For how much I now love to ride my bike, I will never forget the laughably simple thing that unlocked this love in me: having the right clothes.
Now why am I telling you about probably the least cool-looking part of my wardrobe? Because nested inside this experience is an important lesson, and one that could help you, too. Read on…
I had ridden my bike on and off since I was a kid, but my interest would inevitably wane as I confronted the limits of my endurance. Basically, after a few longer rides, I'd grasp how consistent I'd need to be with my training to really move to another level, where longer rides felt doable and fun.
And I'd stop.
But then my old buddy Max came by for a ride, and we got to chatting. He's always been a serious cyclist, and as a semi-pro had more cycling clothing ('kits' in biker parlance) than he could use. So he sent me some.
A few weeks later, as I unboxed the random assortment of padded shorts and slinky jerseys it dawned on me how much my biking efforts in the past were limited simply by the fact that I'd run out of the right gear.
I'd go for a few rides and then run out of clean clothes. And that would be enough to knock me off my momentum.
It feels ridiculous to write, but if you've ever ridden for more than a half-hour on a bike seat you KNOW how much a difference the right shorts make. Without them, your nethers immediately start barking at you; with them you don't even think about your seat until long after everything else has gotten good and tired.
Since receiving that shipment of bike clothes about 16 months ago, I have ridden my bike nearly 7,500 miles. Suffice to say, I've been able to keep my biking momentum…
And herein is the lesson: sometimes the most basic-seeming change can unblock you in ways you never imagined.
Now let's be honest: most of the time, getting new clothes won't prompt a big change in behavior. But the right new thing—be it equipment, or a routine, or information—at the right time can completely change the challenge you're facing.
There's the you BEFORE the something, and the you AFTER it, and they're distinctly, definitely changed in some powerful way.
I'd guess this happens most often with the right information: getting a key shred of info at the right time, when you're ready for it, can unlock you in a way that will never stop feeling miraculous.
In that spirit, I want to leave you with an ask: what do you MOST want to know about mobility, or training, or fitness?
I'd love to address your questions in upcoming newsletters, and maybe—just maybe—it will prove to be that key for you that changes everything…
In your corner, Coach Will