Trials Blog - Confidence and courage - Trials UK

Trials Blog - Confidence and courage

• 14th March 2010
• Read Comments

Today altered my thoughts on my ability to ride my trials bike.  With the help of Gaz, Tel, Stu and Kev, I found the courage to do something that previously I would have considered just too scary.

In life I have never been a particularly courageous person and there is something about coming off my bike, particularly going over the handlebars, that has me literally locking up with fear.  I think that is what makes me a little more ‘rigid’ on the bike than your average rider.  Gaz could teach me as much technique as he wanted but I knew in my heart of hearts that I would always fail somewhere along the line due to my lack of bottle.

Anyway, it all happened at Swainey Woods – our ‘regular’ practice area.  The lads had set up a section which weaved its way up the rocky slopes at Swainey.  It went left and right around trees, over roots and over stones, ending in a mighty leap of faith up a virtually sheer rock face of perhaps 4’ 6” in height.  Bless them, as ever they had set out the ‘Mike’ route which had easier bits in it, less tight turns, smaller rocks and, of course, I went around the leap of faith rock at the end.  I was kind of managing to get round the section, with Tel shouting to me that I should be standing like a ‘shitting dog’, (to explain, that arse over the back mudguard, knees bent, legs bowed).  I wasn’t doing it exactly right, but it was slowly getting there. 

So, all was going well until the lads decided they wanted to do the section the other way round.  The starting point was the leap of faith rock, but of course, they ‘dropped in’ on it, rather than climbed up it.  Even the most skilled of riders took their time.  All along, Tel was suggesting that it was scarier than it looked.  It certainly was scary – very scary.  One by one the lads dropped in over the massive sheer rock, each of them succeeding without a problem.  “Having a go, Mike” one of them asked?  “Er...I,...er” “Go on” said Tel, “It’ll be fine”.  The peer pressure was palpable and my heart was racing.  I even admitted to Tel that I was ‘bricking it’ and I was – I was physically shaking with fear.  Gaz, in true Gaz style, offered to catch me. 

I started my bike, slowly made my way down to the rock, placed my front wheel on top of the rock and...the bike stalled.  I was a fumbling mess.  I tried to start the bike but couldn’t, so Kev told me to just drop in without the engine.  I did, and as soon as the front wheel rolled forward I applied the brake – but like a clown I applied the front brake! JACK-KNIFE time.  I stopped in a heap up against a tree. I felt a proper fool because everyone else had managed it but me.  I simply couldn’t let that happen, so climbed the hill to have another go.  By now, there was only Stu left to give me encouragement.  I went for it.  I DID IT!  Stu let out a cheer, I let out a cheer.  I let out another cheer.  What a feeling, what a rush.  Onwards and upwards for me now, I hope.