In Your Own Lane

I recently participated in my first road cycling event since taking up the sport earlier this year.
It was a race over 25 kilometres with a diverse mix of participants – children, seniors, people of all backgrounds and age groups

The experience was challenging, but here’s what I took away from it.

Firstly, people often talk about “staying in your own lane”, but many overlook just how valuable this advice really is.

During my recent road cycling race, I learned this lesson first-hand.

My main goal was to finish the race. A distance of 25 kilometres is not short, and requires more than just physical fitness – it takes mental strength to push through the pain and keep going.

I felt confident going in, my speed was above average, and I considered myself relatively fit for someone my age.

But as I pedalled, I watched young boys and girls, and even elderly cyclists, breeze past me. I couldn’t understand it at first.

Here I was, middle-aged and supposedly in good shape, yet I was being overtaken left and right. That’s when it hit me: I had no idea how or when these other riders trained.

Trying to match their pace, to “keep up”, would have been a disaster. I could have crashed, injured myself, or damaged my bike by pushing beyond my limits just to compete with them.

So, I did what I had to do, I let them pass. I reminded myself that my goal was to finish the race, not win it.

That’s why I was there in the first place, and I stuck to my plan. In the end, I completed the race, achieving what I set out to do. In life, much like in cycling, it’s crucial to run your own race, at your own pace, and with your own goals in mind.

Comparing yourself to others or trying to chase after someone else’s success will only set you up for failure.

Secondly, be authentic – staying true to your goals and focusing on your own journey is the only way to reach your destination without losing your way.

I learned this the hard way. I was being true to myself during the race, but I quickly realised I had been slow, not too slow, but definitely not at the pace I had hoped for.

I had not trained properly for the event, I underestimated the challenge ahead of me, and even though I knew I had not prepared enough, it still hurt to see children speeding past me effortlessly. There was no way I could catch up.

That experience taught me a valuable lesson: the importance of staying true to myself and consistently performing at the highest level based on the effort and dedication I had invested in my training.

It reinforced the idea that success is not just about achieving immediate results, but about trusting the process, staying authentic and giving my best effort according to the preparation I have put in over time.

Lastly, for anyone reading this, remember, don’t get caught up in what others are doing.

Focus on yourself and your own progress.

Don’t try to change or push yourself to compete with others when their journey is different from yours.

Stay true to your own path, and you will reach the finish line in your own time.

– Meneer_SK is an advocate for men’s grooming and all matters relating to men. Follow him on Instagram @Meneer_SK