Passion

A strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything, that’s passion.According to Justin Coulson, an MD from Down Under, there are two types of passions when it comes to cycling– harmonious passion & obsessive passion.

Harmonious passion, he said, is when “we engage in cycling willingly, with a sense of volition. We do it because we choose to. This kind of passion is linked to positive emotions, and increased life satisfaction.”

HP is associated with the “feeling good” feeling, when you take out your bicycle for a spin. Or that feeling when you are sweating all over after the ride. Or when you ride as a part of your healthy lifestyle.

Obsessive passion, Dr. Coulson says, refers to that “seemingly uncontrollable urge to ride. It’s the feeling we get when “need to” ride. He added, “this kind of passion is associated with “internal conflict, and negative emotional outcomes (such as feelings of shame or guilt) and life satisfaction outcomes.”

Wow! I could feel Dr. Coulson describing me. A few years back, I used to join Saturday races at the Rekla. Saturday for me was the highest point of my week and I look forward to it. I eat, sleep and think about cycling and Saturdays everyday. And if it rains, I usually feel ill mannered. I even go to the Rekla even if it rains hoping that the Good Lord didn’t include it in His water sprinkling routine.

Believe you me, I wasn’t alone. There were a few of us who’d brave the day and the bicycle washing, just to be sure that the Rekla was really wet.  And we’d joked that the other guy was “ongo” for coming to the Rekla in inclement weather.

I also dabbled in triathlon, but I realized that running and swimming made me slower on the bicycle so I stopped doing it. Running and swimming lessens my saddle time and I believed it was not good for my cycling.Besides, it  also take away a lot of saddle time.

I always looked at the calendar and looked for holidays that fall on a Saturday or a Sunday. Man, it always made me look forward and prepare better for weekends with holidays. It means a longer race or a longer ride.

No, my wife never scolded me for coming home late but there was a time or two when I almost got a piece of her mind.

But what made me pause from my obsession happened when my eldest daughter talked back to me and told me that I haven’t been joining their Family Day in school. If you are a father, Family Day is always a Sunday, and is a conflict to my long ride. I felt ashamed but was in denial for a while. It took me a long time to realize that I was wrong. I never missed any Family Days from that day on.

I think I’m still obsessed but not at the same level as before, that fateful Family Day. But I’m still obsessed. When I go to bed at night, I set my alarm for my ride, not for work. I eat (I think I do!) with cycling in mind.

And the best thing that happened to me was that I have stopped drinking Cokes since August 27. I can’t say that I have gotten over it because I still crave a cold bottle every time my throat dries up.