Lady… My Ass Hurts EVERY Day

A couple weeks ago my husband was looking through some cycling forums trying to find a solution to his seious butt ache problems. In the forum someone talked about a conversation he had heard between a lady and Lance Armstrong. She asked him how he rides without his hiney hurting, and his reply was.

Lady, my ass hurts every day.

This whole idea of riding through pain intrigues me. You know pain is one of the reasons I hate exercise. I hate lifting weights because I can’t move the next day, aerobics gives me plenty of aches and pains, and it seems easier to quit than to suffer.

So what makes cycling so different?

Really ~ I’m being serious.  The last two rides I’ve done my feet have not only been numb, but they have been in serious PAIN. I’ve had this weird foot thing before where it feels like I’m walking on 10 inch chef knives every time I take a step, and this is what it feels like every time I push the pedal down one more time, and yet I keep doing it.

I have not gotten off the bike. I have not put the bike back in the barn.

In fact, I have actively gone out looking for solutions. I’ve bought cycling shoes. I have bought new sneakers. Robert told me his foot numbing was helped my a new seat ~ and I’ll be looking into that soon.  I’m making an appointment with my kinesiologist to deal with the foot pain issue.

Spending all this money to fix this issue so I can keep riding.  What it is about cycling, and cycling now that has me so enraptured I’m not only willing to be in pain, but willing and ready to spend money to solve the problem so I can ride even MORE!!

I don’t know. I think it’s about the freedom, the solitude, the fresh air, the confidence I have gained, the joy it gives me to know I created all that power to get myself, this bike (and many times a toddler and a trailer) home, even when I thought I might not make it and contemplate whether I’ll need to call someone to pick me up.  I have never felt this way about a sport, or exercise before.

I have always looked for the easiest, and most simple reason to stop doing, I have never gone out looking to do more.

There’s something magical about cycling. You can feel it just talking to other cyclists. You can feel it when you read the story of someone else’s ride. You can feel it when you get together, the anticipation of a good ride with a group of like minded people.

There’s something about cycling that helps you get through, whatever it is that’s going on in your life, even if your butt does hurt every day.

I don’t know if people are like this about other sports ~ I imagine they are, but it’s like a whole new world has opened up to me since the day I decided to get back in the saddle again, and even though my feet hurt and I’ve got a pain in my ass I LOVE it!!