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'It offers readers not just insight into what drives us to ride, but also a vocabulary for understanding when that drive becomes too much.' - Dr Michael Liebrenz, Head, Department of Forensic Psychiatry, University of Bern
THE AUTHOR OF THE BESTSELLING THE MIDLIFE CYCLIST EXPLORES HOW OUR CYCLING ADDICTION CAN SAFELY BE USED TO BECOME STRONGER AND FASTER
'Make pain your friend' is a mantra cyclists at every level take to heart - pain is the internationally recognised currency of bike racing. You become immersed, single-minded, even obsessed with your training and racing. However, in a sport that requires such a physical and emotional investment, Phil stops to ask: where's your head at?
The Cycling Addiction helps riders to understand and improve their most effective cycling muscle: the human brain. Each chapter focuses on a plausible justification as to why so many of us seek to suffer, and why our bikes are our preferred instruments of self-torture.
Blending smart science and practical advice, Phil Cavell turns to psychiatrists, team physicians, as well as stars such as Philippa York, Chris Boardman and Eddy Merckx for answers. With a profound understanding of and respect for the cycling tribe, this book examines how our addiction can be controlled and utilised to reboot our mindsets and revolutionise our riding, for good.
Contents
1. Prologue
2. The Thing (aka The Brain): Bike-racing is just nature's way of making another bike-racer
3. The Blackbox Cyclist: A bike-racer's algorithm
4. An Impulse to Go: The creation of motivation and intention
5. An Impulse to Stop: Central Governor Theory
6. When is Too Much: Am I an addict?
7. Machines That Go Ping: Hooked-on maths
8. Blue-Print or Recipe: God in your own skin-sack?
9. Escaping the Algorithm: The road to freedom, 12 Steps
