Adventures on a Bike

There are three course options at the San Diego Century. You can ride a 37, 66, or 103 mile course. The way the course is laid out, everyone starts together and at some point, the 37-milers take a right while the rest continue on. Later on, the 66-mile course turns right while the 103 continues.

It was at this crossroads, between the 66-mile and 103-mile courses, that we found ourselves yesterday morning.

I was willing to support the team and do either course, but preferred the 66 - this was supposed to be a “go-easy” day for me. I think Mark also preferred the shorter course, but was willing to go for 103 miles if the team was willing. Andy had signed up for the 103-mile course and didn’t want to quit. He was pretty nervous about the distance and hills and heat awaiting us and worried that he hadn’t trained enough and wasn’t fit enough for it - but he just didn’t want to quit. I realized that this is like many of the choices we make in life.

Do I take the “safe” road - confident that I can finish, but not terribly inspired by the prospects of “same-old” results? Or do I accept the risk of failure and venture boldly into the unknown, unsure if I can make it, but driven by the opportunity to grow and achieve something completely new?

It’s easy to let our “reasons” get in the way. It’s too hot, the hills are too steep, I haven’t trained for it, it’s getting late, I’d rather be at the Pizza Port, etc, etc, etc. And we know as we say them that our reasons make our lives smaller and limit what’s possible for us.

We continued on the 103-mile course that day. It was hot, the hills were steep and we didn’t make it all the way. But we ventured into the unknown, took the risk, gave it our best shot and in the process grew a little and gained something completely unavailable on the 66-mile course.

Congrats Andy.