Fit for Life: The Ride of Your Life!

Fit for Life: The Ride of Your Life!

If you know anything about me, you know I love to ride my mountain bike on the trails. I live about 7 minutes from Lincoln Woods, which has some of the best trails anywhere, allowing me to get there 3+ times per week.

 

I love the sport for several reasons:

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First, it's a fantastic workout that hits your whole body; Second, it's outdoors in nature; and Third, I get time to think and reflect while navigating my course through the woods.

 

Even though it's one of the most physically demanding things I do, it helps me escape, unwind, and mentally reset.

 

The other day, while I was riding, I started making some analogies and similarities as to how riding on the trails has many of the same characteristics as making it through the day in our everyday lives.

 

Therefore, I decided to write this article based on my thoughts, so you can see how we need to manifest similar traits to succeed at anything we do in Life.

 

FOCUS

 

First, when riding, especially at high speeds, going down a hill, you must focus 6-10 feet in front of you.

If you are looking at the front tire, you will need more time to react and avoid obstacles.

If you look too far in front, you won't see the obstacles & things could change by the time you get there.

If you look behind you, you will crash.

 

This correlates to everyday planning.

 

Yes, it's good to set long-term goals; however, be flexible with those goals because Life can change in a second. Yes, being proactive is good; however, be ready to pivot and react when necessary.

 

Conversely, if you are "just living for today" and have no plans, you are just winging it. When you have no plan or GPS, the likelihood of crashing increases.

 

So look beyond the front tire, and give yourself the time necessary to react.

 

Take your fitness, for example.

 

Don't get hung up on that long-term 30# weight loss goal. Instead of meal prep for the week, focus on eating properly each day. Make sure you are drinking enough water and getting to bed on time. In time, with consistency, you will reach that long-term goal.

 

Attack the hills with speed and consistency.

 

On a bike, you need to accelerate at just the right time to reach the top of a hill.

Start pedaling too fast too soon, and you will burn yourself out before you hit the top.

Go into it too slowly; you will need more momentum to propel you over obstacles and up the hill.

 

The same goes for everyday routines.

 

Attack the hills, but do it methodically and with precision and speed.

Life is full of hills & adversity, and they will get in our way regardless, so it's best to be mentally prepared for them and go at them head-on. Don't try to avoid, procrastinate, or wait for the time to be right; attack.

 

A prime example is your health and fitness. Do you know you have a few pounds to lose, yet keep putting it off and kicking the can down the road, waiting for the time to be perfect?

 

If so, that problem or hill will always be there.

 

The problem will continue to compound unless you attack it and start taking action.

When you do, like being on a bike, you get the fulfilling sense of accomplishment and the feeling that you can do anything you put effort into. Don't seek problems and look for adversity; just be ready for it and stop trying to avoid it.

 

Get up when you crash. I have done this many times, and it doesn't feel good.

 

Sometimes the damage is a few scrapes and bruises; sometimes, it's a separated shoulder. Either way, you need to get up, and you can't just lay there feeling sorry for yourself. Sometimes it's in the middle of your ride, so you must endure the pain until you return to the car.

 

Through 2020, many businesses, like mine, crashed. We were in pain for a while. However, we never just lay on the ground and wallowed in self-pity. We got up, brushed ourselves off, and endured the long recovery. We would have never recovered if we had stayed down and cried, victim.

 

Regardless of when and where you crash (because you will), you must get back up, brush yourself, and move on. It's ok to lay there and assess the situation before you get up, but you need to get up as fast as you physically and mentally can.

 

The last comparison is that sometimes I experience breakdowns & flat tires and need to walk out of the woods carrying my bike. Sometimes you are a 1/2 mile away; sometimes you are 3. This is the worst.

 

You are wearing cycle shoes, carrying your bike, and walking on rough terrain. Not fun at all.

 

In Life, we also experience breakdowns. They can be communication, mental or physical breakdowns that will force us to walk out of the woods through rough terrain.

 

Remember that you will eventually get to where you are going; it will just take a little longer.

 

We all get discouraged at different points when things don't go as planned. However, we need to stay focused on the task at hand, even when it takes longer than planned.

 

In business, you encounter situations where technology breaks down or misfires; in Life, we have breakups, injuries, and sickness. All conditions of this nature resemble your bike breaking down deep in the woods.

 

You keep drudging through the mud, wondering when this tough road will end. However, you know deep down that with focus and some hard work, you will eventually get back on track, and things will return to normal.

 

It gets tiring, but you know you have no other options and must keep pushing forward.

 

Quitting is never an option!!

 

So here is my thought process during my last week's ride.

 

Everything in Life that results in something good has a difficult flip side.

We need to be prepared and able to pivot and change directions when something unexpected comes our way.

 

Both life and mountain biking can be a lot of fun; you need to be realistic and know that both are physically and mentally tough.

 

Go into both prepared and ready for battle every day.

 

Committed to your success,

Matt