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I got up this morning and just started writing. After three weeks I got back on my bike after a disolcated finger. Although still not 100%, it was OK, I could hang on. Being back up on the hill made me refelct a little too. Through riding we can connect to many things, so I wrote a little about a few simple ways to feel a connection. When we ride we can connect with elements of ourselves that others might not be able to reach. We might not want to show them or even share. Anger, Fear, and Anxiety can often be linked to our past, they can eat us up, take over our lives and destroy us internally, but also massively affect those around us. Riding bikes can help us understand and manage these emotions, and we can use riding as a tool to help conquer them in the present and future. When we ride alone we can express our vulnerabilities. It doesn’t matter what level of rider you are. If you imagine your riding aggressively it’s a fantastic way to take out some anger on a trail, really attacking the turns or the sections ahead of you. Beating a climb by never giving in. If there is a technical section ahead of you, attack it, if it beats you, attack again and again, and if you can’t be heard scream as loud as you can. Many times I have been surfing, and dived under the surface and released my anger. I've also stood on the hill, just before dark, alone with my bike and just screamed. If we can let some anger out, it means we don’t take it home, we don’t let others see this until we’re ready to open up, and avoid the transference of these emotions to those around us and the ones we love. If you happen to be reading this and in search of a release, get a bike, find a hill, and try screaming, it might not be a solution but I guarantee it’s a means to manage an unwanted emotion. Riding bikes is a perfect way to release this negative energy because it’s such a positive experience. Fear can be frustrating and often linked to limiting beliefs; ‘I can’t do that’!! But riding helps us work and connect to our fear because we can learn to progress. Whether it be jumping, speed, steep drops, climbing, endurance rides, or general bike handling, the more we progress, the more we understand our own relationship with fear, the more we can use the emotion in our favour. Fear of what others think of us is often a massive barrier to entry. If you’ve grown up worrying what others might think of you, then this will carry over into other aspects of life, including sport and riding bikes. I hope many others would agree that within the MTB community, I’m convinced that no one cares, they just love to see people progressing. At any bike park you will find all levels of rider, and personally I’ve never witnessed anyone laugh or mock someone who is trying. A foot of air on a tabletop is a huge thing to some, the first time clearing a huge gap is another, and if any other rider catches you doing either, they’ll be there to congratulate you or offer words of support. It’s similar to the fear of going to a skatepark and feeling embarrassed because you're not very good. From experience of being that person, I’ve only ever been the recipient of another person's stoke and support. Some sports just seem to have that built into their DNA, some communities want others to progress and in turn this helps alleviate fear in others. These are the communities that you can connect with, these are the communities that offer support and will help you also conquer any insecurities. It might be a long work in progress, but using the endless sense of achievement through riding, these lessons can then be translated to managing any fears you might have in everyday life, whether it's jobs, relationships or personal battles. Connection to the MTB community has so many benefits. The club rides, the social chatter, the shared experiences, the events, competition, and the feeling that you are not alone. Remember one in four people will suffer from some form of mental health, and joining the MTB community means you're likely to find someone to talk to, someone that will relate to, and understand your feelings. There are organisations now like the Trail Therapy Project in Plymouth who are helping people through riding MTB and offer organised group rides. But if that is not your thing, most areas have clubs and groups who meet regularly and are open to new members and riders and provide a range of rides from week to week. The connection to nature might often be the most talked about draw of riding a MTB. Getting away into the hills or mountains is hugely beneficial for the mind and dating back to the birth of the MTB itself, it was a way of climbing up, and accessing the highest parts of the wilderness. Fast forward nearly sixty years and riders are still drawn to the benefits of being outside, breathing freshair, riding alone or with friends, being in Nature has to be better than being stuck in our own minds. My local hill is probably one of the smallest in the country. It’s the First and Last Hill in the UK, but I call it ‘My mountain'. Downhill runs of thirty seconds, and steep climbs back up. The views look out over to the ocean and an unbroken 360 degree vista of real beauty. I can sit up here and watch nature, listen to nature and really become mindful. I spend a huge amount of time on this hill and why I call it ‘My Mountain’. Beside the ocean where I surf and swim, this hill is very precious. Finding your mountain, your slice of wilderness, your escape when you need it, will connect you to nature that is both powerful and hugely beneficial. If we can make a connection to these elements then the connection to your well-being and your mental health will become stronger. An unbreakable bond will be made, and once committed you’ll find this very hard to ignore. Surfers have a relationship with Mother Ocean that is very powerful. Immersing yourself into the ocean and feeling the power of a wave, and riding that wave. Energy that has travelled thousands of miles, provides an unfathomable sense of connection and joy. As a surfer myself this might sound all ‘right on’ and ‘duuuude’ but just ask World Enduro Champion, Jack Moir, or World Cup Winner, Laurie Greenland, where they go when then home, they head to the ocean. But if you’re not a surfer, then we are surrounded by Mother Nature. I’m no hippy, but being outdoors with my bike is good for the body and the soul, mind and matter. My Mountain is as important to me as the ocean and I’m lucky enough to immerse myself in both realms. When one is not welcoming, I escape to the other. Both have helped me to heal through some rough times mentally and physically. That old phrase ‘the power to heal’, it’s true, if you embrace it. Find your space, take your bike, ride, sit, observe and be open to being mindful and you will feel the benefits. On those days when you haven’t got the motivation; I beg you to find it. Ask yourself a simple question. ‘If I go riding now, how will I feel in one hour?’ The answer will only ever be positive. Or ask this. ‘If I don’t go riding, how will that serve mentally and physically?’ . I'm Sure the answer would be ‘It doesn't’. You don’t have to do training laps or conquer any fears if you don't feel like it. You might find that turning the pedals is enough. Look over some hedges, climb a hill, sit for a while, take it all in, get some mud on your face, get wet, watch some people walking their dogs, do a lap and ride home. One thing is certain and all the greats can't be wrong. Riding you bike will make you feel better and you will feel connected to whatever it is your looking for. 
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Beau Miles always has a message. This is really worth a watch. As the world is on a self destructive journey to quarry the hell out of the planet in search of minerals for new technologies, supposedly designed to save us; Beau has a message here, and a warning which it seems we are all ignoring. All the production and destruction of communities in the race for of Lithium batteries for cars and bikes and phones, the open quarries for cobalt, precious metals and materials, are all poluting our planet, and as I write this, not as an activist, but an active hypocrite who uses all of the products (except electric bikes and cars), this film really does make you sit up and think. Take a look and please leave a comment, subsribe to Beau Miles on Youtube and watch more of his films, you wont regret it.
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AuthorHi, I'm Russ Pierre, a Cyclist, Surfer and outdoor enthusiast. Please join me as I have some fun on my adventures and write about all the stuff that makes me tick. Archives
October 2023
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