Claudia Kiemann (1983) Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
Life is unchartered territory. It reveals its story one moment at a time
My life as a cyclist … I did not inherit it from my parents or grandparents. Nothing that might have been passed on from generation to generation. It was rather surprising and powerful, like a force of nature.
I was 27 when I first climbed on a road bike. The connection was there immediately and quickly intensified until it became a deep love. Anyone who calls himself a cyclist can probably relate to that. It’s all or nothing. I wanted more of it. Pushing myself to challenge the limits, always being my most fierce competition and the drive to be better than the day before can be perfectly combined in this sport.
I hit third place on my first race. It was never about the placement. I needed to see where I stand so that I could improve. I needed to understand what kind of training worked best for me. How the body changes and adapts to the training. I never had difficulties to motivate myself. That has always been a given. I only needed a goal and from there it went down like water.
Looking into the mirror I see my competition. The mental battle is the one I fight in every training session and every race. Self-confidence in my capabilities is something I need to work on. Luckily the love for the sport is greater than the suffering.
My road bike is always at my side. It’s more than just an object. It’s my partner, my child, my family. I do not want to be without it anymore.
The shared experiences fill me with the deepest satisfaction. I use setbacks to learn and improve, the bike helps me to become a better version of myself. You learn serenity in addition to ambition, satisfaction in addition to a setback and team spirit in addition to your own claim.
Life as a cyclist is like a second one that coexists next to your normal life. It takes up a lot of time and at some point, however, you have to decide how much time each life gets. I hope I do not have to decide that fast yet. I still want a bit of suffering and learning and loving
@claudinelovescycling
allblack cycling club 