I've always been fascinated by road cycling. There's something compelling about the way cyclists push themselves to their physical limits upon bicycles built with cutting-edge technology, yet powered by sheer fortitude.
While not a cyclist myself, I can't help but appreciate the commitment and courage of those who ride.
For the last twenty years, I lived in a mountainside development that sits high above the Salt Lake valley. The road I would travel home upon each day stretches a span of nearly five miles, while increasing in elevation by nearly 1,500 feet. Even for many ascending automobiles, the drive can be challenging.
During the summer months, and especially while the Tour de France is taking place, the road is peppered with cyclists eager to prove their mettle by reaching the intersection located at the top of the climb. I've come to appreciate the obvious grimaces, distant stares of fatigue, and labored smiles upon the faces of those who reach the summit, each in their own way proving the ride is anything but easy.
Passing the climbers in my car, I've always enjoyed split-second glances to study the brands and colors of their bicycles, the unique gear they wear, and the methods they utilize to press on. Regardless of their pace, they look so very sleek and capable, and it's impressive to watch as they embrace the challenge.
Among them, there is one cyclist who does not fit the mold.
Her bike, red in color, is nondescript and certainly not comprised of the carbon fiber materials that so many others ride upon. Instead of wearing lightweight spandex, she wears cotton sweats that are anything but aerodynamic and could best be described as frumpy. She does not possess the physique of a cyclist, nor is she gifted in the endeavor. While others display steady and swift pedaling strokes that gradually ease them uphill, her actions are labored and her front wheel often swings back and forth, proving her approach is anything but steady or quick.
But of all the cyclists I've ever seen riding up that mountain, she is my favorite.
She has become a profound hero to me.
There she is, seemingly out of her element. Yet she pedals with passion, perhaps more committed and focused than the others who seem to climb with much less effort.
Her determination is evident, and her courage is inspiring. No matter what, she struggles forward, always forward, fighting mightily for every inch of distance. Her pace is sluggish, but there's never a stop.
Each time I see the lady on the red bicycle, I can't help but think how all of us feel inadequate at times in our lives. At some point, we all become the underdog, feeling and appearing tremendously out of our element, forced to stand toe to toe with challenges that appear far beyond our capacity.
In these times, we often find hope through the examples of others.
Individuals like Louis Pasteur, a celebrated French microbiologist from the nineteenth century, whose medical breakthroughs in vaccinations and microbial fermentation saved countless lives during his career. Regarding his success, which brought hope and health to so many, he offered this encouraging statement: "Let me tell you the secret that has led to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity."
And it is inside that spirit of tenacity, not pace, where the broadest grounds for achievement are created.
Did you know that NASA experienced 20 failures in 28 attempts to send rockets into space?
Or that famed novelist Jack London received roughly 600 rejections before his first story was accepted?
Even Thomas Edison, known as America's greatest inventor, was once asked not to return to school because his teacher described him as "too stupid to learn."
Just like the lady on the red bicycle, Pasteur, NASA, London, and Edison kept pedaling.
I've seen her at the intersection up top multiple times. In each instance, just as her tenacity fueled her to the summit, it fueled my heart with appreciation and profound gratitude for her remarkable example.
Without fail, life will place each of us in front of seemingly insurmountable mountain climbs of various kinds. We will feel inadequate, unfit, and perhaps foolish for even considering we can make the journey.
The lady on the red bicycle, armed with tenacity, represents each of us.
Keep pedaling.
