Pain , physically and emotionally, is a four-letter word, literally and figuratively. For most well adjusted individuals, it bears a purely negative meaning , and ranks right up there with the other four-letter words that describe experiences most sane people would not willingly seek out. Pain is a state that average sedentary people try to avoid at all costs. But pain and riding , for better or for worse, are constantly linked together. You’ve got the sharp stabbing kind or the excruciating kind that causes you to scream in agony and visit the ER. Those types are never, never something good.
But the rush of going fast, taking chances and living to see the other side unscathed is nothing to write off. It is a key element of why we get out and pedal. And pain is a crucial factor of this aspect of the ride. An error in judgment at speed or in flight has its own consequences. And the unpleasant results inflicted on your body and the mental and physical scars that remain are harsh reminders of what to do and what not to do.
These hard lessons are only learned one way , and usually involve that aforementioned four-letter word , along with several others I cant mention.
On the other side of pain’s coin, theres the dull ache, the weary depletion of energy felt after a long day in the saddle. Even when you plan to ride to avoid this uncomfortable reality (climbing), pain, being the yin in the yang of pleasure ( descending singletrack ), will still enter the equation. We were planning to shuttle an epic section of trail a few weeks ago. While there was a shorter, more efficient (less painful) way to ride our planned trail, a few of us insisted on riding the 9-mile climb to the top. It just seemed like the right thing to do. After a few hours of hard riding, the long , steady climb in high altitude was the last thing my friend wanted to see. His every pedal stroke felt like wading through wet cement, and with each revolution the urge to curl up under a tree and take a nap grew stronger.
But after reaching the top, the final descent to the cars seemed sweeter ; the post ride conversation and trail-stories seemed richer. What is a ride without pain ? There has to be some discomfort, some good old-fashioned pain, involved in each one, otherwise, its not really a mountain bike ride. And “ride,” after all, is a four-letter word.
Inspired by Jim Roff
