And Doing Them

It is, quite possibly, my raison d’etre, the meaning behind the action. Or, put another way, the why of the what. Answering the question, why do you do that you do? 

Yesterday, as planned, we ripped through a simulated 40K ride at race pace. This isn’t always easy because some folks simply have zero desire to work at the levels required to accurately mirror the sustained intensity levels of the challenge. This is, of course, a concept that the experienced riders embrace, it is the holy grail of riding a bike. Bringing the two together, indoors, under the guidance of a coach familiar with the physical and mental demands of high output and sustainable efforts can be amazingly beneficial. There are verbal cues, prompts, warnings and commands as well as the unspoken but dramatic communication known as body language. Toss in a couple of industrial strength fans and some vintage rock 'n roll, keep your heart rate at 95% of max and go bravely in search of dynamic flow, focused effort and sustainable power. For one hour. Dad get me outta this. 

That is the point A to point B descriptor. The start and the finish, its beginning and the end. 

What intrigued me yesterday as we executed this quarterly event, is what took place between the polarities of the go and the whoa, the hammer going down and its eventual conclusion. Perhaps a cleaner visual is the one of the road trip. You pack your car, truck or van with everything you think will be necessary to accomplish the trip objectives, bikes, tents, CDs, podcasts, ice chests, propane, tools, water and snacks, check your GPS and head down the road. Destination is three days or twenty-five hours away. The adventure is what takes place between them. Or as Kerouac called it On The Road. We are almost always slightly disappointed when we arrive. The experience of moving through the unknowns of time and space alive with the freedoms of mind, body and spirit is the goal, not the eventual geographic destination. 

I am fascinated by what happens as we power through this landscape. On a bicycle, racing, there is but a single objective: Get there as fast as you are able. On a bicycle when touring the objective is to travel slow and steady, seeing everything. Honestly I cannot tell which I prefer. I love to race and I love to tour. They represent the two sides of the freedom and adventure coin. The provide purpose. Heads or tails. 

When I wish to go fast I want my training to accommodate the request. The times when success is defined by smiles instead of miles, I wish for the emotional, the internal, the spiritual and artistic rather than the brute velocity of the race. For the former I bring gels and the latter a good lens. 

It was with great interest that yesterday in our virtual race, where at the turnaround, the half-way point, as a particularly poignant tune, Zevon’s gritty Guns, Lawyers and Money, blasted onto the scene, that I considered my meaning. Why do I do this? What is its meaning? What is it for? How does this simple exercise create such awesome and amazing magic? 

Can my raison d’être simply be seeking activities that combine consciousness, physicality and spirituality? 

AND DOING THEM?