Getting Up is the Hardest Part

Training for an Ironman 70.3 requires me to have a certain skillsets. Some of them being the ability to swim, to cycle and to run (Simple enough). However, throughout the training I've struggled through some of them, the cycling skillset is by far the hardest one for me to acquire.

Recently, one of my workouts required me to do a 3-hour cycle. I prepped myself and all of my nutrition, planned a route and then got my dad to be the driver behind me (This was obviously for safety reasons).

My dad and I got ready, and off we went. We drove to a specific starting point, got the bike out of the back of the car, I put on all of my cycling gear and the only thing left was for me to get on the bike and pedal.

I should've known that is was not going to be smooth sailing. I became very anxious and had a bit of fear flowing through me. This was probably because every single car that drove past me made a high speed "whoosh" sound, the drivers were overtaking each other at really high speeds and the overall speed they were driving was quite high.

By the time I had to pedal my hands were shaking and I was truly filled with so much anxiety. It all happened so fast... I pedalled, struggled to click in my second cleat, panicked, lost control of the bike and then fell in the middle of the road.

The only thing that was going through my mind was "Eunickah, GET OUT OF THE ROAD!, GET OUT OF THE ROAD!". I unclipped my cleats so fast, got up and got myself and my bike out of the road.

At the time, I don't think I processed what had just happened. I was out of the road, eventually freaked out, then I looked down and saw red. Yes, I was unfortunately bleeding. I saw that, and how my hands were shaking and called it for the day.

Following what could have potentially been a major disaster. I licked my wounds (Figuratively) and got an Oreo McFlurry for my bruised ego.

The next day I tried to ride my bike again. Intially I was tentative, still a bit shaken by the incident that happened the previous day. Despite that, I got on my bike and rode it for about one kilometer until I called it quits, because I felt so defeated.

This whole incident created a small mental block and following this I am learning that it's quite hard to pick yourself up again. Especially after a fall. Regardless of the small traumas, I still got myself on the bike the following day. Yes, it was only for a kilometer, but one kilometer is better than none.

I know it's hard to pick yourself up after a fall, but trust me you are more than capable of doing it.

P.S: I'm not only referring to riding a bike.