Life lessons from the seat of a bicycle

When is a bike ride more than just a bike ride? When it comes with life lessons.

I am taking part in the RBC GranFondo Whistler, a one-day, 120 km cycling event from Vancouver to Whistler. On the surface that may not sound all that significant, until you realize that I have never participated in something of this nature before. In fact, I would hardly call myself a recreational cyclist.

I was forced to take up cycling a number of years back when the bus drivers went on strike and I needed to get to work. So, I dusted off my father-in-law's mountain bike and started pedalling. I continued biking for a while after the buses began operating again, but stopped when we moved further away. Every once in a while I will take the bike for an afternoon spin, but that has been the extent of my cycling.

When I learned of the GranFondo Whistler, I was attracted by the challenging nature of the ride. And I knew that with hard work, preparation, and a determined spirit, it was something I could accomplish. As an added challenge I decided to join Team Diabetes, and had a goal of raising $800 for the Canadian Diabetes Association. Thanks to the generous support of friends, professional colleagues, and family, I have now reached that goal.

Crazy. Lunatic. These are words that some people have expressed when they learned that this neophyte would be cycling to Whistler. Not that I needed any reminding, but my mother-in-law had to tell me that after Squamish it was all up hill. Indeed it is. An appropriate metaphor, perhaps, for life in general, which often isn’t easy.

“I guess, you can stop if it gets too difficult,” she continued. I told her I wasn’t a quitter, and I would finish even if it took all day. “You’re so positive,” she ended.

I don’t know any other way than to be positive. Besides, my parents instilled in me a strong work ethic, where quitting isn’t an option. While I don’t remember my mother or father saying as much, there was an unspoken sentiment that if you start something, you better finish it.

I recently began training, and one day while riding, a stiff head wind was slowing me down, and I felt as if my legs wouldn’t pedal anymore. I cursed and wondered why I signed up for this. But I pushed on, turned a corner and I then I felt like I could ride forever. Cycling gives one a lot of time to think and contemplate, and it was at that moment, when I thought I couldn’t keep pedaling that I realized that this is more than just a bike ride; there are important lessons to be learned. It’s about setting a goal and having the resolve to overcome adversity, regardless of the challenges trying to slow us down.

When I told my five-year old son that I was going to ride a bicycle to Whistler, his eyes grew large, and he said bluntly, “that’s a long way.”

It is my hope that I can inspire confidence in my two young sons, so that they too can dream and not be afraid to accept challenges. I want them to know that success comes from not always taking the easy road, but rather setting goals and being disciplined to see them through.

Sure, it would be easier to just sit on the couch than climb onto my bicycle, but what fun is there in that--always watching someone else do something. I am under no illusions that cycling to Whistler will be difficult, maybe even grueling at times, but I relish the challenge. In fact, knowing how hard it will be pushes me to work even harder, as I train and prepare.

Life shouldn’t be about regrets, and wishing you had done something. Maybe there’s something that you have always wanted to do, but thought it was too challenging. With the right motivation, discipline, and preparation, nothing is too difficult.

Crazy? Maybe, but knowing that life lessons are being learned and passed on to my sons, makes pedaling into that headwind all the more easier.