Since getting the bike, Preston has only been able to ride it on the trainer due to weather, which is fine, because he has learned quite a bit about shifting, positioning, and has built up his legs some. It won't be long until he's ready for the road. That's where the blog really begins.
In the past three months, I've really opened my eyes to the dangers of the sport because of Preston's desire to get out on the road. I've read Neil Browne's interview with Lucas Euser, who was hit on the road last year. I knew all about his crash and rehabilitation. What I didn't know, was that Lucas's girlfriend was also hit later in the year.
Maureen McCormick, (AKA Marsha Brady) was interviewed recently by Bicycling Magazine, and revealed that her greatest fear is being hit by a vehicle while cycling. Her husband had been hit and it took him almost a year to recover.
Trials involving motorists and cyclists are being retweeted almost daily, and even the pros have nasty run-ins rather frequently as they spend so much time on the road doing their job.
An up-and-coming cyclist named Nate Weston (@Nate_Weston on Twitter) was hit by a car last December in Atlanta on a training ride. With help from an excellent chiropractor and sheer will, Nate is ok and ready to take on Europe with a development squad in Belgium.
Don't even get me started on crashes. I wasn't the only one holding my breath when our favorite man-boy, Taylor Phinney, crashed last year in the Cascade Classic. And Saul Raisin's book, Tour de Life, is as frightening as it is heartwarming, especially for the parents of a wanna-be cyclist.
So what do we do? Teach, model, and preach safety? That's a given. Provide a safe place to ride? That too. Provide them with top-notch equipment? Got it. Supervise continuously? Yeah, yeah.
I don't want him to live in a bubble, but am I crazy to push this sport? It's not like I have a choice in the matter. It's in his blood.
So, do football and rugby moms go through this?
I imagine all Moms go through angst: whether sports related or job related. I commiserate with you on the trepidation and applaud you for being willing to see the necessity of letting Preston find his own way. You are an awesome woman, wife and mother: he will be a well-balanced and strong individual and here's hoping his future is without 'the bad that could happen!. Allez Preston! I will be 'virtually holding your hand' through it all, Anita!
ReplyDeleteAnita, as I'm sure you remember, when I first started riding, I rode on the multi-use paths & had several crashes. I'd never say the open road is completely safe, but with proper equipment, your safety preaching & his own smarts, he'll be as safe as you can make him. There is injury risk in any sport or activity (even ballet) & you'll always worry when you aren't too busy cheering him on. Welcome to the club.
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