US Cycling Champion, Former Tour de France Rider Reveals Hidden Secret of Male Performance Athletes
New I Am Second Film Shares Story of Ben King
PLANO, Texas, Sept. 6, 2017 – Professional Road Cyclist and former Tour de France rider Ben King, is opening up about a hidden secret of male performance athletes in a new film released today on I Am Second, a non-profit organization sharing stories of hope.
The film, which releases as the high school sport season begins, offers a wake-up call not only to athletes but also parents, who may not realize the pressures on children in performance sports.
“Cycling is one of the most demanding sports in the world,” King said. “You’re bumping elbows, bumping handle bars. And you don’t get to determine the pace. The pace is set. It’s like getting pulled along on a choke collar, in and up these climbs, and when you get dropped, it’s a very explosive, intense knock-out punch and then you’re off the back and your day is done.”
King won the USA Cycling Professional Road Race Championship in 2010, becoming the first person under the age of 23 to win the event. But his road to the top nearly wore him down – physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
When King was in his teens, he took his first trip to Europe to compete. He admits he had never experienced such suffering just to finish a race. It was then he decided he needed to work harder to improve his sport.
King began studying the exercise and eating regiments of professional cyclists. “I started believing the lighter I got, the faster I would get,” he said.
His life soon became a constant cycle as he strove for perfection: cycling in the morning, lifting weights in the afternoon, track practice immediately after school followed by a short break for homework before heading off to swim practice. King admits he would go to bed extremely exhausted every night only to wake up the next morning to start again.
King couldn’t train any more than he was, but he quickly found a new physically damaging habit that gave him a false sense of control.
“I was totally beating my body into submission,” King said. “But the thing I was trying to control was beginning to control me.”
In the I Am Second film, King shares his journey and how a habit quickly spiraled, causing physical damage and shame. In the end, it was his faith that saved him.
To see King’s full film, visit IAmSecond.com/benking.
About I Am Second
I Am Second is a non-profit launched in 2008 that ignites hope and inspires people to live for God and for others. Its website, iamsecond.com, features written and film-based stories of more than 100 athletes, actors, models, musicians, cultural influencers and everyday people who have stepped in front of the camera and declared, “I Am Second.” For information, visit iamsecond.com.
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