Of all the sports and types of exercising that is out there my brain decided to go with cycling.
I was a skeptic for a long time. How can one truly get a workout from pedaling a bike? Isn't that something you did when you were little? Why would anyone in their right mind decide to ride upwards of 50 miles for .... fun? Yet here I am four years after taking up the sport -yes it is a sport- and I couldn't imagine doing anything else.
We cyclists are savage. We dress in the tightest gear imaginable, wear shoes that one could use for sprinting around a track and arm ourselves with gloves, a helmet, and sunglasses. We decide that nothing suits us more than a lengthy ride full of repeating the same movement over and over.
Yet here is the kicker: who wouldn't want to ride in the open air with nothing but an open road in front of you?
Often one of the most frustrating things, though, about being a cyclist in Michigan is that I really only get about 5 months to ride outside. When the weather is often unpredictable and mostly cold I am often forced to ride a bike inside. Nonetheless, there truly is no other sport, or exercise activity, that I enjoy more.
When you get shin splints from running, a messed up spine from lifting weights, and many other terrible excuses when it comes to other forms of exercise I chose cycling. I didn't choose it just for this reason though. My love for cycling was first born out of a desire to help others through the charity Make-A-Wish. Every July Make-A-Wish in Michigan puts on a 3-day cycling event where cyclists raise money to fund wishes for sick children and their families.
During that ride, I always have this thought running through my head: running 50 miles is nothing compared to what these kids and their families endure or have endured. That's when the sport becomes more than just a hobby to me, that's when I find value and meaning in simply riding a bike.
So, really despite all of the weirdness one may believe when it comes to cycling there is nothing else I'd rather do when it comes to staying in shape. Yeah it is strange to think that pedaling on an endless loop for anywhere from 5 to 105 miles can be enjoyable, but hey I'll be weird as long as I'm a cyclist.
