Finding our rhythm to dance too

“I’m trying to find a new rhythm in my life” – Fabian Cancellara

Cycling, like any competitive sport, requires discipline and a plan. As a recreational cyclist, it is easy for me to look on, with envy, at that those men and women who get to make their living doing something that I love myself. But here is the thing, when it is raining I don’t have to ride. When you are a pro-cyclist on a training plan, you ride in the rain. If I want an extra hamburger with my beer, I have one. A pro-cyclist has to watch their weight and eat foods that benefit the end result, which is to get results during a race.

Yes, I only see the fun parts of being a cyclist, the bikes, the cool kits, soigneurs and buses. But I know you don’t get to the show without waking up at 5:30 in the morning and doing a 100 mile training ride in the snow.

34-year-old Fabian Cancellara is retiring at the end of this year after 15 years as a pro-cyclist. His list of achievements would fill pages, as would his list of broken bones and injuries. I have always admired his work ethic. Whether his role was team leader or working for the team you could rest assured “Spartacus” would leave everything he had on the road.

So after 15 years, 15 years of riding in the rain, the cold and the heat. 15 years of enduring injuries, diets, and peeing in a cup, he is making a change, a big change. As he states, he is changing the “rhythm” of his life and in search of “a new rhythm”.

Life is all about rhythm, finding a rhythm we can dance too even when there are changes before us. Sometimes those changes are self-imposed, others just occur naturally. As I have gotten older I have noticed some of the rhythmical changes that come with years. Some are very subtle while others are glaring. I have learned to adapt, understanding that I can’t do some things at 55 that I could do at 25. But my life still has a rhythm, a beat, and as long as there is a beat in my heart I will contine to dance. I hope you will too.

“It’s going to be a change of rhythm. My life isn’t performance driven anymore. It’s about following my passions, about riding my bike when I want. Now if it’s raining I can stay inside. But if I want to go and ride hard, I can do that, too. The decision is in my hands now. There’s no training programme to follow, no heartbeats or watts to follow to study and strive for.” – Fabian Cancellara