Forget About Maths
No need to calculate; just enjoy!
When I was racing it was vital to know how fast I can go or how far how etc. There are lots of statistics about athletes’ values for winning. Winning a race depends on how a cyclist can cope with those dynamics. It is very hard and stressful trying to be fit. As a cyclist, the competitor is also a human and body’s values changes due to conditions like forecast, phycology, motivation, family and friends, food and so on.
Because of sudden changes, cyclist always carries bike computers on board. While training, cyclist should push harder and harder to increase her/his values. It becomes a habit for all cyclists watching that tiny computer and think of its’ data even they are off the bike.
İt’s kind of scientific keeping up with the statistics and helps racers win the race. It also helps to get a team together with the athletes whose performance are alike. The bike computers’ data creates a pattern to grow the perfect cycling team with best cyclists. So, mathematics of cycling is profitable for professionals.
After I got rid of stressful competition, I quit racing like many others did. I started cycling just for my own amusement. At first it was relief but in time, I felt the same stress during and after trainings. I realised that I was still calling my trials as training. If I quit racing I should call them biking trips.
Changing name decreased the stress but still… Something ignoring was in my mind. I felt like I was haunting by my racing memories. One day, while I was on my dear bike, I enlightened. I was still looking at my bike computer and pushing myself through its’ data unconsciously. But I just want to enjoy being on saddle and wondering around.
If I wanted to change my habits which cause stress, I should change my environment first. I started with my clothes. I was still wearing jersey on all of my trips and special cycling shoes. İnstead of them, I put my boots on and my jeans and my jacket for my slow trips. Never forget my helmet of course. I only wear jersey if I want some exercise. By this way, I entertain myself with the scene and feel the freedom through the breeze.
Changing clothes really helped. With this tactic my mind automatically programmed itself. When I wear casual clothes my body don’t push itself hard. My trips become relaxing moments. And if I wear my jersey and cycling shoes, my mind sets my body and I will be ready for a good exercise. Just by changing clothes I divided my cycling experience in two phases, enjoying and training. This division helps both mind and body development. At least it works for me.
There was only one thing remained from my old habits. I still got my bike computer on my handle bar. I wanted to replace it but I knew I couldn’t easily give up on that. One of my friends’ bike computer was broken while I was thinking on mine. That incident seemed an opportunity and I gave mine to my friend who still cares about average speed.
Now I feel relief for leaving the maths to professions. Without any statistics and data, I feel free of everything while I am on my bike. After all these years of competition I become dear friends with bicycles at last.
