BREAKING AWAY AND BREAKING BONES
Updated: Sep 6, 2019
Winning a bike race is hard. Whether you're pinning on a number for the first time, or a seasoned pro, it never gets easier, you just go faster. Crashes happen. It's often something totally out of your control - a hole in the road, crossing wheels, a loose rock on the trail. Its a matter of time. With cycling, as with any sport, your time will come to pay the price. One day you can be on top form and the next completely shattered. How we deal with injury, recovery, and pain is a reflection on our character. Recovering from an injury should be dealt with like any other challenge, and taken in stride. The best piece of advice I have ever received was to focus on things you can measure and to stop worrying about things you can't control. That is, focus on objective criteria and not the subjective. Pain is the most subjective thing of all. While recovering from an injury, you might not hurt less, but you will get stronger. Maybe you're still in a lot of pain - but you can walk further, or lift more weight. If you are making progress, then you are healing, and know that you will get better.
Photo courtesy of Celine and Wouter @bicycle_racing_pictures