The greatest video game you'll ever play is with your heart pounding in the woods. I'm talking about riding a bike through rugged terrain through a forest. Yes, mountain biking. Preferably with hills for both punishment and reward, downs and ups. This sport beats an Xbox any day. Believe me I know. I used to be sedentary and play Xbox all the time.
Take today for example: I had poor sleep and had a lousy day at work and a crummy attitude in general by the end of the day. One person looked at me and asked "Are you lost?" In a philosophical sense perhaps. It was a smarmy question but one that made me think. I could've not gone riding and stayed in the apartment and moped but I knew better. This is nothing new. I know how good it is to be done with a grueling ride. It's my medicine. It was an absolute beating that I desperately needed. I'm telling you folks, this is good therapy. It was such a grueling ride with seemingly unending, grinding, technical (rocky and rooty) singletrack here in Raleigh, NC that I cursed several times (which I rarely do, I usually keep a calm demeanor) and made countless grimacing faces. I asked why, but in the back of my mind I knew. This is nothing new. I am familiar with this process. It is a process I must go through. I know the end result is always worth it. I surrendered myself to the trail.
I think Dean Karnazes, the ultra marathon runner, had it right when he said, " Somewhere along the line, we've confused comfort with happiness." Some of the greatest joy I've felt is after a long, grueling bike ride. It's an indescribable sense of well-being and accomplishment. It does wonders for one's confidence. Don't just go home and watch TV like every other night. I can tell you that if you're willing to go through some, or a lot, of discomfort, that there is not a greater feeling than leaving the trail with a satisfied mind and a wrecked body. The rewards are profound. Sounds insane? You bet it does. I'm telling you though, it's worth it. Put down the controller. Stop wasting time by watching other people play sports. Get off the sideline. Go outside and get some fresh air in your lungs. Feel your heart pounding and adrenaline coursing through you. Outsiders think what I do is crazy and call it "extreme." I'm not really concerned with what they think. To me it makes so much sense to bike through the woods or mountains and explore. "Extreme" is leading a sedentary life then having to put a different kind of rack on the back of your vehicle when you're 50, a wheel chair rack. Mountain biking costs so much money you say? I go to the doctor once a year for a physical. I don't get sick. This is because my immune system is so bolstered by physical activity. Oh and you might want to eat and drink the right things and not too much of anything apparently. Clearly, my body loves this sort of activity and so would yours. Your medical bills are going to add up in a few years if you keep on the sidelines and they will far exceed a $3,000 bike plus maintenance costs. Please take action! We are evolved to be outside, galavanting.
Trail runners have it right also except they don't get the benefit of coasting down hills. Even harder! Don't feel like messing with a bike or maintenance?, then trail run and find out what it feels like to be alive. It is one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do. It is also one of the most painful. A good pain though. It feels right to dash through the woods and up hills. I love those moments in the woods where I pause and I hear nothing but my pounding heart. It's great to know there's still places we can go that are completely silent. Visit the mountains of North Georgia. With trail running, at first, you'll be sore for days but don't give up. The body is amazing at adapting. Trust me, I know. When I first began all this, I couldn't bike for 30 minutes straight, now I go for hours. This has taken years though. Find something you love to do so it doesn't feel like work. No one loves an elliptical or treadmill inherently. Not bragging, just letting you know it's a journey with no quick results. We're too obsessed with quick fixes. Don't get in shape for a wedding or New Year's. Make it a lifestyle. I hear people say "Oh we all gotta go sometime" and "Nobody here gets out alive." My granny died when she was 84 from asthma yet there is a man in his 80s doing the Ironman. What's the difference? Choices and attitude. My granny was a victim of a second-hand smoke unfortunately but she too had choices.
The mind tells the body to quit long before the body is ready. Learn to quiet your mind.
When I decided to put down the controller, I weighed 250 lbs and was a smoker. Now I weigh 165 and am in better shape than when I was a teenager.
As a great man once said, "It's never too late to be what you always thought you could be."