Third day back on the unicycle. Why I ever quit riding, I just can't fathom. Felt better the first day. Felt great the second day. Missed two days for work/weather. So I'm cruising today. I'm doing the usual half-mile-break-half-mile-back ride. If I haven't ridden in a while, this is the typical warm-up. But no, before the break, I decided to go further. Around the mall is 1.7 miles with varying terrain. Just do it! So I don't break, I turn the corner and keep going. This is gonna be great! I feel amazing!
My focus on the first two days was staying on and not falling. My focus today was on my mantra. I created a rhythmic chant years ago to keep me focused. "Sit in seat, chin up, wiggle fingers, breathe." It sounds simplistic. For me, it is powerful.
"Sit in seat" is critical for a unicyclist. If I'm not sitting, all of my weight is on my legs while trying to pedal, balance, and support myself. Legs burn out fast this way. Sitting on the seat takes a lot of the support factor away from my legs, and they can better focus on balance and pedaling. Of course, on a unicycle, I'm sitting on a singular point, with the capacity to fall in any direction. This engages the core in a way few exercises do.
"Chin up" is one I struggle with. Any little bump in the road, any crack, a small twig, a pine cone... anything unexpected under the tire can disrupt balance. To anticipate this, I look down a lot. Today was a concentrated effort on looking ahead. Lifting my chin does this. What it also does is straighten and strengthen my posture. Hunched over is no way to ride a unicycle. To enjoy the ride, I need to look around, enjoy the scenery, and feel like I'm riding as well as I can.
"Wiggle fingers" is how I deal with all the stress caused by every other part of my body except maybe my head. The legs are pumping, the core is adjusting to all the bumps, the torso is tall and strong, the arms are flailing to maintain balance... and the hands are tight, fingers are tense. To relieve the tension, not just in my hands, but as a reminder to relax my whole body, I wiggle my fingers. It works.
"Breathe". Lots of things in life make us forget to breathe. My wife often asks me if I'm breathing when life gets me stressed. During strenuous exercise, I do breathe deeper, but not always properly. Telling myself to breathe reminds me to open up my lungs, and really stretch my diaphragm when I inhale. And exhaling, to push hard, get all the old air out.
So here I am, feeling good about the ride, feeling good about the decision to push further. I'm about halfway done. BOOM! UPD. That's unplanned dismount, or fall in unispeak. Typical tuck-roll. Scraped my right knee just above the knee-pad. The smallest of scrapes, just a little blood. This is why I wear protective gear - helmet, knee pads, and wrist guards. Yes, I pushed myself further than I should have. Yes, I should have taken a break by that point. My legs aren't accustomed to that much exercise yet. And yes, I am a stubborn 20 year old in a 56 year old body. The car that was coming up behind me stopped, rolled down the windows, a man and woman in their late twenties, very concerned.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm great."
"No, really."
"Yes, great. Been doing this for forty years."
"So you're sure you're ok?"
"Yup. What's life without a little blood?"
Part of the ride is on the sidewalk along Boston Road, a very busy road. I did smarten up, and took a few rests. My final rest, I'm sitting on a cement post at an intersection. A car slowly passes through the green light. A man opens his door and yells, "Get a real bike!" Closed his door, and was gone. Wished I had had a second to respond, "Get a real core!" I've ridden bikes all my life. Riding a unicycle is so far above riding a bike in workout terms. Can't even possibly compare. As usual, those who have never done criticize those who do.
Walked up the three stairs to my porch with much effort. When my legs shake that much, I know it was a good ride. I wasn't physically ready for it, but I pushed myself, challenged myself, paid for it with a little blood and a lame insult.
I could, at this point, compare each of my four mantra points with deeper meanings in life. Not today. As I type... as I reach down and brush part of Fernbank Rd off of my leg... as I look outside at the sun, feel the breeze wafting through the windows... I decide I'm not done with today. I'm done unicycling, but I've sat here long enough. Its the perfect weather for another adventure.
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