Cycling for at least a decade up until 2007 had been my community. We trained together, did century rides together, traveled together, did friendly and fiercely competitive rides together, and raced together. The accident changed all that. Suddenly I was displaced, removed involuntarily from my cycling community. It was very difficult as so much of my identity and self-esteem was linked to cycling. For three years following the accident I was lost, wandering, trying to figure out where I could find a sense of belonging again. It was in 2010 when I rejoined the Seattle Athletic Club that everything changed. I found myself among like-minded athletes, old friends and new friends. I can’t overstate how important feeling a sense of belonging in a community matters in recovery. It has made all the difference in mine and has opened up things in my life that have been dreams for so many years. Community matters.
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Book Launch
On Tuesday and Thursday this past week I participated in book signing events. They were held at the Seattle Athletic Club downtown where I am a member. It was a great honor and very generous of the club to host. One lady in the course of conversation asked, “We all have our off days – how do you manage to come down to workout when you don’t feel like it?” Interesting question, especially given that there is never a time when my body feels like working out, as I know I will pay a price. I said there were a couple of reasons. First, I am doing something that is good for me both physically and mentally. Second, it is when I feel most alive – active, moving, sweating, pushing myself. Third. I honestly don’t give myself a choice. I made the choice early on in my recovery to get independent. I resolved to do everything in my power not to be enabled by anyone or anything. Getting to the club consistently is executing on that choice.