Oh Sh**, you screwed.

Had my first “holy crap, what the heck am I doing?” moment yesterday while getting some miles in on the bike. Good thing it was only five days before the big race…right…? Something about mini-Lance Armstrongs whizzing past you for the third time on the same loop just doesn’t sit right. Glimpsing at their bulging calf muscles, which actually look like a second leg growing out of the first, really made me evaluate my chicken limbs twice.

And then it happens.

The wind starts blowing harder. You approach the curve of the road. Your body leans into your bike, your bike hugs the curve, your legs push and pull at the same time, and you move further, faster and faster with great momentum and exhilaration as the wind continues to rush past you. It is an awesome feeling.

And in that moment, you forget all about the soreness in places you didn’t know could be sore.  Or the countless falls on stupid clipless pedals that have rendered wearing anything above the knee impossible for the next year. All you feel is the sense of possibility as your body and mind fall in tune with the rhythm of the ride. 

It’s hard to grasp that less then two months ago, bike riding for me consisted of crossing two streets on the oldest mountain bike known to man to get to the UT campus. Everyone asks me why I decided to do the MS150 since it seemed like such an abrupt decision. And honestly, it was (thanks for that one D). But what started out as the desire to take on a challenge has developed into a passion for a new pastime.

Cycling is really cool. Like really cool.

And not just because you get to wear fingerless gloves and a helmet that makes you look like the alien baby Sigourney Weaver birthed. It’s just something that has a way of connecting mind and body. Out there on the road, with just a bike, I find a sense of peace and solitude while pushing my body beyond its limits. And when I hit 10, 30, 50 miles (um 150 miles this weekend), each landmark exists as a personal victory for a challenge overcome with the synchronization of will power and sheer physicality. So like I said, cycling is really cool. Let me know if you ever wanna go for a ride, I’m totally in.

Ps. As I mentioned, I am embarking on the MS150 challenge this weekend, which is a two-day ride from Houston to Austin to raise money for multiple sclerosis.   I’ve been training for the past two months and am thrilled/nervous about the BIG DAY. With amazing support from friends and family, I have reached my fundraising goal; but if you are interested in supporting (woohoo!) here is the link: Henna's MS150 Page.