I was speaking last night with David in Nicaragua concerning the last day of our bike ride. As far as inclines go this was the most difficult incline that we had come up against. In particular, I wanted to know more about Yerling (our female rider that day from Nicaragua) and her conviction to finish the lasts days ride.
I need to give you some context to that last day first. For all of us the last day was difficult, it was a serious steep climb up the mountain. The challenge may have been a little greater for Helen and Yerling as they had not done as much up hill training as Wayne and I. For Yerling the struggle may have been the greatest because she had not done a lot cycling before this event. Yerling had ridden the first day of the ride and the last. But the last day we noticed something different in her demeanour, a greater tenacity, a greater compulsion an intentionality. We all noticed this but did not discuss it. So yesterday I asked David about this, “Were me misinterpreting something, or did Yerling have a greater conviction to finish the ride?”
He laughed at my question and answered an absolute yes! He explained that he and Yerling had talked about the last days ride and the challenges she faced. He said, “Yes, Yerling found the last day very difficult; The heat, the long hill, the tired lungs, the not knowing where or when the hill would end, all these things added to the struggle.”
“BUT I WOULD LOOK AHEAD AND I WOULD SEE HELEN STRUGGLING UP THE HILL, I WOULD SEE HOW HARD SHE WAS WORKING, I COULD SEE THAT SHE REFUSED TO GIVE UP; EVEN IF SHE HAD TO STOP AND WALK THE BIKE FOR A LITTLE STRETCH, SHE REFUSED TO GIVE UP. THIS INSPIRED ME TO NOT GIVE UP AS WELL. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT AS HELEN LOOKED BACK AT ME AND WATCHED ME STRUGGLE AND REFUSE TO GIVE IN, IT INSPIRED HER TO KEEP ON RIDING AS WELL.” YERLING
The moral to me is that don’t ever think your struggle is in vain and don’t ever think that your struggle is only for you or about you. Believe that your struggles are an inspiration for others to keep on keepin on!