TALES: The “on” day

Today’s 20-mile-plus ride was like riding the perfect wave into shore at Ocean Beach in San Diego.

It’s been a while since I’ve ridden alone, and despite not riding for a couple of weeks and pushing harder than I can remember, my burning thighs somehow felt distant. The oatmeal I had for breakfast provided more fuel than it should have and the constant thump of the MP3 player attached to my brain kept my legs moving mindlessly. I can only remember telling myself to “peddle in circles” to get the most of every revolution.

"There is no pain, no doubt, no fear, no hesitation
and there are no mistakes."

My daughter and I were talking a couple of weeks ago about the feeling of being “on.” She had just returned from having an “off” day at soccer practice, but we reminisced about the buttery feeling of “on” days, when everything flows perfectly without even thinking about it. You’re mind’s not cluttered, and you feel completely detached from your body. Your body’s relaxed and knows instinctively what you’ve taught it to do so many times before. There is no pain, no doubt, no fear, no hesitation and there are no mistakes.

Flying down La Luge today faster than I ever have (thanks in part to it finally being dry all week), I can still feel the pillow-like flow of the bike absorbing every unexpected dip and root under my perfect attack position just inches above the seat; my legs and arms taking every shock easily and my unfaltering focus choosing the next line up ahead. Amazingly, this focus did not event waver when I intentionally ditched into the brush to avoid steamrolling a family of four hikers.

These are the few and far-between days you live for as a rider – or really, as a person in general: the “on” days.