Non-athlete as a kid, cyclist as adult? - Cycling Mob: Road Cycling, Mountain Biking and More

08-11-2004, 08:28 AM

Recently I ran into someone who I knew in high school. He was someone who,
as a teen, was an archetypal nerdy type: glasses, brainiac, greasy hair,
completely non-athletic. He's now a very strong cyclist, regularly
completing centuries and doubles, and just got back from a bike tour to see
the TdF. I bet all the football players in HS have now gone to lard, and he
could kick all of their collective asses.

I then recalled another person I know who was fat in his teens and was
teased and harrassed for it. Now, as an adult, he has a normal weight. He's
another century rider, a daily commuter.

Me, I wasn't the very last to be picked for the team, but maybe second or
third to last. I've always had bad hand-eye coordination, well, bad any sort
of coordination, which made traditional kids' sports like soccer and
baseball, or girly things like gymnastics, always difficult. I got Bs in gym
class not on ability, but because I showed up and did my best -- if it had
been on actual accomplishment, I would have been in the C- category at best.
Now, I'm no Lance Armstrong, but I think I'm in decent shape, better than
most middle aged women I see around here.

For me, the thing about bicycling that makes it easier is that it doesn't
take much coordination, and it is repetitively rhythmic. Your feet are
strapped in; all you need to do is keep them moving and keep your balance.
When I used to do aerobics, I loved it when we did the same routine for each
class. Some members were bored silly, and wanted different routines. I hated
it -- I'd have to think where my foot and arm had to go, and then I couldn't
relax into the class. I like it when I don't have to think about such
things -- I like just moving.

Bicycle champions are life-long athletes. You read the biographies of Tyler
Hamilton or Lance Armstrong, and you realize that they were skiing or
swimming or something in their youths, if they weren't necessarily
bicycling.

But your more garden-variety cyclists, like you find here on rbm -- were you
someone who was considered an athlete in high school? Do you consider
yourself athletic now?

--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
please substitute yahoo for mousepotato to reply
Home of the meditative cyclist:
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08-11-2004, 09:06 AM

"Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:rOrSc.18132$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].pas.earthl ink.net:
> Bicycle champions are life-long athletes. You read the biographies of
> Tyler Hamilton or Lance Armstrong, and you realize that they were skiing
> or swimming or something in their youths, if they weren't necessarily
> bicycling.
>
> But your more garden-variety cyclists, like you find here on rbm -- were
> you someone who was considered an athlete in high school? Do you
> consider yourself athletic now?

There's a big difference between a pro athlete and a recreational athlete.
Pro athletes need to be successful as teenagers so they can start getting
pro experience in their early 20s and peak at around 30 years old.

Recreational athletes can keep going until well into their senior citizen
years. Recreational athletes are far more healthy later in life than the
typical high school jock.

One problem with high school sports is that they focus almost exclusively
on competitive sports, so the kids that don't make the team are not allowed
to participate. High schools should focus more on recreational sports like
bicycle touring or mountain biking or hiking where the goals are fun and
fitness, not winning the big game.

08-11-2004, 09:06 AM

"Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:rOrSc.18132$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].pas.earthl ink.net:
> Bicycle champions are life-long athletes. You read the biographies of
> Tyler Hamilton or Lance Armstrong, and you realize that they were skiing
> or swimming or something in their youths, if they weren't necessarily
> bicycling.
>
> But your more garden-variety cyclists, like you find here on rbm -- were
> you someone who was considered an athlete in high school? Do you
> consider yourself athletic now?

There's a big difference between a pro athlete and a recreational athlete.
Pro athletes need to be successful as teenagers so they can start getting
pro experience in their early 20s and peak at around 30 years old.

Recreational athletes can keep going until well into their senior citizen
years. Recreational athletes are far more healthy later in life than the
typical high school jock.

One problem with high school sports is that they focus almost exclusively
on competitive sports, so the kids that don't make the team are not allowed
to participate. High schools should focus more on recreational sports like
bicycle touring or mountain biking or hiking where the goals are fun and
fitness, not winning the big game.

08-11-2004, 09:06 AM

"Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:rOrSc.18132$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].pas.earthl ink.net:
> Bicycle champions are life-long athletes. You read the biographies of
> Tyler Hamilton or Lance Armstrong, and you realize that they were skiing
> or swimming or something in their youths, if they weren't necessarily
> bicycling.
>
> But your more garden-variety cyclists, like you find here on rbm -- were
> you someone who was considered an athlete in high school? Do you
> consider yourself athletic now?

There's a big difference between a pro athlete and a recreational athlete.
Pro athletes need to be successful as teenagers so they can start getting
pro experience in their early 20s and peak at around 30 years old.

Recreational athletes can keep going until well into their senior citizen
years. Recreational athletes are far more healthy later in life than the
typical high school jock.

One problem with high school sports is that they focus almost exclusively
on competitive sports, so the kids that don't make the team are not allowed
to participate. High schools should focus more on recreational sports like
bicycle touring or mountain biking or hiking where the goals are fun and
fitness, not winning the big game.

08-11-2004, 09:06 AM

"Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:rOrSc.18132$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].pas.earthl ink.net:
> Bicycle champions are life-long athletes. You read the biographies of
> Tyler Hamilton or Lance Armstrong, and you realize that they were skiing
> or swimming or something in their youths, if they weren't necessarily
> bicycling.
>
> But your more garden-variety cyclists, like you find here on rbm -- were
> you someone who was considered an athlete in high school? Do you
> consider yourself athletic now?

There's a big difference between a pro athlete and a recreational athlete.
Pro athletes need to be successful as teenagers so they can start getting
pro experience in their early 20s and peak at around 30 years old.

Recreational athletes can keep going until well into their senior citizen
years. Recreational athletes are far more healthy later in life than the
typical high school jock.

One problem with high school sports is that they focus almost exclusively
on competitive sports, so the kids that don't make the team are not allowed
to participate. High schools should focus more on recreational sports like
bicycle touring or mountain biking or hiking where the goals are fun and
fitness, not winning the big game.

08-11-2004, 09:06 AM

"Claire Petersky" <[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]> wrote in
news:rOrSc.18132$[Only registered and activated users can see links. ].pas.earthl ink.net:
> Bicycle champions are life-long athletes. You read the biographies of
> Tyler Hamilton or Lance Armstrong, and you realize that they were skiing
> or swimming or something in their youths, if they weren't necessarily
> bicycling.
>
> But your more garden-variety cyclists, like you find here on rbm -- were
> you someone who was considered an athlete in high school? Do you
> consider yourself athletic now?

There's a big difference between a pro athlete and a recreational athlete.
Pro athletes need to be successful as teenagers so they can start getting
pro experience in their early 20s and peak at around 30 years old.

Recreational athletes can keep going until well into their senior citizen
years. Recreational athletes are far more healthy later in life than the
typical high school jock.

One problem with high school sports is that they focus almost exclusively
on competitive sports, so the kids that don't make the team are not allowed
to participate. High schools should focus more on recreational sports like
bicycle touring or mountain biking or hiking where the goals are fun and
fitness, not winning the big game.

08-11-2004, 09:27 AM

Claire Petersky wrote:
> Me, I wasn't the very last to be picked for the team, but maybe second or
> third to last. I've always had bad hand-eye coordination, well, bad any sort
> of coordination, which made traditional kids' sports like soccer and
> baseball, or girly things like gymnastics, always difficult. I got Bs in gym
> class not on ability, but because I showed up and did my best -- if it had
> been on actual accomplishment, I would have been in the C- category at best.
> Now, I'm no Lance Armstrong, but I think I'm in decent shape, better than
> most middle aged women I see around here.

I was picked last for the team, mainly because I was small and
chronically out-of-shape. Basketball was the worst for a shortie like
me (we were required to play all sports in turn); swimming was okay;
gymnastics was fun although I never was very good at it; I enjoyed
dance. We even did golf in high school: I was hopeless, the only kid in
the class who actually got worse the more I practiced. Mostly I loathed
team sports and did okay on less team-oriented and non-competitive
activities. And I also usually got Bs, based more out of doing my best
than on performance (which was pretty pathetic). But I'd have been
ecstatic if I hadn't been required to go to Phys Ed class at all (it
wasn't optional until senior year of high school).

I definitely fall into the "non-athlete as a kid" category. I've been
more active as an adult, with a 13-year sedentary hiatus that ended 11
weeks ago. I hesitate to call myself a cyclist, since I feel I'm not
there yet (I can't keep up with anybody), but it's always been my
preferred form of exercise.

My husband says I'm in better shape than most of the middle-aged women
where he works, but then, they're all computer geeks of the first water
just like him. Most of the women I know are as sedentary as I was for
those 13 years, so I suppose I'm in better shape than they are, but
that's not saying much. Yet.

One of these days, I'll get up the courage to make contact with the
local cycling club, but, um, uh... I'm a coward. I'm really afraid of
not being able to keep up with anybody and getting left behind. Again.
As usual. *wince*

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

08-11-2004, 09:27 AM

Claire Petersky wrote:
> Me, I wasn't the very last to be picked for the team, but maybe second or
> third to last. I've always had bad hand-eye coordination, well, bad any sort
> of coordination, which made traditional kids' sports like soccer and
> baseball, or girly things like gymnastics, always difficult. I got Bs in gym
> class not on ability, but because I showed up and did my best -- if it had
> been on actual accomplishment, I would have been in the C- category at best.
> Now, I'm no Lance Armstrong, but I think I'm in decent shape, better than
> most middle aged women I see around here.

I was picked last for the team, mainly because I was small and
chronically out-of-shape. Basketball was the worst for a shortie like
me (we were required to play all sports in turn); swimming was okay;
gymnastics was fun although I never was very good at it; I enjoyed
dance. We even did golf in high school: I was hopeless, the only kid in
the class who actually got worse the more I practiced. Mostly I loathed
team sports and did okay on less team-oriented and non-competitive
activities. And I also usually got Bs, based more out of doing my best
than on performance (which was pretty pathetic). But I'd have been
ecstatic if I hadn't been required to go to Phys Ed class at all (it
wasn't optional until senior year of high school).

I definitely fall into the "non-athlete as a kid" category. I've been
more active as an adult, with a 13-year sedentary hiatus that ended 11
weeks ago. I hesitate to call myself a cyclist, since I feel I'm not
there yet (I can't keep up with anybody), but it's always been my
preferred form of exercise.

My husband says I'm in better shape than most of the middle-aged women
where he works, but then, they're all computer geeks of the first water
just like him. Most of the women I know are as sedentary as I was for
those 13 years, so I suppose I'm in better shape than they are, but
that's not saying much. Yet.

One of these days, I'll get up the courage to make contact with the
local cycling club, but, um, uh... I'm a coward. I'm really afraid of
not being able to keep up with anybody and getting left behind. Again.
As usual. *wince*

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

08-11-2004, 09:27 AM

Claire Petersky wrote:
> Me, I wasn't the very last to be picked for the team, but maybe second or
> third to last. I've always had bad hand-eye coordination, well, bad any sort
> of coordination, which made traditional kids' sports like soccer and
> baseball, or girly things like gymnastics, always difficult. I got Bs in gym
> class not on ability, but because I showed up and did my best -- if it had
> been on actual accomplishment, I would have been in the C- category at best.
> Now, I'm no Lance Armstrong, but I think I'm in decent shape, better than
> most middle aged women I see around here.

I was picked last for the team, mainly because I was small and
chronically out-of-shape. Basketball was the worst for a shortie like
me (we were required to play all sports in turn); swimming was okay;
gymnastics was fun although I never was very good at it; I enjoyed
dance. We even did golf in high school: I was hopeless, the only kid in
the class who actually got worse the more I practiced. Mostly I loathed
team sports and did okay on less team-oriented and non-competitive
activities. And I also usually got Bs, based more out of doing my best
than on performance (which was pretty pathetic). But I'd have been
ecstatic if I hadn't been required to go to Phys Ed class at all (it
wasn't optional until senior year of high school).

I definitely fall into the "non-athlete as a kid" category. I've been
more active as an adult, with a 13-year sedentary hiatus that ended 11
weeks ago. I hesitate to call myself a cyclist, since I feel I'm not
there yet (I can't keep up with anybody), but it's always been my
preferred form of exercise.

My husband says I'm in better shape than most of the middle-aged women
where he works, but then, they're all computer geeks of the first water
just like him. Most of the women I know are as sedentary as I was for
those 13 years, so I suppose I'm in better shape than they are, but
that's not saying much. Yet.

One of these days, I'll get up the courage to make contact with the
local cycling club, but, um, uh... I'm a coward. I'm really afraid of
not being able to keep up with anybody and getting left behind. Again.
As usual. *wince*

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

08-11-2004, 09:27 AM

Claire Petersky wrote:
> Me, I wasn't the very last to be picked for the team, but maybe second or
> third to last. I've always had bad hand-eye coordination, well, bad any sort
> of coordination, which made traditional kids' sports like soccer and
> baseball, or girly things like gymnastics, always difficult. I got Bs in gym
> class not on ability, but because I showed up and did my best -- if it had
> been on actual accomplishment, I would have been in the C- category at best.
> Now, I'm no Lance Armstrong, but I think I'm in decent shape, better than
> most middle aged women I see around here.

I was picked last for the team, mainly because I was small and
chronically out-of-shape. Basketball was the worst for a shortie like
me (we were required to play all sports in turn); swimming was okay;
gymnastics was fun although I never was very good at it; I enjoyed
dance. We even did golf in high school: I was hopeless, the only kid in
the class who actually got worse the more I practiced. Mostly I loathed
team sports and did okay on less team-oriented and non-competitive
activities. And I also usually got Bs, based more out of doing my best
than on performance (which was pretty pathetic). But I'd have been
ecstatic if I hadn't been required to go to Phys Ed class at all (it
wasn't optional until senior year of high school).

I definitely fall into the "non-athlete as a kid" category. I've been
more active as an adult, with a 13-year sedentary hiatus that ended 11
weeks ago. I hesitate to call myself a cyclist, since I feel I'm not
there yet (I can't keep up with anybody), but it's always been my
preferred form of exercise.

My husband says I'm in better shape than most of the middle-aged women
where he works, but then, they're all computer geeks of the first water
just like him. Most of the women I know are as sedentary as I was for
those 13 years, so I suppose I'm in better shape than they are, but
that's not saying much. Yet.

One of these days, I'll get up the courage to make contact with the
local cycling club, but, um, uh... I'm a coward. I'm really afraid of
not being able to keep up with anybody and getting left behind. Again.
As usual. *wince*

-km

--
the black rose
proud to be owned by a yorkie
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]