Adversity...

My daughter is going to face it, she already does on an almost daily basis. She's just so awesome I don't think she realizes it, and I'd love for her to hold on to that as long as possible.  But when she does realize and she wants to just say "fughettaboutit" I think it will be important to be able to share with her different examples of how everybody everywhere has SOMETHING they are trying to overcome, so that she #1 doesn't feel alone and #2 keeps on trying to do her best.

Two days ago I was going out for my final bike ride before race day (which is tomorrow) and as I was going up a hill I tried to downshift my gears so that I would actually make it to the top. Well something popped somewhere and my gear would not stay in place, it would "default" spring back to the highest flippin gear! I finally made it to the top of the hill and hopped off the bike to assess the situation, remind you I have absolutely NO bike experience other than recreational. I had no idea what was wrong and could barely ride on a flat surface with how it was resisting me, let alone try to ride in a race. So there I was throwing a fit at the top of the hill, miles from home... very becoming of an almost 30-year old mom (luckily I was kind of in the middle of nowhere so no one saw and this is the only account of that so shhhh). I finally made my way back home by holding the gear in place manually for half the ride then walking my bike the rest of the way.

What in the world does that story have to do with the first paragraph? And why is she racing without knowing the first thing about the mechanics of her bike? Great questions... To the first: while it ended up being an easy fix and there was not much for me to throw a fit about on the hill, I didn't know it at the time. I felt down and out and a bit defeated as it was only a few days before the race. However, once I got the bike home I was prepared to get the it into the shop, and if it wasnt ready in time I was also ready to go out and buy a new one. I am going to finish that race!  Adversity, although minor, overcome! I realize this does not even compare to what Annabelle deals with on a daily basis but it is a similar feeling and while I could have just said "oh well, guess no race" I instead put on my big girl panties (Jim hates when I say that) and moved forward. And like I said, now the bike is fixed back up and ready to go.  As for question 2 above: ummm... I don't always think things through and just kinda thought I could ride with no issues coming up?... I have since seen how to refix the gear issue if it happens again and kind of know how to change the tires if they go flat, although I feel like that might be a very looooong process for me.

I did a very easy swim this morning just to get the muscles moving, as this week has purposly been very lax. I am still hoping I don't die tomorrow (or freeze, the temps have dropped around here in the past few days and we may be swimming in like 40-something deg weather... Brrrrrr).

Mmmm chicken wings... she's a true Buffalo girl deep down :-D