Salem, Oregon's
Running & Walking Club Site
Home of
Willamette Valley Road Runners (WVRR)
www.WVRoadrunners.org.

Biking Thoughts

OK, as I ride a bit slow it gives me time to ponder. Maybe not the great ideas of the world, but just some ordinary plebian thoughts. As accomplished athletes, we have been taught by the sports psychologists to visualize ourselves as though we were in the event itself and to go through the entire process and emulate that, or those thoughts, when we actually do the glorious activity. Sometimes we are to visualize ourselves as someone of superior talent. Thus, it was that I came up with this idea! Visualize myself as Lance Armstrong! Yes, an outstanding bike racer traveling at astounding speeds with the crowd mesmerized by my speed and stealth! What a truly outstanding idea, as the similarities comparing me to Lance are truly myriad. As I thought about it the comparison seemed so appropriate. For instance, I knew Lance is tall and thin. I’m short and stocky. Lance rides his bike fast and I ride my bike! Yet, there’s more! Lance lives in Austin; I grew up in Austin. Wow, this was getting "like weird"! Lance is on his bike six hours a day, and I’m on my butt six hours a day. More similarities popped into my now hypoxic brain: such as: Lance rode for the Postal team, and I’ve gone "postal" a couple of times! We’ve both had surgery involving "ectomy": his orchi- and mine menisc-! As the miles literally flew by I could tell this was a truly amazing and uncanny epiphany! Lance went to France and won the tour! I toured in France and almost saw some of the tour! Then more really obscure, but obvious things came to mind! His bike has two wheels and so does mine. We both have two brakes and two pedals-this was getting far out, kinda like maybe Shirley Maclaine or something! Two tires, one seat--Holy smokes it was like we were the same! Just then a large truck went by nearly forcing me off the road and as I regained my self and bike control I rounded a bend in the road and saw a steep hill and said, "(expletive deleted) "Lance woulda been up that hill long ago"! End of similarities!

Bill Mayhall