10 Miles with Missy

This morning I want to take some time to write about my morning with Missy.  Ah, Missy Shaffer.  I love that gal.  Missy is intense.  She's amazing.  She loves the Lord.  She works hard to be in shape.  It doesn't come natural to her.  She busts her bootie to stay in awesome shape.   I have been amazed at her growth in the Lord, especially over the last year or 18 months.  

Missy and I are very different people, but that is what makes me love her all the more.  I think our inner motives are the same, but our outward handling of them are very different, which made serving with her on our MOPS ministry team amazing.  Some people get annoyed when people are different than them.  Me, I love it!  I know if the world was full of softy, scaredy cats like me, we would get nothing accomplished.

That's why Missy was my perfect match this morning.  

We decided earlier this week that we would go bike riding this morning.  Missy decided for me (See...I LOVE THIS GAL!) that today would be the day that I finally finish the trail I've been riding for a total of 10 miles.  I agreed, but I was feeling pretty strong when I said yes.

Earlier this week, David and I had rode 6.5 miles.  It was tough on me, but I figured how hard could another 3.5 miles be?  Well, the thing I forgot was that when I rode the 6.5 miles I had rested from bootcamp exercise for a full 48 hours.  Yeah, I hadn't even had a 12 hour break from bootcamp workouts when we started out at 5:50am.  And, when David and I ride, I set the pace.  If I can go fast, we go fast, if I need to slow down, we slow down.  With Missy, she was setting the pace.  (Even though she did slow down dramatically to accommodate me.)  

As we began, I realized that my bike was not shifting the way I needed it to.  And for some reason my bike just seemed like torture to pedal.  By .75mile in, I was spent.  I kept thinking, "Lord, if I'm going to do this, you are going to have to push my bike!".  I kept thinking of my friend Julie telling me the other day to "Just keep swimming..." like Dory from Nemo.  I was doing the best I could until mile marker #4.  That was when THE HILL started.  Missy had warned me about the hill.  I had never gone past the 4 mile marker.  I had only rode out that far and turned around.  But, that hill was the entire 5th mile and it was brutal on my body.  At one point I was pretty sure I was going to heave.  I was crying because my legs hurt so bad, but I wasn't about to let Missy (OR MYSELF!) down.  So, a couple of points I had to get off and push my bike, but I made it all the way up that darn-blasted, meanie head, poopy-butt hill.  (Pardon my French! hahaha!).  I was just at the top of the hill at mile marker #5 when I reported, "Missy, we have a problem."  My pedal was lose.  

Now, here's the thing about me and biking.  I love it.  But I'm "un-eloquent" at it.  I still have terrible balance and it's hard to get over 300 pounds delicately balanced on a thin two wheeled object.  So, when something is wrong with my bike, something is wrong with ME!  

Since we turn around at that hill and ride back, the first half mile or so I was able to coast downhill without a ton of pedaling.  Missy was able to use her mechanical geniuses, and tighten the pedal a bit with her finger, but I was still unable to pedal correctly.  Well, this is when Missy steps up and takes on the amazing ROCK STAR status even farther (she had well earned her stripes by then!).  She offered to let me ride her bike, and she would ride my rickety, hard to pedal bike home.  

So, I was terrified to say yes to this, but I did.  I was afraid I would break Missy's bike.  Or that I wouldn't be able to handle how high her bike was.  But, Missy was offering, and I knew the only other alternative was me walking the next 5 miles, and I had to be home within an hour!  So, I get myself hoisted up on her bike...and LET ME JUST TELL YOU....I LEARNED SOMETHING THIS MORNING.....I'M RIDING THE WRONG BIKE!!!  

I never knew what a difference the right bike could make.  Suddenly, on Missy's bike, my knees didn't hurt, my posture was better, and her bike actually shifted (after I learned how!).  So, while Missy was being tortured on my bicycle, I was enjoying the best 4 mile ride of my life!  Let's just say my dreams of a Kindle Fire are right out the window!  I WANT A NEW BIKE!!!

I still feel bad that she had to endure the torture of my bike, but I'm so grateful she let me experience a new lease on biking.  I wonder if bike shops offer lay-away-programs? :)  

So, for the rest of today, I'm taking it easy.  (I don't say that very often!)  I'm celebrating my victory!  Thanks for journeying with me through 10 miles!  Thanks for celebrating with me!  And, as always, thank you for reading about this roller coaster ride with me!

And Missy Shaffer...God has made you so amazing. You blessed me immensely today!  I hope God rewards you amazingly! :)  THANKS AGAIN CHICA!!!