There's Always Someone Worse Off

Here's a fitness tip: You should really stop whatever you are doing, and rest, and take care of yourself if you feel like you are going to cry. Same goes for puking. Just STOP.  Not stop FOREVER...just stop for now.

Whatever physical activity you are TRYING to do, you are not getting enough air to do it. As my amazing yoga teacher says, "back off the intensity, and find your breath."

The training ride I planned for today made my workout buddy overtired, vulnerable, and about 3 miles from the end of my planned ride, weepy.  She called her partner to be picked up and taken home. Ooops. I was quite happy and supportive of her decision to stop.  I was SO grateful that she didn't try to "tough it out."  I have zero interest in dealing with an injured or collapsed team mate. WHEW.

The situation was only hilarious because of all the time I worried over a route that would add mileage and some small hills to make it "hard enough" -  to make it worth her while.  Again with the Oops.

I've been riding my big heavy bike (nicknamed affectionately by my ALC team members "The Tank") to and from yoga class. I've been riding it up and down from the beachfront.  I've been riding a LOT compared to her (apparently). So, even though she she can go twice (if not three times) as fast as me on her road bike with her clip pedals...she's just not as ready for hills.

So today was a reminder that when you take on any new challenge, beware assumptions. I assumed she was more fit and more prepared than me. Not so much. I assumed that because she had been "a cyclist" that she was mentally prepared as well. Now I know what being stretched a little too thin looks like for her.

Damn am I glad she was with me, and let me help her. How unbearable would it have been to be in that physically and emotionally beat-down state all alone? 

I'm also very grateful - as horrible as it sounds - to have the reminder that there's always someone worse off than me. I may have a terrible time keeping off and losing weight; I may have a big, clunker of a bike; I may not be able to get to the top of a big hill without some slow, resting, catch-my-breath time...but I am surprisingly healthy. Fit. And getting fitter as each week goes by.