Look where you want to go.

I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend. I know many people that were able to get out for trail rides Friday, Saturday, AND Sunday. Wow!

Sadly I've been battling a mild illness—I'm not sure if its allergies or a cold. After being up coughing all night Thursday and early Friday morning, I opted to not do a 5-hour training ride. A friend called me early one morning and said there was room for one more in their car if I wanted a ride to Yankee. Initially I declined, still feeling rather lousy. But the pull of the trail was too great and I gave in. It was awesome to get in a few laps of single track (even if I couldn't breathe).

Over the weekend we attempted a family ride. My daughter has been relentlessly asking me to take her on a "long" bike ride around Bear Lake (about 7 miles). With no plans on Saturday and my husband off on his 4-hour ride on the NCT, a bike ride with the kids seemed like the perfect activity.

As a mother I feel like I am constantly hounding my kids: look both ways, use your hand breaks, stay on the side of the road, etc.  Eventually I felt like our fun family ride was turning into a nag-fest and so I decided to shut my mouth when I saw her looking over there, over here, behind her, etc.

What happens when you're not looking.

While distracted by some kids playing she looked behind her, unknowingly turning her bike and riding face-first into a fence. Sage learned this weekend exactly how important it is to look where she wants to go.

Her two front teeth were knocked loose and she has a giant gash on the inside of her mouth. It's gnarly looking. Thankfully they are baby teeth and everything will heal up as it should.

She was one tough kid, riding her bike almost 2 miles back home with barely a tear nor complaint. As one of my friends pointed out (and us mountain biker's like to say), she's hardcore. 

Look where you want to go . . . 

Reflecting on her accident I became philosophical and reflective. I've been feeling like I'm hitting a wall of my own: I'm unmotivated and stuck in a bad cycle of poor nutrition and slack training. Perhaps I've been focusing too much on the place I'm at now instead of looking to where I should be going. Where do I want to be as an athlete in 6 months? A year? Two years?

I purposefully have not allowed myself to think about goals. Daily life can be so overwhelming that I have not wanted to put time and energy into thinking past the kids bedtime each day. However, it might be time to make the time. 


The last thing I need is to repeatedly and bewilderingly slam into a wall. This week I am hoping going to sit down with a pen, paper, and an open mind to begin mapping out goals for the short and long term.