Cliptastic

6-7 miles - some trail I don't know yet

When someone learns how to ride a horse, one of the toughest things to master is picking up your stirrups without looking down. No joke. Something about the act of finding the right spot takes time to develop. When they are proficient at a standstill, the next step is doing it at the walk, then the trot, then the canter.

As an instructor, having students drop and pick up their stirrups without looking down was one of my favorite things to incorporate into a lesson. Deceptively simple and infinitely important. It does wonders for your balance and "sense" of being on the horse. It shows an independence as well as a togetherness. And did I mention safety? Since losing your stirrups can happen after a sudden buck, rear, or scoot, getting them back quickly can be the difference between staying on and falling off.

It was also something I found amusing to watch. Not in the sense that I thought my students were dumb or incompetent. They were just beginners doing beginner things. It was amusing in that nostalgic way, the way it's amusing to see kids try to write their names for the first time, or paint a picture, or come up with an insult. Or try to do anything that for them is hard, and for you was once hard, but is now second nature.

Karma is a bitch.

Today, finally, I triumphantly walked out the door with my Masi ready for action. My shoes were in hand, my helmet tucked under my arm, my gloves neatly in the pocket of my jersey, my matching water bottle securely in its cage, and my padded cycle pants giving me the rear I would never possess through genetics.

I drove down to a quiet neighborhood road, exited the car, and wheeled myself into position.

Then I stopped. Somehow, I had to get on the bike. This was a crucial step in riding it. It was also easier said than done. I tipped it over so I could scoot my bootie on the seat. It was very tipped. Then I tried to clip my right foot in at the top so I could push off.

But whenever I pressed down, the shoe didn't click in and the bike started rolling forward. Which made me start to fall over.

So I set it up again. This time, I practiced clicking in and out on MY side, without bothering to swing over.

Only problem was, I had to look down to do it. And even then it was hit or miss.

I tried again. Booty scoot, pedal up, try to click in.

Shoe not clicking in, bike rolling forward, me falling over.

My early confusion started to mount into frustration which then tipped over into overwhelmation. All of my friends ride, and at that moment I felt that I was never going to get it, that I had spent all of this money on a bike that I couldn't even ride, and that I was completely inept at cycling.

Most of all, though, I felt like a beginner, complete with the absolute irritation that comes when you know mentally how to do something, you know the actual logistics, but you can't physically reproduce it. The part that really matters.

After about 15 minutes of trying and failing, from multiple angles and practices, I decided to put it back on the trainer and actually practice clipping in and out. Which is exactly what I did.

The good news? I had a GREAT trainer session. I loved it, 50 minutes went by in a blink, and I exerted myself WAY more than I did on the elliptical. It was fun! I also practiced JUST clipping in and out. Of course, it's way easier when you don't have to worry about balance, when the bike is suspended in midair on the trainer.

And when you look down, as I often did despite knowing it was counterproductive.

karma karma karma...

Fortunately, there are some courses of action to take.

First off, getting someone to teach me what I was doing wrong and why. Turns out I was making several beginner mistakes, all of which are correctable, all of which will make it much easier.

Second off, getting some fricking patience and going out to a big field where I can (and will) fall over repeatedly whilst perfecting my technique.

Third off, going to my LBS (local bike shop, Revolution Cycles for me), and asking about some different pedal/cleat options, something that's a little bigger and easier (right now I have SPDs, and while other people tell me that it doesn't matter, I would like to at least TRY something a bit bigger. It's harder to miss the bullzeye when it's larger, right?).

So yes, while I am a beginner, that is only a stage that I have to progress through. Nobody starts out an expert. And while it's a place I haven't been to in a long time, it's actually not that horrible of a place to be.

For a little bit.