“I am learning to love my brain and appreciate all of its strengths and weaknesses.” - Ethan Frankel (he/him)
Meet Team LoveYourBrain Rider, Ethan Frankel!
Ethan (he/him) is a lifelong lover of cycling, an endurance rider, and an avid fundraising cyclist! Since experiencing a brain injury in 2022, Ethan has been healing by taking care of his mental health, continuing to find freedom on the bike, and connecting to community. We sat down with Ethan, to learn more about how he loves his brain and cares for his mind as a cyclist. Here’s what he shared:
On the connection between cycling and mental health
Cycling is one of those activities that are “core memories” (thank you, Inside Out, for the reference). As a youngin growing up in middle America, learning to ride a bike is often times that first sense of accomplishment and validation you get from your parents.
My first day riding a bike was the first time I felt free to be independent, to explore, to learn about the world we live in. As I have continued on the journey of pursuing cycling at a competitive level, this has always been the core feeling that I latch onto.
When I feel locked in, whether that is physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually locked in, the one or two or ten hours I spend on the bike unlock the playful and free energy, and my inner child comes out. My 5 year-old self is now the one flowing through the world in a 24 year-old body.
This feeling is how I aim to feel every day, with work, with school, with my relationships. And the bike is a reminder of this feeling and is why I ride.
On how he takes care of his mind as a cyclist
Number 1 has always been “have fun”. If you’re not having fun, you’re not doing it right!
Number 2 is “breathe”. This is a more recent strategy for me, as I have learned about meditation and breathwork over the past couple of years. As a cyclist, staying calm in challenging, high-pressure situations is crucial (both in competitive and non-competitive environments).
The sense of control that we have starts with our breath, so I’m constantly reminding myself to nose-breathe and engage my core, and stay level-headed with my breath. As I focus on my breath, awareness of the environment becomes more clear as well.
Number 3 is coffee ;)
On how he attends to mental wellbeing both on and off the bike
Exercise has always been a fixture of my mental well-being. I say that movement / exercise (whatever that may be for you), and cycling especially for me, fulfills different pillars of well-being - physical, social, and emotional. Get yourself a hobby or movement that can energize you in multiple ways!
I attend to my mental well-being through different ways (like rock climbing, learning a language, playing piano), but the common theme among all of them is the community aspect. Surrounding myself with people with shared interests, hobbies, identities, and passions all leads to better well-being.
Since my brain injuries, I have struggled to continue building and maintaining communities. This has changed as I am much more anxious in social settings and especially in new ones. While since my TBIs, it has been much more challenging to keep track of communities I want to maintain and learn about, I strive to always be curious, ask questions, and find a “community coach” within these communities to help guide me!
We are so grateful to Ethan and all of the wonderful humans joining us for this year’s Ride for Resilience!