Mi bicicleta

I have always wanted to be athletic. Or good at something like that. I danced for many years, and did well enough, but not enough to have a career. My involvement with ballet kept me from playing all those sports and joining the teams that everyone did afterschool. Once I stopped dancing, I joined a soccer team. Being brazilian, you would expect that I was good at this. I had a lot of fun, but I didn't have much going for me in the skill department. I could run around for forever, but not very fast. I could dribble the ball, but that's where my ball handling skills ended. I played one club season then decided to try out for my school team. I didn't make it. My club team didn't have enough returners the following season, so that was the end of that. In high school I started working out with a friend. We went to aerobics classes, which I enjoyed very much. They reminded me of (and made me miss) ballet very much. I was able to lose a lot of the weight that I had put on when I stopped dancing (combined with the soccer). When I got to college, I signed up for aerobics classes. The combination of being overwhelmed with school work and the aerobics classes being too easy led to my stopping that as well.In the middle of my sophomore year, I decided to pick up running, more for getting into shape than for fun. I have had problems with excercise induced asthma for several years now, which makes running not so fun. My knees also didn't enjoy it. I would go through spurts... a few months I would run every day... then I would stop for awhile. Rinse, repeat.

Then I met Will. He is one of the most active people I know. He is very, very passionate about cycling. His passion is contaigious. After knowing him for awhile, he rubbed off on me. I decided to give this sport a shot. He was incredibly patient with me, taking me on rides that probably didn't even count as workouts for him. He took Biff along with us once also. I had so much fun. I really enjoyed being able to excercise without having my lungs bother me as much. I liked going fast. And I especially liked being able to go with people.So, with all that, I decided to purchase a bike. Will, being patient once again, took me bike shopping. What he thought I wanted and what I actually wanted were two different things. I wanted a road bike, something that I could push myself on, that would keep up with me while I advanced. That I could grow into. After looking for a few weeks, we found my new baby.

My Bike, a Mercier Corvus


I am very thankful, because Will introduced me to one of my new favorite things. I enjoy riding my bike because it is one of the only things that I can pour time into and get results directly back from (whereas others you work and work and work to maybe someday see some payoff.) When I haven't gone in awhile, I miss it. I've gotten to have a lot of fun with Will, Bob, Brian, Cameron, John, Biff and even Lucas with that bike. I have something that I can always do, even when I have a family (I'm looking forward to pulling some kids behind me - talk about resistance training!)

And, finally, I have something that I can do that, after enough work, I will be good at.