@shaunasmash shares her take on (Riding to remember & Riding to forget)

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The concept of “Sometimes I ride to remember, Sometimes I ride to forget,”

appears to be universal to anyone that loves to pedal on two wheels.

However, what is remembered and what is forgotten is the unique aspect,

and it took me a while to discover that riding a bike was a better fit for

my therapeutic needs than running.

I’ve spent four years discovering myself after losing 80 pounds. Part of

that discovery was figuring out what exercise best fit for a lifestyle.

I went from 200+ pounds and unable to jog more than five minutes to a

distance runner. I ran three half marathons and a marathon after two

years of hard work. Running became a reminder of the path I was taking.

Every step was a reminder of the effort I put into changing my entire

life. Every completed run was a triumph. People don’t quite understand

the shock of losing a lot of weight and suddenly becoming athletic. I

looked in the mirror and it was like I was a different person. I’d run

10 miles and just stop and ask myself “how did I get here?” Exercise was

the path to my physical and emotional transformation, and running was

the easiest, most effective method. I bought some running shoes and all

I had to do was step out the door. I was fit, I was happy — and I could

be alone for hours. That’s the joy of being an endurance athlete. If

there was ever a time to clear the mind in a healthy manner, endurance

sports is the way to go. It was just me and the road.

Unfortunately, my body broke down. I kept giving myself new challenges

with running and decided to run a marathon. Slight problem: I increased

volume and intensity at the same time. That’s a major no-no of training,

FYI! What was once therapeutic and empowering became painful and

intimidating. By the time I ran my marathon, I was so severely

overtrained I got sick. I couldn’t walk up steps for a week after my

first 26.2 miles (the ING Hartford Marathon). Earning a marathon finisher

medal remains my most proud accomplishment. However, I lost the true joy

of what got me running in the first place. Pain is one thing. Injury is

another. I had to walk away from running and let my body heal.

Cycling is different. It’s still a test of the human will, but the impact

of the exercise is not the same. I can stay healthy and fit. I can go on

my own for hours. Yet, I can still walk once I’m done. I lost my own

personal therapy once I stopped running. I found it again on the bike.

It’s important to note, though, that I couldn’t even leave a parking lot

on a bike when I first started. It was scary! Skinny little tires felt

like nothing compared to the four wheels of several ton cars everywhere.

I felt so vulnerable. Some of you are so lucky. You rode all your lives,

so the bike is second nature. I still have issues clipping in and out at

traffic lights. Regardless, I didn’t give up on my passion. I knew right

away I loved cycling the first time I watched a women’s bike race.

Slowly, but surely, riding replaced running as a spiritual, physical, and

emotional remedy.

I ride to remember that feeling I had at my first bike race. I loved

running, but it didn’t give me the same rush as watching a bunch of

awesome women climbing mountains and flying effortlessly around tight

corners in a criterium. I also ride to remember how far I’ve come in just

a few years time. Riding 50-60 miles with any kind of speed might be easy

for some of you — but just know that this would have been impossible, or

perhaps laughable, not too long ago for me. I also ride to forget

everything except me and the road. It used to be me and my running shoes.

It’s now me and my bicycle. There’s something to be said about feeling

like your mind, body and spirit are finally balanced. I keep my balance

by riding.

  Bike riding, oddly enough, got me fit enough to slowly build back

running into my life. I thought I would never run again once I stopped

and my aerobic fitness returned to baseline. I just ran five miles for

the first time in two years on Sunday. However, it’s merely something I

do for fun, whereas cycling is now a HUGE part of my life. This time,

I’m taking the endurance base building slowly. Here’s the kicker: I

used to have to throw on music during my long runs to keep from getting

bored. I have yet to need music for a single bike ride, and I’ve been

by myself for four and five hour rides. All I need is the fresh air and

some beautiful surroundings. I think that says a lot for how much

riding is a joy of mine. Also, riding helps me remember that the person

I see in the mirror, who used to be the “new” me, is now simply the

“real” me. I ride to remember my happiness and health, and ride to

forget everything that tries to get in the way of that.


by Shauna Staveley

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