Attack The Hill

I love to ride my mountain bike.  Especially on local trails. 

My boys and I have a few that we like to hit on the weekends.  They range in difficulty from beginner to advanced depending on what trail you are on. 

One thing is for certain, there are no shortage of  steep hills.  Hills filled with rocks, small tree stumps and an assortment of other obstacles sticking up from the dirt. 

Sometimes you are lucky, and get to enjoy riding down, feeling the wind in your hair.  Kinda makes you feel like a 10 year old kid again. 

But what goes down, must go back up. 

And that feeling is quite different.

Especially toward the end of a long hot and humid ride (and trying to keep up with your teenage boys).

A couple of months back, on a particularly hot and humid day another mountain biker saw me getting off my bike getting ready to walk up the hill.  He shouted from the top  “Attack The Hill”, like your life depended on it.

When I got home i started thinking about what he said, “Attack The Hill”, like your life depended on it.

What did he mean?  Attack the hill!  I was a little mad.  Who did he think he was??

I had pushed it hard that day.  I was tired.  Needed a break.  I deserved the opportunity to walk.

And…

That hill was just too damn big.

But, sometimes when we are the most tired and worn out we need to dig deeper.  Find that motivation to keep going, a little more and a little more.

Think about it, getting up that hill was not just about getting to the top faster so I could go home. 

Or getting my heart rate to 200 beats per min.  I not only got the physical benefit but I learned a lesson too. 

A lesson about working harder when things are tough. 

Not quitting when the obstacle looks hard. 

Or making excuses, like i’m in my 40’s and those teenagers are well, teenagers.  When we overcome a difficult task or a hardship it makes us stronger, more resilient, smarter and it builds confidence.

Much like what we teach every day in our Martial Arts classes.  Our students learn to push hard, even when things are tough.  Push until you get over the hills and the obstacles.  Don’t let anything stand in the way of what you want.  Work hard and you will get there.  

I often tell students when they wan to quit, nothing worth earning comes easy.

We learn the best lessons when we are out of our comfort zone.

Doing things like breaking a board, learning a new jump kick, or form can be frustrating.  It can be your child’s hill.  They may sit at the bottom and think they will never get to the top.

But, them to put their head down and drive onward and upward.  

So when life gets tough, don’t stall, or stop. And 100% do not get off the bike.  Keep going.  

Make the decision to attack that hill.  Get at it with everything you have.

Believe me, you will be happy you pushed up the hill. 

I was!