1. The title of your book is “Like Riding a Bike: A Cycle Logical Exploration of Life.” That’s a unique title, can you explain it a little?
The title sums up the book in a nutshell. The book examines personal insight, development and life lessons using cycling-related experiences as a guide. The main title “Like Riding a Bike” establishes the premise that life is like riding a bike – both are essentially simple, yet infinitely intricate. The play on words in the sub-title reflects the nature of the book, in that it works at multiple levels. It is “cycle logical” in that it is structured in cycling terms. It is “psychological” in that it relates to how you think about and act in life.
2. Is the book specifically targeted to cyclists?
No, not at all. The book is for everyone. It uses cycling as a metaphor. The cycling elements are points of departure for the discussion of broader lessons and approaches. Since most people have ridden a bike at some point in their lifetime, everyone has a connection with cycling at a basic level. I kept non-cyclists in mind as I wrote, explaining any cycling terms and concepts that I introduced. I tried to keep things accessible and interesting to a wide audience.
3. So what is the book about?
The book is about personal insight and inspiration. It’s about taking a closer look about what interests you to finding ways to make your life better or get more out of it. It’s not really self-help in terms of fixing some problem, but more about finding deeper understanding and meaning in how you relate to life. The cycling elements provide the reality base for building the expanded learnings.
4. How is “Like Riding a Bike” different from things like the Chicken Soup for the Soul books from a few years ago?
That’s a good comparison. Actually, more of a contrast. The Chicken Soup-type books tell stories around some kind of a theme, and pretty much leave it at that. They’re easily consumable, but a little thin and may not stay with you long. They fulfill their role as “soup.” On the other hand, “Like Riding a Bike” is intended to be more like an energy bar; it takes a little more effort to get through it, but it sticks with you longer and nourishes you more deeply. In my book, the stories aren’t made up. That was important to me – to have a grounding in reality. The stories are true experiences that I had, and that anyone else can have or relate to.
And I don’t just tell a story, I take it further and explore its implications as a broader lesson, and then ask questions that lead the reader to personalize their own thoughts and meaning. I try to take people beyond the simple reaction of “liking” something to finding deeper connections.
5. What was your motivation for writing the book?
First and foremost, the book was in me and needed to get out. As a long-time cyclist, I’d gathered lots of experiences on the road. I began to notice that those experiences could not only be instructional within cycling, but could be extended into other parts of my life. I discovered that there were connections at many levels, once you learn to look for them. The book became a way of capturing those connections and putting them in some kind of form. I have always enjoyed books that lead you to think, but I wasn’t finding much out there that was both entertaining and truly thought-provoking. I was motivated to try to write the kind of book that I was looking for. Something that was a bit more instructive, insightful, and challenging. I think I succeeded.
6. You said that the book is not about cycling, per se. What is the real message of the book?
The message of the book is that you can get more out of life, even if you’re doing pretty well already. Athletes are constantly looking to improve their performance. I wanted to find a way to take that mind-set and discipline beyond sports. Finding more connections within your life can lead you to a deeper and richer experience of it, like an athlete training to improve their performance. The more you learn, the greater your potential. The more you apply, the greater your success and satisfaction.
7. Is the book an attempt at answering life’s questions?
In a way… “Like Riding a Bike” is more of a guide book than answer book. At one level, it does look like it’s giving answers, but it is also always asking questions. The book demonstrates the process of exploring ideas to find meaning. It does so in the context of cycling, but it is not saying that cycling is the only path to finding meaning in life. It may be to some, but not to everyone. As a guide book, it discusses the lessons from cycling as universal truths. And, it also serves as a model for how you can go about exploring whatever it is that resonates with you in a manner that can lead you to greater insight in your own terms.
8. So are you saying that the approach you used in your book could work with other subjects as well?
Absolutely. The idea is to take something that has value to you and start to figure out why it’s valuable. What does it give you? Why does it mean so much to you? What more can you learn from it? You start to look for the connections between that “thing” and the rest of who you are. It’s a process of reflection that leads you to new insight and understanding. My “thing” happens to be cycling, so that’s what I wrote about. You could follow the same process for quilting, or golf, or just about anything else.
9. What else have you done beyond the book?
In my fitness life, I have taken my cycling interest into new areas like running, duathlon and triathlon. I have run the Boston Marathon. I have competed in the duathlon national championships. I have raced a half-Ironman triathlon.
In my writing life, I wrote a monthly column in a fitness magazine for a number of years. Like my book, the magazine column explored athletic and other experiences as broader life lessons. I also did a TEDx Talk titles “The Road to Reflection.” It shared my inspiration for writing my book, and encouraged others to pursue a path of reflection for personal insight. More recently, I have been working with a series of triathlon-related presentations designed to help novice-level people get rolling with the sport. It’s my way of trying to give something back to the sport that has enriched my life.
10. Finally, where is your book available?
I hate to sound like an infomercial, but the book is “not available in stores.” At least not at this point. You can order it from common online retailers, including the likes of Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.