The Tillie Ride

Category Archives: Training

Lesson #13, Fear Part 2

Posted on by Posted in Making Big Things Happen, Training .

Note: to see all the lessons, click on the category: Making Big Things Happen

I got an email from Maya Jane, who is an avid writer and reader.  She asked me:

dear sue can you write a book about courage and how to keep it? by the way how is the ride going? -maya

Maya, the ride starts tomorrow!  And I’m thinking a lot about courage at the moment as it is windy and rainy and very cold.

The best advice I ever read about courage was from The Wizard of Oz.  The wizard had been ‘found out.’  He was just a normal guy with a big imagination.  This is what he told the lion when he asked for courage:

“You have plenty of courage, I am sure,” answered Oz. “All you need is confidence in yourself. There is no living thing that is not afraid when it faces danger. The true courage is in facing danger when you are afraid, and that kind of courage you have in plenty.”

I remember when I was struggling with my book, Harry Sue.  I realized the second half was all wrong so I threw it out.  That’s a lot of pages.  Around that time, I met Wendy Lamb, a very famous editor, and I told her I was afraid I wasn’t a good enough writer to give Harry Sue the ending it deserved.  She said, “If you don’t feel that toes-curled-over-the-edge-of-the-diving-board-scared, you’re not ready to finish your book.  Which means that you are ready.  So go home and write it.”

I did!  It still makes me cry when I read the end.

We’re setting off tomorrow whether the weather is fair or foul.  We are as ready as we can be.  I’m also shivering in my bicycling shoes!  But that’s just what happens when you try to make something big happen.  Fear is not a feeling you can get rid of.  It’s a feeling you need to get comfortable with.

I took these pictures from my bike ride in the Wasatch Mountains.  Did I tell you I was afraid of heights?  I decided to get off my bike and walk past some hikers because I didn’t want to get too close to the edge.  When I explained why, a boy who was about ten-years-old, said: “The first time I did it, I was scared, too.”

That made me feel better.

This photo shows how the trail drops off

This one's of a biker high above me

This is me!

Trouble in River City

Posted on by Posted in The Backstory, Training .

The day began happily enough.  We did a photo shoot for the Press downtown.  Our plan from there was to head to Holland on a 44 mile training practice ride to our first school, Pine Creek Elementary.  Very quickly, we encountered a detour….

But we thought, what the hey, we’re bicyclists, we’ll go up on the side of the road.

Ummmmm…..There was basically no way we could go this way.  In the end, we had a six mile detour and a forty minute delay.  As we began to go west, we hit a fifteen mile headwind.  This is where things got really ugly. I don’t have experience with these things.  I couldn’t really handle it.  I thought about Althea Gibson when she used to lose her cool on the tennis court.  Boy did I have a meltdown!  All the worst things you could imagine.  I swore (yes, it’s true), I stomped around.  What a baby!  I’m ashamed.  I am going to work on how to handle it when I feel like I’ve reached my limit.  I really really want to make this ride, but I’m wondering if I can.  You have my word, I’m going to do everything I can to ride my bike to your school!

So much for the haircut that could go from ride to presentation!

Keep those cards and letters coming!

Posted on by Posted in The Backstory, Training .

Recently I asked kids to write to me about a time when they were scared and how they overcame their fears.  It’s amazing what a boost to the soul this can be.  We all get frightened.  We all find ways to overcome our fear and move forward.  In my case, 50 miles a day for five days…to be exact.  In the event that you are facing a difficult situation, read on for some wise advice.  My words of encouragement are, ask for help when you need it.  I was so heartened by these letters.

At one school, Katrise, pictured below, stayed in from recess to make this card for me.   I cherish this card.

Here’s another wise letter (how do these kids get so wise?)  If you have any thoughts to add, don’t keep them to yourself.  Write me a letter. 1080 Knapp Street, NE Grand Rapids, MI 49505.