Definition of Epic

My definition of epic is always changing...one day it's something amazing I've done that I really didn't think I could, the next it's the littlest of things that provide the biggest challenge.  With this I've decided that life is simply an epic adventure of events that depending on the day and your own perception, the definition of epic waxes and wanes.

Today my ride wasn't epic in terms of the terrain, distance or difficulty.  However, it was epic because I challenged myself to get out and ride my bike at 34 degrees...winning battle #1.  Once I got out to ride the views were epic...no doubt about that--Colorado is gorgeous.  On the way home I met and shared some laughs with customers at the bike shop who now seem to be more like friends; something I've always enjoyed in the various bike shops I've been in, but haven't quite dialed in yet here in CO.

So what did I learn about epic today?..Just that doing anything is epic--just do something, don't let your brain, body or anyone get in your way and you'll feel better about everything!

I've been doing the 21 day meditation with Oprah and Deepak and today's centering thought was fitting:

Our centering thought for today is:

I release myself from obstacles and boundaries.

Ride on,

RaeLynn

2015 1st blog "Finding Balance Again"

As I strive to find more balance in 2015 I have to ponder why someone who loves to write as I do has slacked off on this blog.  I went back and read through the blog and have pinned it down to a few reasons:

(1st summit of Tag the Flag; found this note in the summit box)

1. My life on the bike, while fun and I still love it, had become one dimensional--totally uncharacteristic of my real self, so IMO I was BORING... this year I'll strive for BALANCE; get back to a more well rounded lifestyle and enhance my life with more adventure than ever.

2. I realized that when I started this blog a ride around the blog, a small hike or just meeting someone new was EPIC. After a while nothing was epic unless it involved blood, pain or suffering. While I appreciate a good tale and an awesome day of challenging sport not everyday has to be that way...this year I will appreciate every moment of being present as EPIC and be inspired by those events to write more often.

3. Lastly, I began to care what people thought.  This is definitely NOT ME. I don't know why this happened, but it stops now.  I can appreciate constructive criticism (as a writer this is part of life), but for those who want me to be someone I am not, want to control my writing and/or me as a person, well I say good luck to you. I AM WHO I AM and I LIKE that person who is quirky, funny, adventurous, clumsy, physically limited, kind and caring.

So, that being said here we go--Let's find some adventure and BRING IT:)
Pink is Power
RaeLynn

Obsessive Cycling Disorder/The Pain Goddess/Balance

     Yesterday I reconnected with an old friend I call my inner pain goddess. She's been absent in my life for a few years now and I welcomed meeting her again on new terms. Terms I knew wouldn't match our previous relationship. Throughout my life this old friend has helped me through many physical challenges, many times it was the suffering of a physical workout that that got me through tough emotional times bringing clarity to my thoughts and a sense of accomplishment, even rest.

     But a few years ago, when I encountered an major emotional crisis my pain goddess let me down--or so I believed.  I could no longer go to that place where I could push my body until my muscles screamed for relief and my lungs could no longer breathe. The pain cave was inaccessible, she kept me out.  It took a long time for me to realize that this was self preservation in the works; that without a stable mind my body wasn't safe from the pain I would inflict on it.  The key to a strong body is a strong mind and vice versa, without each other one will fail.

     So there I was, forced to play her way; stop when she shut off my strength, cry randomly until I felt better, sit in silence and meditate and the most difficult thing: ask my friends for help.  Thankful that friends are always willing and a dear friend once said to me, "My wife (who is a fitness trainer) could torture me with a park bench." From this I realized that yeah, it isn't the bike, the power meter, the whatever, it's a mentality, a willingness to accept what you can do/what you have available and do it to the extent in which you can do it well. So I made that bike path my park bench yesterday, but I let my inner pain goddess decide how hard I could go and when to sit on it. After all, I want her to trust me again; to know that I have learned that sacrificing my body is not a remedy for woes of the heart or head.

     It was good mid-ride to hear her whisper go harder ~so I did~~ and it felt like a welcome hug.  After a series of intervals drawn from memory my quads had a familiar burn, my chest heaved, sweat rolled off my arms and I realized I was drooling and smiling.  I sat up satisfied and elated and in that incredible moment of clarity combined with exhaustion and exhilaration I found the remedy for Obsessive Cycling Disorder:

  BALANCE



 

     Welcome back my old friend, Miss Pain Goddess,  I'll follow your wheel to my new strength.

RaeLynn

A little pledge to myself...

I look back over the past two years and realize how fast time passes~~sure that's cliché, but I don't have any other way to put it.  There's another cliché that goes "time flies when you're having fun" however, I think time always flies. I've certainly spent some time in the past 2 years that haven't been fun.

As I look back I regret that lost time; worrying about things that really didn't matter, stressed out over my injuries and feeling disconnected by moving away from my friends AGAIN.  But I'm grateful that as humans, we can (and luckily, I am still alive to do so) change our attitude, our circumstance and embrace what we love most.

So within that theme, I've gone back to this blog and found things that really are important to me; writing, spending time with friends, adventure and travel.  I'm going to place my focus on these things.

I was inspired to make a little pledge to myself when my best friend sent me this T-shirt which I absolutely love!

 It also came with a coffee mug that said "What's the worst that could happen?"

Forget how far, how fast and worrying about the future.
Unplug from the internet.
Call a friend and TALK, not text.
Kick away negativity, control freaks & narcissists.
Invite generosity and courage back into your life.
Time flies, enjoy being present.

I should blog more....

I don't blog as much as I used to ....I should and if I had someone or something to blame it would be my phone. I love taking pictures on rides, at camps and at clinics. This is a good thing that my phone allows me to do. The bad news is that I have the pictures with me or I can text them or post them to Facebook and I never have to go to my computer--which is exactly where I should be in order to post a blog.

So I'm going to try a little harder because frankly I get feedback that you want to read it. Women want to share and I'm happy to read your blogs, so rightfully I can see that you want me to give back too.

For today I'll share some of those pictures and stories with you here--I hope you like them:)

Ann Pagan and I last weekend. Great to see Ann back on her bike less than a year after her tragic accident.  What a hero!

 Ben from SDVeloSocial in San Diego modeling the new kit...came out pretty good:)

MOMS in MOTION Santa Barbara bike ride...fresh from an ocean swim and now onto their bikes--really fun day.

Racheal from Team B4T9 shows off her Tour de France manicure at the local San Diego sunday ride...very cool.

So there it is; some pictures and little caption and tada..a new blog posting is done! Now let's go ride our bikes::))

RL

Women doing what we love...racing

Women's TT results from Amgen Tour of California

Bakersfield Professional Women Time Trial Results

Place, #, Name, Team, Time

1st: 1 Kristin Armstrong Exergy TWENTY12 39:59.28
2nd: 2 Alison Powers NOW and Novartis for MS 41:23.88
3rd: 7 Jade Wilcoxson Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies 41:58.08
4th: 4 Alison Tetrick Exergy TWENTY12 42:09.68
5th: 9 Robin Farina NOW and Novartis for MS 42:32.92
6th: 6 Tayler Wiles Exergy TWENTY12 43...:40.40
7th: 3 Emilia Fahlin Specialized-Lululemon 43:42.02
8th: 5 Janel Holcomb Optum Pro Cycling p/b Kelly Benefits Strategies 44:12.46
9th: 10 Loren Rowney Specialized-Lululemon 44:15.59
10th: 8 Bridie O'Donnell Vanderkitten-Focus 44:23.34

Mourning and learning

Today I learned that B4T9 isn’t just about the women who are on the team, it’s about all female cyclists; about women who share a love of the bike, about mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, grandmothers and partners. Some of us are bike racers, some are recreational cyclists, some philanthropists, even some who don’t ride a bike at all.  We all share a love of the sport; for how it empowers women and helps us achieve a healthy fitness level. Cycling allows us to share time with friends, explore new places and meet new people. Every time we throw a leg over the bike and start to pedal we are brave—whether that moment is at a charitable event, a ride with the kids to the beach or even when there’s a chance at standing on the podium at a local bike race.  Every pedal stroke or new mountain top we reach makes us happy, but with that we know and accept that, as with any activity, there are risks of injury and sadly sometimes death.  It is not something we take lightly, accept or want to happen.  Yet, unfortunately it happened this past weekend and we lost Suzanne Rivera and we as a collective group are mourning.  Our team is like family; we share rides, meals, houses, carpools, victories and losses.  We laugh and cry together. …and we have learned that our family is larger than just the team from the amazing outpouring of support from women who ride, race and/or just follow our journeys.  From professionals to beach cruiser gals we have felt so much love and understanding that it is hard to grasp.  As we grieve today and in the days to come, coping will be more difficult than the longest climbs or the hardest races we will ever participate in. If you were lucky enough to meet Suzanne you knew instantly her strength and her joy and for those who did not meet her we know that you would have been inspired by her.  We as a team and a world of female cyclists know that the men, women and children who allow us to follow our passions have strength greater than any of us and this does not go unnoticed.  We grieve for you too, for your sacrifices, your losses and your worry.