Incompetence
After a few years of consistent training, riding thousands of miles every 365 days, acquiring and understanding equipment and clothing, and paying attention to what I eat on and off the bike, a transformation has taken place for me. When I first started riding again, I would greet challenges like a century with training and obsessive planning. I would have to go to the bike store or sports store and buy special gels or snacks for the ride, pack the night before, and sleep fitfully in dread of oversleeping.
Those days seem long gone. Lately, long rides have become a habit, and preparation has become almost an afterthought. Training is geared toward overall fitness, and I now know how to peak, and making a mental note of when I will need to peak and taper is second-nature. I effortlessly flow into the rides, pace, and nutritional requirements I need. Packing for a long ride is stress-free now, because I have a whole range of clothing, know what works under what conditions, and can go with the minimal requirements with confidence. Eating on the bike is not a big deal, and I know what works and what doesn't. So, now having a late-season century pop up a few weeks away is a matter of turning a dial or two slightly differently, not a cause for anxiety.
Habits and competence can be overwhelming and comforting. I think one challenge for new cyclists is finding the well-spring of commitment to warp the competence achieved in the sedentary lifestyle (or in whatever sport they are doing), and being incompetent at cycling. It is painful for adults to feel incompetent again, and avoiding that feeling is easy and readily rationalized. The vulnerability of feeling incompetent at something again is awkward and socially humbling. I know people who have not become incompetent at anything in years or decades, and the confidence they exude is palpable.
Recent reports suggest that arrogant cycling shops and mystifying equipment may be demotivating potential cyclists. If these phenomena are making those feelings of incompetence more acute, it makes sense that adults reluctant to expose themselves as lacking knowledge or skills would choose to stay away.
Of course, once the incompetence is overcome, the feelings of competence are very rewarding, and having climbed the learning curve, you can ride on, with new capabilities, knowledge, fitness, and skills. It's very much worth the investment of incompetence.
Those days seem long gone. Lately, long rides have become a habit, and preparation has become almost an afterthought. Training is geared toward overall fitness, and I now know how to peak, and making a mental note of when I will need to peak and taper is second-nature. I effortlessly flow into the rides, pace, and nutritional requirements I need. Packing for a long ride is stress-free now, because I have a whole range of clothing, know what works under what conditions, and can go with the minimal requirements with confidence. Eating on the bike is not a big deal, and I know what works and what doesn't. So, now having a late-season century pop up a few weeks away is a matter of turning a dial or two slightly differently, not a cause for anxiety.
Habits and competence can be overwhelming and comforting. I think one challenge for new cyclists is finding the well-spring of commitment to warp the competence achieved in the sedentary lifestyle (or in whatever sport they are doing), and being incompetent at cycling. It is painful for adults to feel incompetent again, and avoiding that feeling is easy and readily rationalized. The vulnerability of feeling incompetent at something again is awkward and socially humbling. I know people who have not become incompetent at anything in years or decades, and the confidence they exude is palpable.
Recent reports suggest that arrogant cycling shops and mystifying equipment may be demotivating potential cyclists. If these phenomena are making those feelings of incompetence more acute, it makes sense that adults reluctant to expose themselves as lacking knowledge or skills would choose to stay away.
Of course, once the incompetence is overcome, the feelings of competence are very rewarding, and having climbed the learning curve, you can ride on, with new capabilities, knowledge, fitness, and skills. It's very much worth the investment of incompetence.
posted by Recycled Cyclist | 9:56 AM
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