5 Things you can do to support the sport of cycling in Kenya

 “All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men and women to sit back (talking) and do nothing”.

If you asked me about the Kenya Cycling Federation a few years ago I would have cursed the entire lot. I would then have gone on and on about how they are not doing anything for this beautiful sport and maybe even make a claim that they are actively engaged in sabotaging it by embezzling monies allocated to the same. I would then probably go ahead to give you the names of both promising talents and people of goodwill who in my opinion were frustrated by the greedy and incompetent officials of that very body. All this of course would have been based on stories that I have heard (not experienced) either directly or indirectly of said evils. 

We live, we learn. If you ask me about the Kenya Cycling Federation today, depending on the context, chances are that I would have very few words; undoubtedly negative, mostly dismissive but very few indeed. To put it simply, I think I have exhausted most if not all my opinions on that topic.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that things have changed for the better at that level. No. I just came to the conclusion that words are absolutely powerless if not followed by concrete action.

 “Talk is cheap”

 I absolutely respect every person’s right to air their opinion but I believe at the end of the day, the most important question to ask yourself is this; ‘what are you doing for cycling in Kenya?” If you are a cyclist and actually take pleasure in this sport whether as an active competitor or fan then there’s definitely something that you can do to positively impact on its growth.

Sossi and BikeAid at H2H 4 Credit: Moses Kamwere

1.Register for a race

If you see a race advertised, register and show up when the day arrives. The only way we are going to grow the competitive end of cycling in Kenya is by showing up for races in massive numbers. This is how we get the attention of bystanders and corporates. So why do we need bystanders? Very simple, the only way to grow a sport or any brand for that matter is by having fans/ardent followers -the more the better. We obviously need corporates for their money, there’s no way to sugarcoat that fact. But no company is going to finance our intentions if we can’t show the value we bring to the table. Numbers = advertising opportunity. That’s our bargaining chip. If you don’t believe me look at the likes of football. The fan base is almost cultic and that’s very attractive to corporates. So register, show up then make noise about it on social 

media.

David Ndatha at the VeloNos SBITT 3. Credit Kiragu Mwangi

2.Turn out and support

You don’t have to be a racing enthusiast to show up at a racing event. Just being at the start-line, finish- line or somewhere along the route screaming at the racers or handing them bananas and water goes a long way in growing bike racing in Kenya. Organizing a race requires a good deal of manpower therefore every helping hand always goes a long way.

3.Support a racer

There are many talented young riders out there who are extremely passionate about bike racing but are financially challenged. If you know anything about racing bikes, then you are aware of the fact that the costs can add up real quick. Think actual bikes, spares, accessories, nutrition, race registration and logistics. To some people all this might sound like peanuts but to others it’s actually a make or break factor. If you have the ability to help one passionate cyclist out there and cause their star to shine then you just might end up changing a life for the better. That’s definitely good Karma. 

4.Buy team merchandise

More and more cyclists are organizing themselves into structured racing outfits; with this comes team kits and a host of other branded merchandise. Some of the best examples locally include Kenyan riders in Iten, Safari Simbaz and VeloNos (which this writer is part of) in Thogoto, Kikuyu and Team Arabika from Mombasa. All these teams have branded bike racing kits that are available to the local cycling population. When you buy from these guys you automatically provide working capital for the team. This is very vital to their survival.

5.Organize a race

This might sound like a difficult job but it is actually quite doable for any average folk with the will and passion for the sport. By adding an extra event to the calendar you will automatically have done your part in making bike racing in Kenya more robust. It’s very simple, find a route, do a recce, find sponsors if you can, pick an open date preferably on a Sunday, advertise on the Kenya Cycling Facebook page, make noise about it. The rest are details.

The writer at the VeloNos Mwisho wa Lami 2. Credit: Moses Kamwere

In summary, focusing on what’s wrong with the sport of cycling in Kenya will do little to nothing moving forward. It is important to actually do something about what you feel is lacking, however small. Yes the Federation has a major responsibility and has failed catastrophically, but how is constantly whining about it going to help?

The Nike Life: Just do it - NOW!

My name is C.M and I have not written a blog post in 1485 days or something…

 Just do it!: Credit Moses Kamwere #SBITT

They say that acceptance is the first step towards recovering from whatever is ailing you. I therefore choose to accept that I am a procrastinator and have been postponing writing a blog post since January 27^th 2014, today being the 22^nd day of February 2018. Putting it down in numbers really adds quite a bit of perspective to the situation.

Human beings are by nature creatures of habit and thus it is vital to choose yours very wisely. Habits maketh a man.

De-evolution

We live in a world where some of the most physical activities the majority of people engage in is clicking a mouse, tapping a phone screen/keyboard, flashing middle fingers to the ‘haters’, lifting a beer bottle to one’s mouth and for the ‘fittest of the fit’, walking to the bus stop.  In a few millennia, some humans will probably have lost their ability to walk. (Go watch Wall-E).And no I am not hating so please give your middle finger a rest.

Garbage In….

In addition to sedentary lifestyles most people make some very ill-informed dietary choices. 3 terms to note:

• High-sugar,
• Deep-fried
• Overly-processed

Now you know why cases of cancer, diabetes, high-blood pressure and heart problems are on the rise. To put it simply, we eat too much shit and move too little, that’s what’s putting modern man in an early grave; and you know what, there are entities that are loving it!

Pharma-Profitable

There’s big money to be made from sick people and sadly there are a several billion the world over. That’s a lot of sales I can assure you. Do you really think pharmaceutical companies are on this planet to make your life better? Sorry friend. When it comes to medicine, treatment protocols and procedures; hospital stays etc. PROFIT IS KING. I am not saying business is bad, in fact I fully back the idea of generating profit from the sale of products and/or services- it’s necessary. It is however ridiculous and ungodly the extents to which some of these Big Pharma players will go to boost their earnings.

But do you blame them really? I mean, if you knowingly eat like crap every day, sit in front of your TV/smartphone etc. for 2-3 hours - this after an 8-10 hour shift at your office - where typical activities include, but are not limited to: lifting a coffee mug (with 4 sugars) to your mouth, walking to the washroom and rolling your eyes at your annoying workmate.  If this is your life then yes, I kinda think that you deserve to get ripped off when you get sick. Sorry.

What was I talking about again??

The illusion of time

Aaah yes! - Procrastination. As I said, I am very guilty of this unholy sin and indeed I have been punished over the years. By whom you ask? The grandmaster called Time, that’s who. In the past (and even now) I keep getting reminded that snoozing = losing.

So what does all this have to do with the typical modern-day couch potato who is too plugged into the matrix? Too often I hear people say that they plan to make healthy changes in their lives - eventually. A week passes, then a month, then a year and before they know it:

• ·         they have a persistent headache,
• ·         they are sweating gallons every night
• ·         can barely tie their laces without sitting down,
• ·         The simple act of breathing becomes laborious. 

Then they rush to the doctor and are dutifully informed of an impending heart attack, some organ failure, stroke, high blood pressure and the ‘THE BIG C’. The doctor may appear concerned but I can assure you, all he/she sees dollar signs. Of course there are good doctors out there.

It is usually at this point that most people start taking life seriously. You will see a guy rush to the gym to pay membership fees for a full decade; buy running shoes;  find a green/leafy vegetables supplier, divorce the local bartender; wage an all-out war on the sugar industry etc. All these are great life-decisions but pray tell; why does it have to take so bloody long?

Procrastination will rob you of the single most important commodity in the universe: time. Gold, silver, Bitcoin (?) are worth pennies compared to time. Don’t get me wrong, I fully respect people who realize the err of their ways even after decades of ‘wasting away’ and consequently make better choices. My main issue is with the relatively younger individuals who are just settling into the motions of life. They make good money, party every evening and believe they’ve got all the time in the world.

Your health is your wealth

In my line of work I have come across individuals who insist that they have absolutely have no spare time to put in some form of meaningful physical activity or don’t have time to prepare healthy food all the time. They say that they are too busy making money and trying to get ahead. The thing that most people don’t understand is that your health is what keeps you going every day. Once that baby is gone, man it’s going to cost you so much just trying to get back bits and pieces of it. So you better give it the attention it deserves, now!

Our bodies are resilient and can therefore take quite a beating on a daily without failing completely. That’s just how we are designed. Some people are more robust and genetically gifted than others and are therefore able to take even more. This is why you will see some people in their 80s and 90s who have been smoking a pack a day for more than half a century still walking like they own the planet whereas on the hand you will hear about some bruh who got lung cancer at the tender age of 30 after only 10 years of smoking 5 fags a day. That’s just how it is. Sorry, we are not created the same, some are better than others.

For the average person, unhealthy life choices in 15 years or less is enough to trigger a very catastrophic chain of events within the body. It is said that the things you do in your youth will determine the quality of your old age. Few things are truer. The sad thing is that most young people out here are wasting their youthful energy on the most decadent of engagements - momentary gratification at the expense of a quality existence in the sunset years.

The (True) YOLO Philosophy

I don’t know about you but I would like to continue riding my bike, running 10Ks, half marathons and lifting weights well into my grey-haired days. I know I have no control over several factors that might affect the length of my stay on this rock called earth but what I have control over, I WILL OWN! That’s my version of the YOLO philosophy.  What’s the point of burning yourself out during your youth doing all the wrong shit only to force other people to take care of you when the great equalizer (time) comes calling? - All this in the name of ‘living life to the fullest’.

One of the saddest things in today’s world is how young people define ‘living life to the fullest’. It’s wrong, messed up and unhealthy for most part. I am not saying you should not indulge from time to time just remember that your habits define you. People will say that we are here temporarily and that we should enjoy as much of the time we have as possible, and they would be right. The truth however is that most people are just trying to keep up with the Joneses, always trying to prove that they too are in ‘the game’. This is extremely tiring, unrewarding and for most part depressing. If you are one of these people and are honest enough with yourself then you will agree.

There’s great satisfaction that comes with doing something that adds genuine value to your life and improving at that thing daily. Getting better at a workout for example – in addition to bringing about positive change to your body – triggers the release of endorphins (feel-good hormones) which significantly enhance one’s general sense of well-being. Of course some days are harder than others but on the general it’s a very rewarding journey.

I know I have talked about so many things and somewhat deviated from the original point which was procrastination, but yo, I believe you’ve gotten the message. Do right by yourself, forget the Joneses stop postponing, form healthy habits, stay younger for longer.