Let it Roll: Navigating Fear in Biking and Language

“Just don’t brake!”

It was the advice everyone gave me for the downhill sections when I first started mountain biking. It seemed outrageous!

Why on earth would I want to go full speed downhill on a rocky trail without braking? 

It was beyond my understanding. 

Another piece of advice I loved: “Let the bike do what it’s built to do.” 

What does that even mean??

The Fear of Falling: My Mountain Biking Journey

As a new rider learning to ride a mountain bike later in life, I was scared.  Scared of falling. Afraid of hitting rocks.  Terrified of getting hurt.  Petrified of making a mistake that would  leave me on the ground with a broken arm, leg, tooth, or ego. I was unsure how the bike would react to loose gravel, big rocks or steep drops, and even more uncertain of my own reactions if I fell. What do you do with your hands? How do you get your foot out of the clip in the pedals?

Finding My Own Pace: Embracing the Learning Process

What I needed was a safe space to learn at my own pace—a chance to navigate difficult terrain without the pressure of others’ expectations. So, I began going on rides by myself, tackling the trails that scared me, but with my brakes pressed to the max! 

As I rode over ruts and holes, I learned how my bike reacted and developed muscle memory for different situations. Though I was terrified of making a mistake, especially being alone, I gained confidence every ride, exercising extreme caution and taking mental notes of how to avoid difficult situations. I started braking less, and eventually understood what my bike was built to do: roll down the hills. I decided to stop holding my bike back and let it roll. 

My progress skyrocketed as I built on the skills from previous rides. After just a few months of riding twice a week, I felt ready to join group rides and sign up for races, gaining confidence with each pedal stroke. I started braking less on the downhills and tackling more technical terrain each ride, managing to avoid any mishaps for around 2 years. (That’s quite a long time, honestly!) 

But inevitably, mistakes happened.

Learning from Mistakes: The Path to Confidence

One time, while racing downhill to achieve a KOM on my favorite Strava segment, I encountered unexpected deep ruts from recent rains. Going too fast, I couldn’t steer clear. Instead of staying calm, I panicked and tried to jump out. My front tire caught, and in an instant, I flew over the handlebars, landing headfirst at 35 kilometers per hour and ending up with a light concussion.

Another time recently, while drafting on my new road bike behind my husband at 38 kilometers per hour, I fell again. This accident bruised my body and my confidence, but during my recovery, I researched proper drafting techniques. It’s not something I had been taught, but there are many resources out there.

After recovering from each of these accidents, I reflected on the mistake I made that put me in that situation and pondered how I could avoid it next time.  I developed a newfound respect for ruts and more confidence in my bike handling skills, armed with knowledge on how to navigate them. I also researched proper drafting techniques for road cycling and how to ride in a group.  No one had ever taught me these things, but there are resources out there.

Embracing Mistakes: A Stepping Stone to Growth

Much like I learned to navigate the ruts on the trail, you must also manage your mistakes when you speak in English. Each stumble in pronunciation, every unknown word, or mistake with verb tenses presents an opportunity to build confidence. Embrace your mistakes and reflect on them; they are not setbacks but stepping stones on your journey. If you find that you didn’t learn something because no one taught you, seek out resources, just as I researched proper biking techniques. There are countless tools available to help you with language learning!

Soon enough, you’ll find yourself racing toward your language goals, just like I did on the trails. 

So, next time you feel afraid to speak English (or another language!), remember: embrace your mistakes, learn from them, apply and implement your new knowledge and “let it roll”. You'll be amazed at how quickly you progress!

Have you faced any fears in your language learning journey? Share your story in the comments or reach out to me! Let’s inspire each other!

Join the Breakaway Course!

Ready to conquer your fears and increase your skills when you speak English? Join the waitlist for my course, "The Breakaway", where you’ll learn to navigate conversations in sports with confidence and embrace mistakes as a path to growth!

Subscribe for More Tips

Love these insights? Subscribe to my newsletter, "The Huddle", at the link or below for more tips on overcoming fear in language learning and updates on upcoming courses, workshops and programs!