“Look where you want the bike to go.”
This is probably the most commonly given mountain biking advice out
there. So, why is it so hard to do?
Corners, what a mind fuck. I'm entering
a turn and looking at the apex, then all of a sudden I'm in the apex
and staring straight down – or more likely at a trail-side cactus
that's calling to me like a desert siren. I have vowed to stop this
compulsion, but it's easier said than done. It's not just corners for
me; hill climbs also like to play games with my head. Motivation
turns to frustration as my eyes slowly shift from 20 feet ahead to
two. My eyes focus on the trail surface and within seconds I'm
obsessing over rear wheel traction and front wheel tracking. I'm
zigging and zagging back and forth and somehow manage to hit every
rock on the trail.
 |
| One of the mini climbs at Papago Park in Tempe, AZ |
Today was hill repeat day, and I paused
at the bottom of the climb to reaffirm my game plan – look ahead. I
dropped down into my easiest gear and started pedaling, with my gaze
fixed on a spot about 15 feet ahead of me. I slowly crept up the
hill, spinning and staring, spinning and staring. A few times I
caught myself starting to look down at my front tire and quickly
picked my head back up. It was a strange feeling, everything in my
peripheral vision became blurred and I locked my eyes on the crest of
the climb. The bike was doing all of the work, I was just turning the
pedals. Did I discover some sort of secret? Thinking this must have
been a fluke or an out of body episode, I circled back around to the bottom of the hill. Again, I kept my focus and ascending felt
like floating. I reached the top, in awe of how much my perceived
effort of that climb had changed. I used the same bike, same gear and
same cadence that I use every week, but my experience was totally
different. Usually I stop to catch my breath, then look down at the
beast I just slayed, and pedal off with a smirk. Sometimes, I sit
down and try to calm my seemingly uncontrollable breathing. Today, I
just kept pedaling.
Corners – you're next.
