Fides #1 - To go for a bike ride

The beginning and the excuses

I’m going to tell you something a bit shocking: I’m a couch potato. (Yes, really.) I’ve had a bike for over two years, but apart from the day I got it, I haven’t really used it—for a variety of reasons. Depression, weather, you name it. Who wants to cycle in 30+ degrees or at freezing temperatures?

Still, I always intended to ride, and yet I found new excuses not to. One big reason was that I preferred riding with others rather than alone. So the bike just sat there.

The first ride – challenging and special

A few weeks ago, however, I had to move the bike from my old apartment to my new place. Someone was supposed to bring it over, but they were shorter than me, and my saddle is set so I can just touch the ground with my toes. That wasn’t going to work. We didn’t have a van either.

So I had to do it myself: drive to the old place, bring the bike back in the rain. You can imagine how soaked I was when I finally arrived. But something felt… different.

As long as the ride was flat, I was completely relaxed. No music, cold and wet, and yet I genuinely enjoyed “gliding” along and breathing in the air.

The inclines and the effort

But as soon as there were even slight inclines, the relaxation vanished. I’m simply not fit. Even the smallest hill had me gasping like crazy, and those spots left me exhausted at the end.

Still, there was a drive within me that made me get back on the bike two days later, heading again to my old neighborhood to pick up a helmet from a good bike shop. I took a small break there and then rode back home. About 13 kilometers in total, and I realized maybe that was a bit too much—my body was numb, and I had to rest for a long time. Yet, I was as relaxed at the end as I had been during the ride.

The routine and the trust

I kept going for several days, enjoying every ride, though on shorter routes. Surprisingly, each time, small inclines bothered me less and less. The rides slowly built my confidence, showing me that maybe I wasn’t as unfit as I thought. After more than 20 years of not cycling actively, I began feeling more capable with every ride.

Why Fides / Trust?

Why does this belong in the “Fides / Trust” category? Regular cycling isn’t just about physical exercise—it’s also about trust—Fides—in yourself and your process.

Pushing through fatigue or low motivation requires trust that you’ll stick with the routine and that your body will cooperate. It’s about knowing that small, consistent steps lead to progress, even if the results aren’t immediately visible. Staying consistent isn’t a chore; it’s an act of self-discipline and a recognition that you can achieve your goals and maintain control over your life.

And that’s exactly the area where I’ve always struggled—trusting myself, especially in sports and physical activities.

Gerry