Happy Saturday! If you’re new to THE CRAZY QUEST, you may wish to read about it here. Basically, I’m tracing my journey as I attempt to answer the question:
What would you do if you didn’t know you couldn’t do it?
This week of training: 45 miles
THORNS
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. Henry Ford
Do you ever feel like you’re swimming against the tide? Ever fell like everyone else is going the other way and maybe you’re just going in the wrong direction?
This has been a tough stretch for The Crazy Quest.
First, I had to cancel my fifty- ride in Yakima. Then I had a week of backsliding when I just lost my inner motivation. Oh well—that sort of stuff happens on a long journey.
Last week I got all fired up again thanks to Chris Waddell’s amazing story. I figured if he can climb Mount Kilimanjaro on a hand cycle, I needed to quit sulking and get back to work. I began the week with a fresh sense of purpose.
Then I got four flat tires in four days. I’ve said previously that flat tires happen. It’s part of cycling, and you just deal with it. But four flats in four days?
A flat tire for me is more than a simple inconvenience. I can’t just climb off the bike and fix it or walk home. Usually a friend rescues me, but the first failure occurred nearly ten miles from home and everyone I called was busy. I had to crank home on the rim, destroying the tire and tube. Fortunately, no significant wheel damage, so I had it repaired prepared to move forward.
And then three more flats in the next three rides—all closer to home, but at some point you begin to wonder if the universe is sending you a message. Maybe I’m supposed to stay home and eat ice cream.
Of course, I know better. It’s “thorn season” around here, and every cyclist deals with it. I’ve simply managed to find a bunch of them. But it’s a good reminder to keep my eyes on the bigger picture. My crazy quest is more important than the inconvenience of a few setbacks.
So I’ll get back out there, even though those nasty thorns still conspire to puncture my dream. I hope you’ll do the same.
What’s your big goal? What pesky thorns threaten to stop you?
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. [Hebrews 12:1-3]
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