets, and the muscles don't easily switch from one discipline to another. It's painful, physically and mentally draining -- one hour of misey. Combine having jobs, children, other things to do -- well you have the perfect built in excuses for why you were passed, didn't have the best time, etc. Ah the typical competitive athlete!
But Joe and Beth needed no excuses. They started strong, finished stronger, had a great time (noted by the various smiles on their faces -- OK with the exception of the finish line photo of Beth!) and had the best cheering section there. Come on -- we're competitive too!
Congrats Joe and Beth! You were awesome out there!
WOW ~ what an amazing family of athletes we have. My athlete abilities this weekend consisted of floating in the pool with no raft :-) Beth and Joe, you are awesome. Vicki - thanks for the photos!
ReplyDeleteNot only was the cheering section great (we clapped, cheered, clanged for the whole hour) but I have blisters! Injured on the sidelines-bet Joe and Beth didn't get blisters-JUST KIDDING. It was a great morning-thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAhh! Thanks Vicki. It was lots of fun and the cheering section definitely helped put that extra oomph in my steps! Yes - we both had our excuses for being passed and it's never that someone else is just better than us - we could never admit that!!
ReplyDeleteI'm just glad you were all watching Beth on the bike while I finished, and I got to pose for my finish shot. Otherwise, I would have looked as bad as Beth.
ReplyDeleteA member of the cheering section injured -- say it isn't so? Obviously we were cheering as hard as we could -- way to take one for the team Debbie!
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