Flow and Grit: Mindfulness on a Mountain Bike
“Have I billed enough this week?”
“Why are planets round?”
“Do we need a new government?”
These are thoughts I have NEVER had while mountain biking.
In truth, if I ride distracted by thoughts like these, I don’t clean obstacles, I bump into trees, and I get frustrated. Mountain biking demands attention. It pulls you into the moment whether you’re weaving through the Don Valley or tackling Slickrock in Moab.
Anyone who’s mountain biked knows the feeling of flow: focusing on line selection, adjusting gearing to power efficiently, sensing the traction beneath your tires. These moments aren’t about your to-do list—they’re about survival, adrenaline, and the thrill of the ride.
That feeling of flow is deep in the body. It’s a powerful connection to the present, punctuated by adrenaline and endorphins.
I realized just how much I treasure that feeling of flow at the 2024 Hardwood 8-hour mountain biking relay race. Being preoccupied with the race itself undermined the flow I cherish. I lost focus, fixated on regulating my power output to last the full 8 hours with my partner. In my single-mindedness, I locked out my fork on a climb and completely forgot to open it back up—for the rest of the race!
I love gravel and road races like Paris to Ancaster and the Real Deal Hell and Heck of the North. But when it comes to mountain biking, racing takes me out of the moment. It shifts my focus from the sheer joy of the ride to the mechanics of competition, and I miss the flow that makes mountain biking so special.
Meditation is much the same. It’s not about pushing or striving; it’s about being. In meditation, like in flow, you let go of thoughts about what has been and what will be. Instead, you find yourself fully absorbed in what’s right in front of you. “A lifetime in a single breath”.
For me, mountain biking is best when it becomes a moving meditation—a chance to connect with the trail, my body, and the moment. Have you felt this kind of flow—on a ride, a run, or even in the quiet of a meditation practice? If not, maybe it’s time to try.
