Getting to know people has always been a challenge for me. This is because I always consider myself an introvert. It takes me time to get comfortable and act naturally amongst new faces or places. I also have an inherent fear of speaking in front of an audience or even just a handful people. Yet these situations don't seem to have a problem finding me and forcing me to pull my delicate layers out in the open.
In the digital age, I have learned to hide behind the anonymity of the computer - or at least that's what I thought. About seven years ago, social media and cycling came knocking at my doorstep at about the same time. It didn't take long before I was able to identify myself along with likeminded souls both on the internet and in real life. As simply put it - your Facebook profile defines you as a person. Not just to your friends but to advertisers and those who want to be branded like you.
About three years ago I started getting to know other racers from the Shama Racing Team, I ran into a gentleman who happens to be a friend to Philip Shama. "Ah so you're Noe! You know people a lot of people in Facebook" I was a bit taken aback with the comment but I somehow manage to smile despite being unsure on how to digest that remark. Yes, we are now down to four and a half degrees of separation instead of the usual six. I can only give so much credit to social media. I still believe that actual handshakes start more meaningful relationships. A lot of my friends are still my brothers within the Siklista Clan - Shama second.
The bike racing community in Texas is also a close knit one. It's tough to imagine considering the size of the state. Interestingly, you can be in a Road Race in Killeen or in a Criterium in downtown Houston and still be sitting beside an old "foe" you met three races ago. Once you start racing, the team kits become all too familiar in these events. I make a point of meeting new friends in each of these races this year wherever it maybe, it makes the competition a lot less stressful.
In the end, the degree of connectivity that we have now still boils down on how we can break up the ice with a stranger and start a conversation. Social media still have a lot of catching up to do. We'll just have to wait and see.
