"I Get It"



My Hybrid Bike that's holding me back!

In a previous post, I talked about waiting. I wrote that post late at night, and I'm not really sure why.

I really pondered if there was anything that I was waiting to do, and I could not think of anything. However, on a recent bike tour in Vermont, I learned a lot about waiting and fear. I think I was shown a possible reason why people wait: Fear.

I have this wonderful hybrid bike that I really love. It's light, fast, and cute. I really get a kick out of riding it. But, sometimes when I ride it, I get extremely tired. I thought that I needed to do more squats and run more in order to strengthen my legs so that I could have better rides.

However, In Vermont, I was riding with an older couple from San Francisco, and I just could not keep up. I observed them as they gracefully rode hills and flat surface; they were really doing some good, solid, hard riding. I was holding my own but could not keep up with them. The difference between the older couple and me was our bikes. They had those super, powerful bikes that I feared.

Finally, it dawned on me, my bike was the problem, and I had to ask myself, "What was I waiting on to buy a bike that would help me to ride to my full potential?"

The reasons why I was waiting was fear: fear of the speed and power of the bike, those foot clips etc. Me, who will drive across the country by myself, afraid to take my bike riding to a new level. Imagine that? I had to ask myself, "Waiting for What?"

I talked to the ladies who were leading our tour, and I let them know that I really wanted to have more graceful rides.

The tour leaders assessed my bike and my body, (They actually said that I have a strong body, and I almost couldn't receive that, but I did, because I know the difficulty of my workouts.) and they told me that my bike was definitely holding me back. They even suggested that I try one of their powerful bikes. WAIT popped in my mine, but I instantly got that thought out of my mind and told the leaders "let's try it."

After riding for 36 miles on my hybrid bike, I was beat. However, the tour leader knocked on my door, and we rode for another hour so that she could give me pointers on how to ride a faster, more powerful bike.

The next two days, I actually rode that powerful bike. Riding it was so liberating; hills and valleys were ridden with an ease and comfort that I had never felt before.

As soon as I get back home, my old hybrid will be happily sold to the highest bidder.

I've faced my fears and is no longer waiting; I'm pleading with you to do the same with whatever it is that you are waiting to do.



Bike that I want!