Don’t Let Resignation Keep You Off the Bike
By Kevin Kolodziejski
Whether it be a Century, a hammerfest with your buddies, a 1,000-rider gran fondo, or an insanely fast crit that included a couple of soon-to-be pros, take a moment to recall a ride that did you in. That broke your soul. That made you sit up, soft pedal, and say to yourself, “No more.”
Now what if there’s a way to say, “No more” nevermore? And not just while you’re turning the pedals? Wouldn’t that be lovely?
Certainly. And there’s certainly a way, and it’s certainly under your control. It’s nothing more than a simple realization, yet it’s as easy to forget as going no harder than 85 percent at the start of a long ascent.
The Simple Realization
It’s that when the thought of “No more” enters your brain, it’s been, in a manner of speaking, smuggled in. The mental mule’s none other than that no-good emotion chronic quitters and three-time losers keep on speed dial.
Resignation.
Now whether you’re a crit racer, a club rider, 22, 42, 62, or even 92 years old, the desire to ride and the state of your physical and mental health to some degree — sometimes a large degree — are determined, figuratively speaking, by the efficacy of your Department of Homeland Security at apprehending this outsider once he’s entered the Land of Gray Matter. Which is why you’ll now read about a guy who’s not a cyclist, the oldest of those four aforementioned ages, and just happens to be my dad.
For what I believe to be my father’s most significant health hurdle at the age of 92 is one that you could face at any age. It could very well keep you off the bike at times, as well as lead to poorer health. Before you hear about it, however, you need to know a bit more about John Francis Kolodziejski.
For starters, he’s alive.
Somehow He’s Alive
According to his doctors, Dad should’ve been dead twice in his 80s. The first time he was living alone and a seizure (the source of which has never been determined) put him face down in his breakfast and comatose. The second was a four-month battle with COVID-19 where two weeks into the ordeal, the medical staff suggested hospice or a final few weeks at home instead of further hospital treatment.
Despite all that, John Francis Kolodziejski’s in good shape. At least that’s what his primary care doc keeps telling him at the end of recent checkups — and in response to Dad’s two major complaints.
The older one’s that he lacks pep. He griped to me about that more than a few times after he defeated COVID-19, so I suggested a few exercises as well as some dietary alterations. About a week later, he announced he was feeling more like his former “I’m 82 and still rollerskating twice a week” self than any time since the seizure. Three weeks later, however, when I asked how the workouts were going, I learned they were long gone.
Dad simply said, “You should know how I am.”
I do. But I don’t know about you. Do you share my father’s pretty sizable character flaw?
A Pretty Sizable Character Flaw
When it comes to matters pertaining to your health, do you fail to see things through? I can tell you what causes my dad to do it. It’s a feeling of resignation.
Which is what I detected in his voice every time he lodged his newer complaint. That even though he began using a cane a few months ago, he’s having even more difficulty walking than before. So the last time I heard “Poor little me” from my papi, I decided it was time to pump up the volume and pump out some sarcasm. I said rather loudly — since Dad doesn’t always clean his hearing aids or have the volume adjusted properly — and with all the sarcasm I could muster, “No kidding, Dad.”
What came out of my mouth next, though, lacked any sarcasm and was purely matter of fact.
What I Told My Father
I told him the “use it or lose it” maxim is true whether you’re 42 and no longer a serious jock or 72 and hoping to avoid the doc. That he was losing muscle from his legs and thereby the strength in them, not just because he was aging but by sitting for too long each day. That sitting causes his hip flexors to shorten and tighten, which restricts his range of motion and shortens his walking stride. A stride that’s been even further shortened by his new reliance on the cane, a reliance that makes his effort easier — and easier for muscle to waste away.
Before he could marshal a response, I added that walking better was doable — and maybe even without a cane — if he just started using his legs more.
He bought it. Lock, stock, and barrel. I could hear it in his voice.
The motivation and determination that had been lacking. Any hint of poor-me resignation was gone.
What Dad’s Been Doing
Along with more walking overall, Dad’s now doing a series of exercises designed to make him walk better each day. He’s been at it for nearly four weeks, and by the end of the first, you could already see a difference in his walking pace.
As to whether or not he keeps it up, I can’t say. What I can say is that he no longer talks about trading in his cane for a walker. If he ever does that again, he’s going to hear a story about Art Ulene, MD, that’s sure to give anyone who hears it a double dose of motivation.
A Double Dose of Motivation
Ulene celebrated his 90th birthday by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. Granted, he was already an experienced climber and had scaled this 19,341-foot mountain before, but it was the first time he had done so in his tenth decade — and since undergoing spinal surgery and having his right hip replaced. Since that birthday climb, Ulene’s had the left hip replaced as well and made an interesting purchase.
A season pass for a local ski slope.
Yes, Ulene plans to do a full slate of skiing this season. For as the former Today show medical expert says in a Cedars-Sinai Medical Center press release about his exploits and surgeries, “Life has peaks and valleys. It’s an up-and-down process.” So whenever he wants or needs to climb a figurative or literal mountain, here’s what he says to himself: “Can I take the next step? Of course I can. … And you just repeat that 800 times and you’re at the summit.”
So how about it? Let’s all keep on stepping.
Hear that, Dad?
Kevin Kolodziejski began his writing career in earnest in 1989. Since then he’s written a weekly health and fitness column and his articles have appeared in magazines such as “MuscleMag,” “Ironman,” “Vegetarian Times,” and “Bicycle Guide.” He has Bachelor and Masters degrees in English from DeSales and Kutztown Universities.
A competitive cyclist for more than 30 years, Kevin won two Pennsylvania State Time Trial championships in his 30’s, the aptly named Pain Mountain Time Trial 4 out of 5 times in his 40s, two more state TT’s in his 50’s, and the season-long Pennsylvania 40+ BAR championship at 43.
