Amateur Bike Racer w/non biking spouse

[BalaRoja]

It has been a while since I posted here and when I last did, it was about getting started in road bike racing.

Months later, I've done lots and lots of racing. I'd say my results have been pretty good with every race being a top 3, including TT's-crits-RR's, with the exception of 1 or 2 DNF's. I'm in line to win the cat 4 overall points for the season, as a first year racer even and a definite upgrade to cat 3 if I want it. That's the good part.

The bad part....problems at home, as in with the SO. As I've done more racing and had more success I've also put more time into the activity obviously. When we first met up, I wasn't exercising or active, so the bike racing is a new dynamic in our relationship.

The SO isn't into sports, doesn't get my interest in sports, and sees my "lifestyle" (the dieting, the hours of training/planning) as being a combination of decadence meeting obsession....a sort of "jock" thing. Then there's whole other angle where because of my now very athletic, very very lean build, the SO confesses I'm not nearly as attractive/desirable. These aren't small issues as you can see.

I'm a 30 something whose possibly missed the boat on a bike racing career, so I understand it is not going to pay the bills. Yet, I find it and the success I've had, immensely satisfying and rewarding. Not only that but channeling one's competitive drive into something healthy and safe.

I know you can cycle for 3-4 hours a week and be healthy but to be competitive usually requires many more hours and that only increases the further you progress. The planning, the preparation and the prioritization of riding when you race seriously is different than when you ride for fun, as I've done the latter and it wasn't the same.

The choices I have seem to boil down to a) keeping my relationship but cutting way back on cycling, probably giving up racing entirely or almost so, b) as you can probably guess, keep the training/sporting/racing pursuits but lose my SO. It does make me wonder though if pursuing racing or any other sport veryseriously means that your spouse has to also be an athlete or if things can work if your spouse isn't an athlete....

I know some of you would say the internet isn't the place for getting such advice and that that's what counseling is for. I won't necessarily dispute that, but I guess I'd like to just get some feedback in a semi-anonymous, open setting especially from those who race competitively/regularly, and who have experienced this.

I don't want to make my SO sound like a horrible person or ruining my joy. Obviously we've shared much and it isn't fair to create a one sided portrayal of things.

[Reesha]

If I were in your shoes, it might take me a while to come to this decision but I would probably side with my hobbies and pursuits over a SO that doesn't fully support my passions. I know that compromise is part of any relationship, but if you consider your success and training and passion for cycling to be an important part of yourself and your life, you should be with someone that can understand and appreciate that about you.

[Irulan]

Maybe some marriage counseling anyway? Obviously there are some issues here. I bet they were there before, but major lifestyle changes can bring them up to the surface.

People DO work things out when they have huge differences. It takes two, it takes being able to get your need met on your own (without depending on the other person for validation, being able to handle being along etc) but it mostly takes two emotionally strong and emotionally healthy people to make this work. My vote is for professional help before you give it up.

[arielmoon]

How do you feel about being fit and muscular? How does training and racing make you feel? How does your relationship with SO make you feel? Do you for see continuing your active lifestyle as long as you can? Do you see SO being in your life for the long term? These are question you could ask yourself.

Many guys feel threatened when women get in shape and possibly attract attention of other men. I know men that like chubby women because they feel more secure with them than being with a fit sexy confident woman.

[BalaRoja]

Wow, thank you, flattered to get several responses already.

Reesha - I appreciate the idea of taking time to come to any conclusion. It is a huge, huge thing indeed. Maybe I am just selfish, wanting my spouse who I love dearly but also this new passion and pursuit which has given me so much already. It feels like having your cake and eating it too?

Irulan - I'm completely open to that because I do care about the relationship immensely. I wouldn't want to walk away w/o feeling as though I'd simply quit rather than tried to work things out. A compromise of some sort seems like the right thing but figuring out the how/why of that, doesn't feel so obvious.

Arielmoon - intriguing question about self-image. Sometimes I miss my "girly" figure of my pre-race days (although I definitely miss my pre-race eating habits at times!!!) but generally, I'm also very proud of the body I do have now as I've worked hard. A lot of the other girls, who are darn fit themselves, at race day give me lots of compliments on my physique and how lean/fit I look. That's flattering when people you respect as competitors (and friends away from racing too), recognize your hard work.

As far as seeing myself doing this for a long time...I'd say I want to race seriously for maybe 2-3 years, more or less "see how far I can go" with it and then after that, keep riding but more for fun and less for competition. I recognize that as a 30 something, the window of being a competitive bike racer, at least at a high level, is pretty small and I'm at the very tail end of it.

[Irulan]

W

Irulan - I'm completely open to that because I do care about the relationship immensely. I wouldn't want to walk away w/o feeling as though I'd simply quit rather than tried to work things out. A compromise of some sort seems like the right thing but figuring out the how/why of that, doesn't feel so obvious.

That's why you find a good professional to help you guys sort these things out. A good marriage counselor help you ( plural you) to look beyond the obvious. Good luck.

Now, finding a really good marriage counselor, that is a whole different thread...

[zoom-zoom]

As far as seeing myself doing this for a long time...I'd say I want to race seriously for maybe 2-3 years, more or less "see how far I can go" with it and then after that, keep riding but more for fun and less for competition. I recognize that as a 30 something, the window of being a competitive bike racer, at least at a high level, is pretty small and I'm at the very tail end of it.

Does he know this? Perhaps he would be willing to sacrifice some time with you for a while if he knew that this was a relatively short-term goal...

[SheFly]

Ironically, yours is a story that I hear mostly from male rider/racer friends about their wives.

I consider myself VERY lucky that my DH and I share the same passion and goals. We train and race together (although he sometimes pushes a little hard, and I might push back - just a little). We are, however, an anomoly, I realize, so I'm afraid I can't offer much advice to you there.

What I do want to comment on, however, is your assertion that as a thirty-something you are at the "tail end" of racing competitively. I started my racing career on the road in my LATE thirties, and moved fairly rapidly up to a Cat 2 level, where I am currently racing - AT 42! And yes, I am still competitive... I also race with other wome in their 40s and even some in their 50s and 60s who are out every weekend at the races.

So, while you may think now that this is something that you will do for 2 or 3 years and then "give up", I caution you about that. Every year, I think "this is the last year - I'm not racing next year" and then, I end up racing again. It has become ingrained in me, and is part of who I am.

Good luck to you. I do hope that you and your SO can come to terms with your relationship as it relates to your riding/racing. Having the support of one another is really important.

SheFly

[Crankin]

You've received some good advice. This is a hard decision to make. I would listen to SheFly. I am not a racer, but I have been around racing "people" for about ten years. Mostly, I see guys who are out there training, putting in the time, and their s.o.'s are very resentful. But, I even see this in people like me, who ride for fitness/fun/lifestyle choice, particularly, in the group I ride with. There are some very strong older men in this group, who have been riding for years; they are 50-75 years old. They ride incredible distances, do charity rides, and some don't have cars. I know some of them are married, and I have never seen their wives. On the other hand, there are also several very strong women (similar stories to the men) in this group. They are mostly single. Some are divorced, some never married. I wonder what effect cycling had on their status. Or maybe they are just single by choice and cycling has nothing to do with it. There are also quite a few couples like my DH and I; riding is the biggest part of our lives. Our vacations, weekends, etc. are planned around riding or some other outdoor activity. We do have a few friends that don't share this passion, but they sort of accept us for who we are.
For years, my DH sat on the couch, while I taught at the gym and was fanatic about my fitness. He play a little racquetball and tennis. No matter what I did, he complained about outdoor stuff. Then, he started riding when my son started racing as a young teen. I suddenly know how he had felt. We planned our separate activities at times that didn't interfere with family stuff, but eventually, I came around. It was a real role reversal and I hated being less strong than him. Now I accept it, although we are fine riding together.
Good luck.

[BalaRoja]

That's why you find a good professional to help you guys sort these things out. A good marriage counselor help you ( plural you) to look beyond the obvious. Good luck.

Now, finding a really good marriage counselor, that is a whole different thread...

Oh I think you are right. I mean when I was in my early 20's, I went through lots of therapists/counselors, but I had to try several before it was a good fit. It isn't as easy as people think, you need someone who you feel comfortable with but who also is familiar and understands the dynamic of your situation. Like you say, finding the right one is a whole other thread.

Does he know this? Perhaps he would be willing to sacrifice some time with you for a while if he knew that this was a relatively short-term goal...

Ironically yes, I have mentioned clearly that it is a short term, 2-3 year, goal. We talked a few days ago and the SO said being with me feels like living with super athlete/woman and that it can feel like a black hole where nothing but bike racing matters. 2-3 years of which is intolerable.

So the other side of the coin as I see it: is any short term goal whose end you can clearly see, worth risking/losing your relationship? Maybe in 2-3 years I won't be anywhere near done with bike racing and it will become a way of life almost...for some people it seems to go that way. Or maybe it won't and I'll have gotten all the racing and competitive need out of my system...but there's a big part of me that thinks I would regret losing my spouse just to pursue this goal, no matter how much short term satisfaction I'm getting out of that pursuit...I mean in 5 years what will matter most, having a loving SO or having had a brief bike racing pursuit...

Ironically, yours is a story that I hear mostly from male rider/racer friends about their wives.

I consider myself VERY lucky that my DH and I share the same passion and goals. We train and race together (although he sometimes pushes a little hard, and I might push back - just a little). We are, however, an anomoly, I realize, so I'm afraid I can't offer much advice to you there.

What I do want to comment on, however, is your assertion that as a thirty-something you are at the "tail end" of racing competitively. I started my racing career on the road in my LATE thirties, and moved fairly rapidly up to a Cat 2 level, where I am currently racing - AT 42! And yes, I am still competitive... I also race with other wome in their 40s and even some in their 50s and 60s who are out every weekend at the races.

So, while you may think now that this is something that you will do for 2 or 3 years and then "give up", I caution you about that. Every year, I think "this is the last year - I'm not racing next year" and then, I end up racing again. It has become ingrained in me, and is part of who I am.

Good luck to you. I do hope that you and your SO can come to terms with your relationship as it relates to your riding/racing. Having the support of one another is really important.

SheFly

Hello SheFly, so glad to get your comments here too. You speak from experience I can tell and I need to hear that kind of perspective. I remember you gave me some sage advice when I first came on here, totally green to the sport, asking about all sorts of racing questions.

Being that I started riding last year and racing this year, I'd figured well, I was kind of late to the "racing game", so to speak. Obviously from your comments, that's far from the case.

But the more important thing is what you are saying about the whole 2-3 years and giving it up angle. Right now, after a long season, countless hours of training, dieting, etc...it is easy to feel like bike racing isn't going to be on the agenda for more than a few years. My friends and acquaintences that I race/ride with have mostly concurred about feeling tired and a little burnt out now so maybe it isn't uncommon. Going without racing for a while though, more than just an offseason, I wonder how or if I'd change my mind.

I don't want to resent my SO for this but I also don't want to risk my relationship for it either. I'm conflicted between feeling like I should pursue this and feeling guilty for pretty much sweeping the rug from under my SO's feet and something that wasn't part of the original package or deal when we started dating years ago.

[lph]

We talked a few days ago and the SO said being with me feels like living with super athlete/woman and that it can feel like a black hole where nothing but bike racing matters.

This I think is a very important quote. I don't think his feeling is about you having a passion he doesn't share, it's about you being more important than him. Or him feeling less important than you. If he feels that you and your interests are dominating the relationship and he's just a minor player, no matter if he's "right" or not, he will feel resentful. I think I would too, to be perfectly honest, if my dh suddenly turned passionate about something I had no way of sharing.

I don't have much good advice to give, except that I think this can be resolved if he can somehow either balance your interests with some of his own, or join you as a team player.

[tulip]

All good advice. Irulan is very wise and I second her suggestion--strongly--to seek counseling. There are no doubt underlying issues of self-confidence and insecurities and guilt (you feeling guilty for doing what you love to do--how messed up is that??) on both sides. If I can see it without knowing anything about you, a counselor working with both of you can really make some headway.

Your 2-3 year outlook--does that mean that after 2-3 years you're going to go back to sitting on the sofa and eating twinkies? Or will you continue your love of the sport in different ways, such as riding, touring, even racing. There are plenty of opportunities for racing at the Masters level.

Seems like there's some way for you BOTH to compromise, although you are talking only about what you can do. We can't answer that.