Back within the saddle

Before heading over to EPT Barcelona in August, I went on holiday, and actually I ATTEMPTED something different this time. For the primary time ever I took part in a cycling race.

I love all sports. I'VE an overly competitive nature, which helps me so much in poker, and that i always love finding new sports to play as differently to enjoy competition.

When I USED TO BE young I USED TO BE a certified alpine skier, and that i are inclined to gravitate toward other individual sports, too, like tennis and auto racing. Those are the sports I most like both to take part in and to observe on television, and so they probably relate the most efficient to poker, too, way to the person aspect of the games.

One sport I'VE always liked watching was cycling, partially as a result of strategy involved. I always enjoy following the Tour de France, and this year after a 21-year drought a Polish cycler won a stage -- Rafal Majka. In fact, Majka won two stages in France, including one of the crucial mountain stages, which was very exciting to see.

I remember watching Zenon Jaskula win a stage for Poland long ago in 1993, so it was very exciting to look Majka finally win another one for the rustic. We even have another talented young rider named Michal Kwiatkowski, so it is a good time for cycling in Poland. I AM NOT the one one getting enthusiastic about the sport.

But before this summer I had never really tried cycling myself rather than just performing some mountain biking within the mountains in Zakopane that is my hometown. But after Majka won his stage, I DETERMINED to participate in a large race for amateurs in Zakopane, one who runs parallel to the Tour de Pologne, the largest cycling race for professionals.

Marcin Horecki on his bike

There were 150 professionals racing, while I USED TO BE certainly one of 1,500 amateurs collaborating. We needed to travel over a course that went up and down, up and down, and up once more, with the uphill gradient being 22% (that's pretty steep). We started in a valley, would go up a complete of 300 meters, then down, then up, and so forth. There have been 38 kilometers of riding total. The professionals traveled the similar course, but needed to travel it four times while we amateurs only went through it once.

The race was on a Friday, and it wasn't until Wednesday that I ever even tried cycling at the course, and that wasn't even on a correct bike. On Thursday I PURCHASED the proper of bicycle, an even light one who is purely 8.5 kilos. However the weather wasn't good and so I COULD NOT practice. That meant I USED TO BE essentially riding within the competition with no need truly prepared for it at all.

An uphill struggle

As expected, going uphill was especially hard going. But downhill nobody could overtake me -- I USED TO BE passing everyone! That was where my training as a certified skier was useful, which after all was all downhill.

I used a unique watch in the course of the race, person who was connected to my chest and showed me my heart rate throughout. It helped me pace myself, knowing when to move harder and when to ease up. It also helped keep me from going too hard initially of the race, which made it easier on the end.

I did have one moment going downhill after I slid off the street a bit of. But I managed to come again onto the tarmac and avoid falling down, and that i made it throughout the race tired but in good shape.

Crossing the finish line

I think I ENDED in about 900th position out of the 1,500, which I USED TO BE proud of as a result of my loss of training. The winner finished in 56 minutes. Once I had tried the course on my mountain bike two days before I completed it in slightly over two hours. But within the race itself I USED TO BE capable of complete it in a single hour and 32 minutes, so I USED TO BE proud of my time.

Also making the experience memorable was the truth that Rafal Majka was a kind of riding within the Tour de Pologne. He won two stages, and likewise won what they call the overall classification -- that is, he had the most productive time overall. I USED TO BE some of the thousands available to support Majka when I had finished my race -- what a memorable day!

Next year the race could be within the same place, and that i plan to take a look at again and be better prepared. It is going to be a fun challenge to look how much I WILL improve.

Marcin Horecki is a member of Team PokerStars Pro.

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