June, 2012
ULTRACYCLE LIFE – Welcome
Terrance Malkinson
Welcome to Ultracycle Life – a monthly series of short reader-friendly information on the sport of long distance endurance cycling. It is our intent to provide both the novice and the experienced cyclist with authoritative information that will help you make the decision to participate, train effectively, and manage the event. There is a plethora of information already written and available to you. Our goal is to sift through this information overload and provide you with what we believe to be the most important factors that will facilitate your having a good experience and crossing the finish line healthy. This start-to-finish approach emanates from experience and evidenced-based peer reviewed sports research.
“Bulldogging” your way through an event, experiencing severe pain and risking chronic injury or worse simply means that the athlete failed to manage their preparation and logistics of the event intelligently – the event managed you – your finishing medal is tarnished. Our vision is to suggest a better way. An ultra-endurance event such as the Tour of British Columbia is challenging and does require that you move out of your comfort zone. This is an important factor in the experience. The cyclist themself determines their level of participation and their personal criteria for success.
Cycling is a sport with a long history of participation by people of all ages, abilities, and nationalities. Cycling is seen as an important component of a lifetime health and wellness plan. Participation is an event such as the Tour of British Columbia offers a unique opportunity for personal growth. Canada, the host country for the Tour of British Columbia has a rich history of success in athletics, athletic event management, and athletics research. Canada is a large country geographically with generally excellent highways having wide shoulders, courteous motorists and supportive communities. We hope that you will find this series of articles to be of value and should you decide to participate in the Tour of BC that you will achieve success – success on your terms and as you define it.
We make no claim to know everything and we value your feedback, experiences, and questions. The next article will discuss factors to consider when making your decision to participate in a long distance ultra-cycling event.
Further Reading:
Herlihy, D.V. Bicycle: The History. Yale University Press. 2004
This comprehensive history of the bicycle is enriched with images spanning two centuries. A thorough and accurate account and winner of many awards of excellence.
Morrow D., and K.B. Wamsley. Sport in Canada: A History. 2 ed. Oxford University Press. 2010.
This account of the history of sports in Canada examines its development within an analytical framework.
Howell, C.D. Blood, Sweat, and Cheers. Sport and the Making of Modern Canada. University of Toronto Press 2004.
A social historical examination of the contribution of sport to the making of the Canadian nation.
Next edition: Ultracycle Life Self Reflection