I wish the ride was tomorrow. Or today! I feel like I have been waiting forever, but at the same time can't believe that it is only 11 days away!
I'm making all kinds of preparations. I have practiced putting up my tent alone so that I will be able to do it the 6 or so times on that week. I have a "take-along" checklist of all the things I want to take with me, and I've started a pile. And I'm feeling the weight of all the training I've been doing.
Today is my 43rd time to ride into work. From home, my work is 18 miles away. So just to ride to work and home gives me a 36 mile day. I have had a goal for two years now of riding my bike to work all 5 work days in a row. The most I've been able to do is 4 up to this point. I pushed to come in this morning since there are thunderstorms expected. The same was true yesterday but they didn't really pan out. It would be cool to meet this goal before Ragbrai comes. That will, of course, have me on the bike 7 days in a row.
There is a moment I can't wait to experience at the beginning of the Ragbrai ride. I saw it when I ran the Shamrock Shuffle 8k in Chicago in March. The race starts and you look ahead of you and see a sea of bobbing heads. Ragbrai allows 8,500 people to register, but I've heard there are as many as 10,000 out there riding. The moment I'm referring to will be as I start the revolutions of my pedals and look out and see the multitude of people doing the same as I.
It makes me think of the book of Hebrews in the Bible, and particularly one verse:
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." - Hebrews 12:1
That is what I will be thinking of as I ride away from the Missouri River. It will be symbolic of the support and encouragement we can have in our spiritual walk.
No comments:
Post a Comment