Just Keep Pedaling

There are times in life when we seek out challenges, and then there are times when challenges find us.  This past weekend, I sought out the challenge of completing The Elephant Rock 100 mile Road Bike Ride with my sister Stacy, her boyfriend Chris, and our friend Ryan.  During my six hours in the saddle I reflected on the past year and the pandemic challenge that found me.  Although these challenges differed in how they came into my life, they shared similarities in what they brought up.  They were good reminders for me and I appreciate you allowing me to share them with you this week.

There are times you need to refuel.

I was grateful for each of the aid stations along the 100 mile ride.  The chance to fill up my water bottles and eat some food was welcome nourishment to a body that was crushing calories and becoming dehydrated.  It was necessary in order for me to keep going in the same way that I had to refuel my own tank over the past year.  They say you can’t pour from an empty cup, and I definitely experienced that.  Taking breaks, getting away with my family, and exercise, were all ways I was able to refuel throughout the pandemic so I could show up with more energy for my team.

There are times you realize your challenge is your own.

It’s easy to get caught up in comparisons, but on my ride, I had a distinct revelation that this was my challenge and that what I was experiencing was different from the other riders, even if we were going the same distance.  There were riders that flew by our group with ease (one being my friend Ed Shenkein) and there were many riders that we passed along the way who were struggling much more than we were.  What was 100 miles for me, might have felt like 50 to someone else and 150 to another.  Everyone experienced challenges throughout the past year and this was a good reminder that challenges are our own and despite similar circumstances, we often don’t experience things in the same way that others do.

There are times you reflect on what you are learning.

My legs let me know about half way through that I had not done enough training to sail through this challenge.  I reflected on what I could have done to better prepare for the ride and was a bit embarrassed at the bravado of not bothering to look at the elevation chart of the ride or fixing my bike computer so I could track how far I had gone.  I also reflected on the lessons I learned throughout the pandemic.  It clearly wasn’t something I saw coming, but it reinforced the importance of many of the things we currently do to run a successful business and exposed a few areas that needed improvement.

There are times when you see there are bright spots along the way.

Despite the pain in my legs, glutes, and back, I couldn’t help but smile while taking in the beautiful views along the ride.  We saw a buck, a turkey and a Colorado antelope.  There were volunteers cheering for us along the way, and I was with three awesome people having great conversation.  Although it’s easy to see the damage that 2020 brought, there were a number of bright spots along the way, that I am grateful for.  Our team became closer than ever, we got to spend a summer with our families and it provided an opportunity to intentionally think about how we want to grow differently in the future.

There are times you want to quit.

At mile 58 was when I first questioned whether I would actually make it to the end. After a tough climb, I was about spent as we neared the aid station at mile 74.  While the thought of quitting popped into my head, I’m not sure I actually considered it (despite full agreement from my quads).  Instead, I kept telling myself to “just keep pedaling”.  As I got closer and closer to the finish line, it became easier to quiet the “quitting” thoughts.  There were definitely times I wanted to quit last year and throw in the towel, but even when we are at our lowest points, there is something powerful about continuing to move forward - even if it’s only a little bit.  The poem by Lori Deschene reflects it perfectly: 

Keep Going, and don’t worry about your speed.  You’re making progress, even if it doesn’t seem like it.  Forward is forward no matter how slow. - Lori Deschene

 Whether we invite them into our lives or they show up unexpectedly, challenges stretch our limits of what we think we are capable of.  They prove character strength and bring us tremendous amounts of pride when we conquer them.  There are highs and lows along the journey and when we are struggling through those lows and feel like giving up, we just have to remember to put one foot in front of the other and keep going (or pedaling).

And one more thing!  Happy Birthday to my good buddy Ryan Heath, who celebrates birthdays like no one else I know.