Exercise Saves Me

I'm a cyclist at heart. I've been riding bikes for transportation since I was 14; I married a cyclist, but really fell in love with the sport 5 years ago.  My kids were all in full-day school and I gleefully rode for 1+ hours every day.  Freedom at last!

I recognized that I had hit a plateau when season after season I felt the same tiredness in my legs, I was riding at the same speeds, never really improving.  I decided I needed some motivation so I entered the lottery for Little Red Riding Hood Century: 100 miles.  I'd been wanting to for years but for some reason hadn't ever entered an event.

Of course, being the most unlucky person I know, I didn't get into the event.  I was pretty crushed.  At this same time we started on a major health crisis in our home and it took all my energy and mental focus just to keep me & the family going.  About two months in I was starting to feel like I was going to blow, desperately needing a physical & mental outlet, and ruing the fact that I didn't have Little Red to look forward to.

Right when I was feeling my most low, my great friend told me she had found me an entry, and I was in!  You know how it feels when finally things align for your good, & provide you with the exact thing you need to get through a challenge?  This was it.  The heavens had opened and clearly told me it was going to be okay, and that my prayers get answered.

I began training that day.  I hadn't exercised for about 4 months, one of the longest sedentary periods of my life.  Boy, was I feeling it.  I left the hospital that day and went for a run, letting all my frustration, anger, sadness, doubt, impatience, and stress pound out through my feet as I left it behind on the pavement.  It was a glorious sunny day and it restored my hope that thing would get better.

The health crisis didn't go away, and is still part of our lives today, a year later.  I took to the bike and training like a drowning woman reaching for the shore.  I made a training plan & stuck to it.  I went with my friend & training partner once a week, and she pushed me like crazy.  I felt improvement in my strength, endurance, and saw myself getting faster.  I went on long soul-restoring rides alone, for 4 and 5 hours, something I had never done before.

My family was supportive and encouraged me.  My husband helped refine my training and encouraged me to ride, but wanted to make sure I enjoyed it & didn't overdo it.  Which I did.  But my competitive nature got the best of me & I was not in it simply to finish, I was in it to race myself.  I talked to women about their previous times.  I took our average speed and estimated what it would be, and figured I'd be happy if we could finish in 6.5 - 7 hours of riding time. I rode over 1,000 miles in training for this event, with my Garmin tracking everything.

The day of the event was sunny & warm.  I felt amazing.  There were so many great women there, fun rest stops, and our two families were the greatest cheering section of the day!  We were the envy of every woman there!  We breezed through the 100 miles, meeting people, jumping from peloton to peloton drafting and taking turns leading.  It was a dream, really.  And our total riding time ended up being 5:45!  We averaged 17.5 mph which was about 2 mph faster than my highest estimate!  And best of all neither of us got a flat!

I gained so much confidence from training for and riding Little Red.  It was the perfect non-competitive event for women.  Being surrounded by hundreds of women of all different lives, ages, and backgrounds was inspiring and exciting.  Reaching my goal and exceeding my expectations was the icing on the cake.

Riding Little Red was the soul-saving thing I needed last March-June. I didn't ride very often the rest of the summer.  I got a spot for this year, but I'm kind of nervous about being as much in love with it this year as I was last year.  I still need saving as the stresses of chronic illness and unanswered questions still plague me and our family.  I have found solace and relief on my knees, and on my feet, still pounding out my frustration on the pavement and sweating through my doubt and anger and fear.

Little Red taught me that I have the responsibility to take my fitness goals into my own hands and make them happen.  It takes effort, sacrifice, time, and planning.  It takes a goal to inspire me.  This is the only way to make our dreams a reality.  We will always have support from our families & friends, but it takes one person to make your dreams happen.  You.

Let exercise be your therapy.