Your Cycling Supporters

[pooks]

My husband is really supportive -- brags about my mileage (which isn't brag-worthy but he just can't figure that out!), etc. His work schedule has kept him off the bike so much that he shares the interest but not the time to be involved; I hope that changes soon.

My sons think it's great.

My friends think it's cool but we don't talk about it much.

And I have people who read my blog who actually complain if I write about biking too much. My blog addresses several different interests of mine, and people come to it usually because of one or the other, and are ho-hum about posts that don't involve exactly what they're interested in. But a few have actually complained! (Um, folks, that's why it's MY BLOG. I get to choose!)

My mom is supportive, totally. I rode my bike to her house over some busy-busy roads (with light traffic, though) and when I got there I was hot and tired. We visited, had lunch, and before I left to come home she said, "You need to do this more often," as if I don't drive over there all the time!

[Eden]

I feel really lucky too - my husband is very supportive. He started racing a year before I did, but I've been more successful than he has (I have to give him credit in that the competition among men is much more intense and there are a great deal more of them, so its always going to be harder for him). In some guys that could lead to pouty, jealous behavior, but he's been great. I got the fancy new bike and I just got a coach (I did my first coach workout yesterday, yeah!) and he's been encouraging me to do it the whole time.

[HappyAnika]

Wow, I totally admire those of you who are more or less on your own. If it wasn't for my supporters, I may never have started cycling. DH started 2 years before me, just for commuting - he never did weekend rides until I started riding. About 60% of my inspiration to start riding came from 2 of my girlfriends who started riding a year before me, then I in turn inspired the 4th one of our little group to start riding as well. Two of those three girlfriends' husbands also ride, so we've got a nice little cycling group. Road biking is huge in the work place. We jokingly warn new employees that if they don't already own a road bike, it is highly likely they will end up buying one soon.

My parents are another story. They are couch potatoes (I was raised as a couch potato), and they don't understand why anyone would do any physical activity for fun. In addition, they are always worried that I will hurt myself. They have no idea how much my bike cost and I intend to keep it that way, my Dad would flip. They also don't know that I commute, or that we go on really long rides on weekends. I'll just casually mention to my mom "Oh, we went for a bike ride" when she asks what we did over the weekend. She thinks its more like we rode along the 3 mile greenway where people jog and walk their dogs and kids. And that's fine, she can keep on thinking that. They both know I wear a helmet and that's all they need to know. The in-laws are a little more supportive, they understand that biking for us is a combination of social interaction, fitness, fun, and transportation.

[bikerchick68]

I'm pretty lucky... my brother is a cyclist as well, so he and I chat all the time and did our first big rides together... including our first metric, then our first 3 centuries! It's cool having that in common with a sibling... if we lived closer together I have no doubt I'd ride with him a lot.

My mom is supportive, I have friends I ride with regularly, and have met and got to ride with tprevost from this forum!

My best friend does not ride but IS a marathon walker, so she gets the physical effort and sense of achievement thing... for Xmas last year she had a sterling charm made for my charm bracelet.. it's a silver disc with the number "100" etched into it... she put a note with it saying she was incredibly proud of my accomplishments and this charm was in honor of my century's (I rode my first ones last year!)... now THAT is some cool support huh?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I guess I'm older than i thought! I realize that my own parents (if they were still alive) would actually be the same age and generation as many of your grandparents! Oh well.
Yes, I should not generalize. My own parents were real hippies, only back then they were called "Bohemians", and when I was young they were called "Beatniks"...(God I'm feeling older by the minute!!)...

As to my own biking supporter- well it's certainly my darling DH- he is my mentor, my personal fan club, my best friend, and my inspiration. I feel so lucky to have him. He's been quietly biking once and a while by himself for years, but since I got interested, my enthusiasm has infected him as well, and we share the raging biking fever now. He patiently shares his bike knowledge whenever I ask him, but never does it like he's "educating" me. He helps me learn to fix and adjust my own bike. He never feels we need to compete in any way, never speeds on ahead when we ride together, though I know he could. A truly wonderful person.

[Bad JuJu]

Think we must be about the same age, Lisa. My parents weren't Beatniks (too straight-laced!), but my uncles were, and they were my childhood heroes. Happy to say I grew up somewhat in their images.

They both had cool 10-speed bikes--called "English racers" in those days, which my brother and I used to lean up against the side of the house, climb onto the saddles, and pretend we were riding, when our feet didn't even reach the pedals!

[chickwhorips]

my BF is my greatest supporter. he has been cycing for years and was the one that got me into it. we were talking about it the other day and i get frustrated for how slow i seem to be because i compare myself to him, and he told me he's just proud of me going out there and doing it. thankfully he rides with me on his slow days and doesn't complain, just pushes me harder to make me better.

i have a new supporter since this summer. we had a retired refuge manager come up as a volunteer. super nice guy. well he's also into cycling and running. so now we email each other seeing what the other one is up to and "challenging" each other. its quite fun!

and of course i have all you girls here at TE to thank for keeping me modivated though it all. thanks!

[Bad JuJu]

They are couch potatoes (I was raised as a couch potato)

LOL--it's like you've converted to another religion!

[Bluetree]

Love the new avatar Bad Juju!

My first supporter was my ex-BF. Having lived a few destitute years as a med student in England, he spent his free time cycling throughout Europe, including a climb up Alp d'Huez. Currently, my biggest supporters are the guys I ride with, and the gals here at TE... Inspiration a-plenty!

[Meaux]

My husband is my biggest supporter. He's great! Even when I have a bad ride and don't feel good and get all whiny, he's always telling me what a great job I'm doing and how I kicked that road's @$$.
We found a sponsor for our MS150 team, so that's financial support. This guy is also a really great guy. He's so enthusiastic and so enthralled by the fact that we're doing this ride.
My family is sort of a different story. My father-in-law cycled years ago and I think was inspired to get on the bike after DH and I started riding. Now he's be super competitive and sometimes a little mean and conceited about it. Sometimes I think that he thinks that since he rode 10+ years ago (but not since then) that he knows everything and that he's obviously better than us. Not that I have a problem taking advice, it's just the way that he gives it. He just acts like he invented the sport. It's incredibly frustrating, since I have been trying to look up to him as a father figure, and he can't be one.

[RoadRaven]

My life partner... ny biggest supporter, fan and coach

My older two sons, cause they like to talk races with me and encourage and reassure my weight loss and fitness goals

My daughter, even though she doesn't ride

Three colleagues at work support me by being interested - but they also ride. The rest who can be bothered to remember I bike are more incredulous or think I'm slightly mad - neither of which are supportive.

My ma and pa - they have never been fit in their lives and have always assumed I would be the same. They are thrilled I have taken control of my fitness before I get any older and that my partner supports me - they support physically at events when they can and always take an interest.

I am very lucky in the man I have lived with for over 20 years and the children we are raising together

[hsmpcycle]

Somehow I felt the need to share because y'all understand.

My DH supports me 110% in my obsession with riding (along with my dire need to stash yarn for my knitting fix). When we first met, he tricked me into dating him when he told me he loved riding bikes and did so all the time!!! Our first few dates included long Sunday rides to the coffee shop. Untill one day when I started questioning his riding habits when he stopped for a cigarette break. YUK!!!! Once we got serious, however, he confessed that his passion was for fixing and building bikes, not riding them. Needless to say, I lost a riding buddy , but gained access to a personal bicycle mechanic. Oh by the way, he quit smoking before we got married.

As with all of you, the majority of the people I know think I am nuts.

[ace]

Good thread...

I have (had?) two main supporters- my recent ex-boyfriend got me riding, and really encouraged me (we didn't ride together that much because it was boring for him, but when we did, he was impressed by my mighty legs!). However, we just broke up, and that's part of the sadness. I just fixed my first flat, and I wanted to call him, but we're taking some time off, so it was hard ('specially since he taught me how to fix a flat a month or so ago). But actually I feel like even though our relationship hasn't ended too well, he really gave me a huge gift getting me back on my bike- I rode w/my local club all last summer, had a great time, and am planning a bike trip to Italy next summer with my oldest friend. I am hooked.

I also have a good buddy at work who's cycled for years, and I tell him what kind of rides I'm doing, and he always has good advice.

-Amy