Getting on with it

If there’s one thing I’ve learned a hard lesson on, it’s that life doesn’t wait for you to catch up.

It keeps flowing ever forward, ever constant.

You ever wake up one day and feel like the world is so different from where you left it?

Maybe you sat on the sidelines for a bit. Maybe you hid in the back of the room. Maybe you slept a little too long.

I’ve done that a lot in my life, and I know that feel of regret that you could’ve been more present, or taken more chances.

But I promised myself I wasn’t going to do that anymore. I was going to go full speed ahead, follow my heart, follow my dreams, muster up some courage to do things I’ve always wanted to but were too scared to try, reach out for help to those around me, cheer on others who are along for the ride, and be absolutely, 100% kind to everyone I come across in this life.

So I’m getting on with it. It’s been fucking fun. A lot of work and sweat, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Six months ago I would have. I’m not that person anymore.

And I’m so grateful for that.

My legs and my heart have felt strong lately. Running I think has helped boost my cardio fitness to a whole new level. I’m about to bring the bike back in, hoping for a cyclocross season and more gravel racing once the heat calms down.

I’ve been enjoying so many MTB adventures lately, too. The companionship, the advice, the community is amazing here. I feel so much more confident every time I go out. Sometimes I still walk down or up something that freaks me out, or even brake and slide down a rocky hill against the advice of others, haha, but you know what? I’ll get there.

I’m working on bunny hop progression and for the first time ever I actually got the back tire off the ground. Can’t wait to put all the pieces together to try my first real one. It’ll happen soon enough.

I want to learn how to do drops and jumps. I want to do it all!

Never in a million years did I think I’d learn how to mountain bike at age 35.

I think I said recently that I’m so far out of my comfort zone that I don’t even know what that is anymore. Well, I’m still there. Every week I’m practicing on getting stronger and faster and better.

I’m also trying to be more human, to celebrate the wins of everyone around me as much as I want them to celebrate mine, to be the friend that I want to have by being honest, open and compassionate.

Just be real.

You don’t have to swallow your struggles or your bad days. You don’t have to apologize for it either!

I may not say it enough, but thanks to everyone who is helping make this chapter one of the best chapters of my life.

One door slammed shut, and a hundred more opened. The future is huge. And I’m going to be there for all of it, ever present, heart open, eyes open, lungs churning out air as I roll along.

I’m where I need to be, with the people I need to be with, doing what I need to be doing.

Maybe for a little too long I kept my foot in the door, hoping that it wouldn’t close all the way.

But now I’ll never look back.