Have you ever had one of those conversations where you walk away with a totally different message than the other party? Joanna and I had one of those last year, apparently. Joanna told me of her ambition to someday do the BC Bike Race – a 7-day, 50-60 km a day ride, with elevation gains of between 1,000-2,000 meters a day. “Good for you,” I said, adding that I never had those sorts of athletic ambitions.
Don’t get me wrong – I love my sports! I’m out just about every day of the year skiing, riding, hiking or doing something else in the outdoors. I am definitely addicted to the rush I get after a particularly challenging bike ride or skate ski. I really like to feel I’m improving my fitness and strength, or at least maintaining it (at close to 60 years of age).
So, when Joanna excitedly called and told me that we were doing the BC Bike Race together, my reaction was somewhat underwhelming. The conversation went something like this, as I recall:
Joanna: “Mom, Mom! Lululemon is sponsoring me to do the BC Bike Race!”
Diana: “Wow, that’s amazing! Good for you.”
Joanna: “Good for US, Mom. We’re doing it together.”
Diana: “Together? I’m doing the BC Bike Race?”
Joanna: “Yes. My goal was to do the Race ‘alongside my mom’.”
Diana: “Oh.” (long pause)
Joanna: “You don’t sound very excited.”
Diana: “Um, well, I never said it was my goal, did I?”
Joanna: “Ya, ya. You remember that conversation we had a few months ago?”
Diana: “The one where I said it wasn’t really my ambition?”
Joanna: “Well, I remember you were quite excited about the prospect.”
Diana: “Oh. Ya, well maybe I can get excited. It really is something!” (said with half-hearted enthusiasm)
Hanging up the phone, I fell into total shock. The BC Bike Race – that’s something for really hard-core riders! I know people who have done it, and can only sit back in awe of them. Was I going to be one of those people? It seemed pretty far-fetched, impossible, in fact. I’m in decent shape, but not BC-Bike-Race-shape!
I told a few close friends what was up. The reaction ranged from, “Is your daughter trying to kill you?”,to “What, is this pay-back time for all the nasty things you did to her as a child?” to “Wow, that’s awesome that your daughter wants to do this with you.” My thoughts ranged between the two extremes.
Diana: “Wow, that’s amazing! Good for you.”
Joanna: “Good for US, Mom. We’re doing it together.”
Diana: “Together? I’m doing the BC Bike Race?”
Joanna: “Yes. My goal was to do the Race ‘alongside my mom’.”
Diana: “Oh.” (long pause)
Joanna: “You don’t sound very excited.”
Diana: “Um, well, I never said it was my goal, did I?”
Joanna: “Ya, ya. You remember that conversation we had a few months ago?”
Diana: “The one where I said it wasn’t really my ambition?”
Joanna: “Well, I remember you were quite excited about the prospect.”
Diana: “Oh. Ya, well maybe I can get excited. It really is something!” (said with half-hearted enthusiasm)
Hanging up the phone, I fell into total shock. The BC Bike Race – that’s something for really hard-core riders! I know people who have done it, and can only sit back in awe of them. Was I going to be one of those people? It seemed pretty far-fetched, impossible, in fact. I’m in decent shape, but not BC-Bike-Race-shape!
I told a few close friends what was up. The reaction ranged from, “Is your daughter trying to kill you?”,to “What, is this pay-back time for all the nasty things you did to her as a child?” to “Wow, that’s awesome that your daughter wants to do this with you.” My thoughts ranged between the two extremes.
Of course, I didn’t have to do this. I could ride along-side her on the final leg, maybe, or as part of her support team, perhaps. That would count wouldn’t it? But then, the nagging thought crept in that I would be denying my daughter her dream. And then the idea that, maybe, just maybe, I could get in good enough shape to not only do this race, but to actually enjoy it.
My friend, Deb, was fully supportive. “You can so do this, Diana,” she encouraged. Another friend, Andrea, had actually done it. We rode together one day last fall. “No problem,” she promised. “Just think of it as the BC Bike Ride – not Race. An all-inclusive vacation with your daughter.” Now that sounded better.
So, buoyed by my friends’ confidence (if not my own), I put together a training schedule and have, mostly, stuck to it. So far, it’s not that hard, mainly because it involves skiing, skiing and more skiing (my passion in life!). And not just sliding downhill, either! That would never cut it. I’m skate skiing 2-3 times a week, and am up to 2 hours a go now. I’m also touring lots, where I spend 9/10 of the time climbing up mountains and 1/10 enjoying the powder on the way down.
Spring has arrived this week, so I’ve gotten my road bike ready. I’m not a huge fan of road riding, but the valley is free of snow, and I have lots of friends offering to ride with me. So that’s good. (I tried a spin class, but it just reinforced my dislike for indoor exercise.) After a month or so of endurance riding on the roads, the trails will start to clear, and I do love mountain biking!
So I’ll just keep doing what I love – playing outdoors – and doing more of it. I just hope that’s enough to save my butt on this epic ride!
My friend, Deb, was fully supportive. “You can so do this, Diana,” she encouraged. Another friend, Andrea, had actually done it. We rode together one day last fall. “No problem,” she promised. “Just think of it as the BC Bike Ride – not Race. An all-inclusive vacation with your daughter.” Now that sounded better.
So, buoyed by my friends’ confidence (if not my own), I put together a training schedule and have, mostly, stuck to it. So far, it’s not that hard, mainly because it involves skiing, skiing and more skiing (my passion in life!). And not just sliding downhill, either! That would never cut it. I’m skate skiing 2-3 times a week, and am up to 2 hours a go now. I’m also touring lots, where I spend 9/10 of the time climbing up mountains and 1/10 enjoying the powder on the way down.
Spring has arrived this week, so I’ve gotten my road bike ready. I’m not a huge fan of road riding, but the valley is free of snow, and I have lots of friends offering to ride with me. So that’s good. (I tried a spin class, but it just reinforced my dislike for indoor exercise.) After a month or so of endurance riding on the roads, the trails will start to clear, and I do love mountain biking!
So I’ll just keep doing what I love – playing outdoors – and doing more of it. I just hope that’s enough to save my butt on this epic ride!
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