Day 87 | My First Bike Ride

June 4, 2017

Brett and I waited to celebrate our wedding anniversary until today since we both had a lot of work to get done on Friday. We wanted to do something fun and special that I couldn’t have done last year. So, we decided to try bicycling! We bought our own helmets and rented bikes in Custer.

When Brett told me to get on the bike to see if it was the right height, I almost panicked. I don’t know if I can actually do this. I haven’t ridden a bike since I was in high school! What on earth have I gotten myself into?

I hopped on anyway, hoping that what they say about never forgetting how to ride a bike is actually true. I was really unsteady at first and had to practice stopping several times before I got it down. When I felt confident enough, we set out to find the bike trail.

Brett led the way and I followed behind. We had to cross the street a few times and it made me so nervous! What if I fall off in the middle of the road?

I thought things would get easier once we reached the bike trail but I was wrong. It was even harder! My poor legs! They burned and ached after only a couple minutes!

I kept thinking, “This is not what I imagined. This is way harder than I remember it being. I don’t know if I can really do this…”

Then I started to feel discouraged.

I used to be able to dance for 6 hours a day! Now riding a bike for two minutes makes me feel like my legs are going to fall off? Wow. My body really has deteriorated a lot over these last 5 years.

Okay, okay… Don’t be silly Ana, you were bed-bound. What did you expect? This is actually pretty good considering the circumstances.

The strange thing was that Brett was having a bit of hard time too. Hmm… Maybe we were going uphill? If we were, it was very slight. We couldn’t really tell.

Then a guy came coasting past us in the opposite direction. He was sitting crossed legged on his bike! We both laughed! Oh okay! I guess we are going uphill.

That was comforting, but it didn’t make it any easier for my weak legs. At one point, we almost turned around… but I just couldn’t bear the thought of giving up.

I’m not a quitter. I can do this. I’ll get stronger.

So instead of quitting, we took frequent breaks. At one point, my legs were so tired that I plopped right down on the ground. I could care less that my bottom would be covered in pine needles after. My legs needed a break NOW!

I thought we should make the goal 3 miles but Brett thought we should aim for 5 since I’d already done a 3 mile hike on my birthday. I agreed and soldiered on. We’d go 2.5 miles uphill and then turn around and go back downhill for the next 2.5 miles.

When we were nearing the halfway mark, I started seriously doubting whether I was going to make it.

This is too hard. I can’t do…

“You can do it!” Brett’s voice broke through my thoughts. I started laughing at his impeccable timing.

Okay, I guess I can do it.

I kept pedaling. When we hit the halfway mark we took a longer break and I noticed I was almost out of water.

Uh oh! I guess I underestimated how far we still had to go. I hope the way back down is a lot easier!

After a few minutes we hopped back on our bikes and started on the journey back down the hill.

Ahhhhhhhh! What a relief!

It seemed so easy in comparison. I started laughing with joy. “This is just what I imagined!” I shouted through my laughter. “So freeing!” The breeze was so refreshing on my hot and sweaty face!

We both really enjoyed the ride back down the hill. When we got back to the bike rental we checked our mile tracker app. 5.2 miles!

Yes! We did it! We really did it. Yippeeeee!

If you want to see a video of me biking, head over to my Facebook page.


By the way, Brett and I made a beautiful PDF of my favorite resources for suffering souls. I created the content and he made it look fancy with his superduper graphic design skills. It’s available for free to my email subscribers. Click here to sign up and receive 5 Resources for the Suffering Soul.

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21 Comments

  • Chris Barratt

    Yes!!!!! Way to go Ana!! Another milestone!!! You go girl!! Just think~ you couldn’t have done this a few months ago. So what progress!! Now you’re going and going and who knows what’s next!! And that Brett! What an encourager!! Amazing!!!

    June 10, 2017 at 5:06 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Aww! I love this! πŸ™‚

      June 10, 2017 at 5:21 pm Reply
  • Katherine Forster

    That’s awesome! Haha, biking downhill is the best! πŸ˜€

    June 10, 2017 at 6:01 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Haha! Yes! 😊

      June 11, 2017 at 9:28 am Reply
  • Natalie Julson

    Way to go Ana!!!! That is completely amazing, and I’m excited that you were able to do it.

    June 10, 2017 at 6:27 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Thanks so much Natalie! Me too! 😊

      June 11, 2017 at 9:28 am Reply
  • Denise

    Yay!!! Way to go Ana!!!

    So proud of you.

    What an amazing experience. It reminds me of the children’s story of the little train that could πŸ˜€

    I pray this memory and so many that you are making on this journey will sustain you in days to come.

    June 10, 2017 at 7:33 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Thank you Denise! We had that book growing up and it was just like that. 😊

      June 11, 2017 at 9:29 am Reply
  • Holly C

    How fun! Hurray for five miles! That’s awesome! It reminds me of when my family of seven rented bikes in Sacramento and rode along the river. It was so much fun!

    June 10, 2017 at 8:54 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Awesome! Thank you! πŸ™‚

      June 11, 2017 at 9:29 am Reply
  • Erin

    How awesome, Ana! I’m so glad you kept going and made the over 5 mile bike ride! HOORAY! (By the way, I think you meant to say, “If you want to see a video of me biking”, not “If you want to see a video me biking”. ) πŸ˜‰

    June 11, 2017 at 9:18 am Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Thanks Erin! And thanks for catching the typo. I’m going to fix it. πŸ™‚

      June 11, 2017 at 5:26 pm Reply
      • Erin

        πŸ˜‰

        June 12, 2017 at 12:11 pm Reply
  • Alyssa

    Way to go, Ana! This is such a happy story! And that’s great that you are able to speak truths to yourself (reminding yourself that you’re doing amazing considering you were bed-bound) when it would be so easy to give up and give in!

    June 11, 2017 at 11:10 am Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Thank you so much Alyssa! 😊

      June 12, 2017 at 1:01 pm Reply
  • Hannah Maynard

    I’m so glad you were able to do this! Bicycling is so freeing for me. I’m glad you got the hardest part done first and could enjoy the ride back down.

    June 11, 2017 at 11:50 am Reply
    • Ana Harris

      It really is! I was really glad it was uphill first too!

      June 12, 2017 at 1:02 pm Reply
  • Sarah C

    Wow so awesome! I got on a bike last year for the first time in 10 years and oh man it was scary! I was sure I was going to fall off. It was really stressful and by the time our bike ride was done, my right arm was killing me from holding on so tight! I know my experience can’t compare to yours, but I’m also experiencing trying to rebuild stamina and muscle tone after 3 c sections and then we were in a car accident recently. I feel so weak and I’m really having to work up to doing exercise.

    June 11, 2017 at 4:01 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      Haha! I know! It really was scary! I’m glad I’m not the only one. Too bad we can’t be exercise buddies. πŸ™‚

      June 12, 2017 at 1:02 pm Reply
  • Courtney

    Yay! Good for you! See, you can do it!

    July 21, 2017 at 7:05 pm Reply
    • Ana Harris

      😊

      July 22, 2017 at 9:11 am Reply

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