Issue 161: Last Word – Total Immersion

Hannah thinks there’s more to mountain biking than thrills

I was asked ‘What makes a mountain bike ride thrilling?’ Which got me thinking about whether I ride to be thrilled or not. To my mind, those are the rides where I finish with the slight sense of having got away with it, of having taken a risk, or pushed myself into the fringes of where I know things will work out OK. Those are great – when they happen.

I can see that, particularly from the outside, it might look like ‘thrill’ is what it’s all about, but I think it is more nuanced than that. Thrill is elusive – bringing with it the risk of tipping over into disaster. Sometimes you don’t get away with it. There are more sustainable ways to ride, but will still give you a happy buzz.

I can push myself without it being a thrill. Instead, there’s a sort of immersive experience where the focus needed to clear a feature or learn a skill is so intense that there is no room left in your brain for anything else. I don’t think this is the same as a flow state because it’s such a conscious experience. You’re paying attention to many things at once: your body position, your contact points, your tyre position on the ground, loading and unloading the suspension, how your body moves… it’s a lot to keep track of. And in doing so it leaves no room for other thoughts.

In fact, we’ve probably all experienced that moment where you think ‘F*ck yeah, I’m riding sooo well!’ only for that extraneous thought to be the one that sucks essential processing power and focus away from a vital function – and before you realise your error you’re down and out.

This is not the relaxation and intuition that comes with flow. Flow feels like something you chase and might catch if you’re lucky, but it is all too easy to get too comfortable. Too relaxed and your thoughts wander. Before you know it, they’ve opened the door that leads to that problem at work or the still undone ‘to-do’ list.

For me, flow is also antisocial. There is no flow while I’m also trying to stay with the rider in front or stay ahead of the rider behind. Flow needs space, and time. In contrast, thrill is best chased with friends (preferably reliable ones carrying first aid kits). But immersive focus is flexible. You can work on a skill on your own, or figure your way through a technical trail section. Challenge complete, you can go back and repeat until you’re happy, or you can high-five your friends, chat at the top of the roll-in, or spin up the fire road. Then, back into focus for the next section or run, then back out. Focus is reliable, you can slip into it, and back out. If you’re chasing it, it’s a sign that today is a day for easy spinning. Something is off, and pushing yourself will probably lead to bad places. Trust your gut.

Frankly, I don’t have the energy to ride for thrill all the time. Thrill has an edge that is tiring. After thrills, you leave with a buzz, but also ready for a rest. In contrast, the focus of pushing yourself without thrill but with purpose leaves you with a sense of achievement that buoys you up. This immersive focus is relaxing as it distracts the brain away from the usual internal chatter. For a few brief moments, you are doing only one thing, not the plate spinning of modern life.

If only for a few moments, mountain biking allows you to immerse yourself in a thing which truly holds your attention. Spin wheels, not plates. Do the thing. The one thing. Ride your bike.