the truth about bicycling

Someone asked me recently if I’ve still been biking a lot. That’s the kind of question I get from people. It’s kind of a weird question, I think - unless it’s coming from another biker that understands the scale of my biking.

So when I was asked that, I tried to answer truthfully and say that actually I haven’t been biking that much lately. I’ve been really tired and just haven’t had the energy. I blamed it on getting old or maybe I’m still recovering from the holidays…

And then the questioner relaxes knowing that I can’t possibly justify hounding him about getting a bike and riding it somewhere, anywhere… to just replace a single car-mile… now he thinks he’s off the hook. Even Jonah has given up so we can all continue along merrily like we haven’t already fucked up the world. So, my activism failed that night. And I’m sorry.

The truth is, without realizing it, or intending to, I really pushed myself hard to finish off 2009 with high miles – the most of my life – a 50% increase from my second place year (2008.) And I might just be ever so slightly burned out. Not burned out on the bike, but just physically run down. So, I haven’t been riding that much.

Which is to say, I’m not on pace to set another record this year. However, I am on pace for an easy second. Not that pace really means anything at such an early month in the year. Things may change for better or for worse, of course.

But it doesn’t feel like I’ve been riding much, so that’s how I answer. It’s the truth from me and a lie to the questioner.