Whenever my friends rode within three feet of my bike, I panicked and swerved into the weeds. If the bike path got too skinny, I dismounted and walked. I sure loved to ride, but my comfort zone was small and my confidence was smaller. I think that amazing freedom I felt when I was riding my bike was a little bit tainted with anxiety because I just didn’t have good bike handling skills.

I love riding outside. The fresh air, the rolling terrain, challenging climbs, and thrilling descents are unmatched. I feel free – even liberated- when I ride outside. And we all know getting a dose of natural Vitamin D from the sun is good for our bodies, too. Even better, I love riding with friends outside. It’s good for my fitness and for my soul. But sometimes, oftentimes – I would rather ride inside.

I pawned my wedding rings and I bought a bike. It was the first thing I did for me – and only for me – in over 20 years. My whole adult life, I wanted to ride a bicycle. To escape for an hour and wind around the neighborhood, to fill my lungs with fresh air and feel a little, even just a little, burn in my legs. But it didn’t happen until I got a divorce.

It was a season of wins, and none of them involved coming in first – or anywhere near fifth. Our beloved Fifth Street took a slightly different track as I had a rare opportunity to ride the race with a different type of goal – finishing an epic season of fun with my kids (well, the biking kids, anyway). I think one of the absolute best parts of Fifth Street is that I get to be that mom who is in the thick of the mud with my kids, rather than sitting on the sidelines.