Draft Animals Living the pro cycling dream (once in a while) - Phill Gaimon - Scott Bowling

 


Another interesting read as I am now embodying the cyclist lifestyle. This book offers you the behind the scenes, raw, unfiltered lifestyle/trajectory of an amateur to professional cyclist. You are along for the journey as he began his cycling career all the way to being on the tour de France with a lot of funny stories sprinkled in the middle. He's a gifted athlete and he acknowledges that within the book. From the jump his VO2 max is a lot higher than most peoples so GRIT might not be the biggest fan of him. Also though these people aren't machines in terms of training and life. I would have expected him to never miss a workout or eat amazing or take recovery extremely serious. He does discuss hard training and not going up steps for rest but there is a lot of just taking breaks or getting drunk or going on trips. Part of me thinks that if you don't you'll burn out quicker. Phil is also a clean rider meaning he doesn't use steroids. When he was racing he was not in the heyday of EPO usage so its not as much of a middle finger to people but it still is a badge of honor that he wears everyday in the form of a tattoo with the word 'clean' on his inner bicep. I do think it's dumb though that a lot of the owners/trainer/chair members are all people who used to race and got popped or never got caught but everyone knew cheated. I guess if you think too much about it you'll become a cynic but that's frustrating. The other piece is like everything in life it's all about performance and money. You never have any job security and new people are constantly coming up the ranks to take your job so you are always living in a world of stress unless you are the top 1 or 2 guy. I guess it's a way to be motivated but you future is always uncertain. I'd say the hidden benefit of being a cyclist is how many places you go and get to see around the world.

The book was humorous and enjoyable but similar to the others I'd only recommend it if you are into cycling. 

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