Training Week

I got to do four out of five days of the mountain bike team's "spring training" week. I was apprehensive every day before going because of how tired I was, but every day I had fun, even though it was really, really hard. The last day, yesterday, I was ready to give up at the top of the first climb. I was so tired and starting to get the icky feeling that warns me off pushing myself too hard. I sat down on the wet ground and thought about crying. I thought about turning around and going back down. I wasn't sure I should keep pushing myself. I said something along the lines of "God, you got me into this. You healed me so I could ride this week (yay!), and You promised me strength if I trusted You with this. My doc says to listen to my body and not push too hard if it's going to flatten me, and I know from experience that this is wise advice. Please tell me if I should keep going or if I should turn around now."

I saw Bear coming up the hill behind me. I stood up. Picked up my bike. He crept by me, pedaling hard, mud covered, sweat dripping. "Just one time around," he said. (a loop of trail at the top of the climb we had just done) I started walking again. Remembered that Nate took me on this trail when I first started mountain biking and it was too difficult for me to ride down. Narrow, rocky, slippery and steep. Being so out of practice I wondered how much of it I would have to walk down. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, though a little tricky, it was well within my "skill" level. Then going down the long climb was super fun.

So the day went. So, so hard and so, so fun. I was super miserable at times but I did way more than I thought I could.