21 Jul 2012 'It's just like riding a bike'

by Heather Kendrick

Or so the saying goes. 

People often say this as an encouragement, as we revisit a task that seems unfamiliar or daunting. The idea is that once you learn something, you know it. You’ll remember it. Just like riding a bike.

After a 25-year hiatus from bike-riding, I tested out the theory, and guess what? The saying is true. It comes right back to you. 

When I decided to train for a triathlon, I knew the swim would be my “Goliath.” I knew I could handle the run, with my previous training. But the bike? The bike was really the big question mark. I’ve been enjoying indoor cycling for several years now; I’m even a Schwinn-certified indoor cycling instructor. But how would this translate to the open road? 

Well . . . the verdict is in, and I LOVE riding my bike! I “adapted” to the road pretty well (indoor cycling is great training!), and on my first day out I rode almost 30 miles! It is so much fun and definitely a workout!

I’ve had wonderful friends who have taken me out to help me train and learn to ride. While it’s been great, there have definitely been some adventures along the way. Here are a few of the “lessons” I have learned (most of them the hard way, of course).

The downhills are scary. Like seriously, really scary. You are FLYING. I am trying to learn not to ride my brakes, but it’s sure hard. My husband, on the other hand, is a complete adrenaline junkie; he never touches the brakes. He flies down like a flash of lightning.

When you get nervous and apply the brakes too much on the downhill, you have no momentum on the next uphill. This is NOT GOOD, because you have to struggle like crazy to slowly and painfully get up that next hill. It only took one excruciating hill before I never did THAT again. LESSON LEARNED.

Knowing how to use your gears will make or break your ride. I learned by what I’ll call the “sheer desperation” method. We rode hill after hill, and I was “desperate” to make it easier to pedal, so I learned how to shift gears and make that bike work for me. The gears must be your friend!

Bike shorts, the padded ones, are made for a reason. Have you seen the tires on those road bikes? They’re like nothing. You hit the slightest bump and it feels like you’ve hit a Grand Canyon-sized crater! WHOA!  

Apparently the helmet isn’t a fashion accessory, just a necessity. I wanted to ask if it came in pink, but I was afraid the salesman would make a “Legally Blonde” reference. So I went with a nice shade of grey. It does have a little glittery detail.   

You are fragile cargo on that small road bike. Those tires cannot take any kind of rough terrain, so you have to avoid it. Being on the lookout for things in the road — everything from gravel to road kill — can be a fulltime job! And you have to be careful not to suddenly react to things, or you could wreck. 

On my first ride I got this advice from my former trainer, Amy, who bluntly warned me, “If you slam on the brakes, you’ll go flying over the handle bars.” Thankfully I took her word for it and didn’t have to learn this firsthand! 

Cycling outside isn’t really “social time.” My sweet friend, Shannon, and I have a pact to save our talking for our runs and lunches after our first ride almost got us banned from the road! We thought we could ride side by side and chat, but that’s not really what you’re supposed to do! So sorry if you were one of the cars that had to pass me!

All kidding aside, I LOVE riding my bike! I’ve started commuting some to work and to the gym and looking for times to ride! There’s nothing like enjoying a beautiful day on that bike! I’ve even talked my husband into getting a bike so we can ride together!

So now it’s just a matter of putting it all together for the triathlon. Conquer my fears and fight through the water for a 1/3-mile open-water swim in the lake, then climb on the bike for a 13-mile bike ride and finally push those tired legs through a three-mile run. This will be a true test of strength, endurance and perseverance, unlike anything I have ever done before. 

But I am trained, ready and excited for the adventure. I’m nervous for the challenge. Let’s do this!