Interesting experience yesterday that got me thinking.

I volunteer as a Mountain Bike coach in my town for a team of 6-12 graders. Yesterday we went to a new trail about an hour out of town and met up with 2 other teams. It was great. When we split up the kiddos into different riding groups, I was assigned “Sweep” in group three. That means I ride in the rear to make sure everyone gets around.

Before we even got into the trail, one of the girls (16 years old) pulled off and let everyone pass her into the trail. We wait there for a bit… her, me, and two other coaches – then she goes. She makes it about 20 yards in and jumps off the bike before the trail takes a small but sharp incline. Okay…

She walks the bike over the little bump. Re-mounts. Rides bout 15 feet and steers off the trail into a bush… pulls the bike back to the trail, and aligns her pedals just so… remounts. This time she goes about 8 feet and swerves to the other side of the trail and dismounts. She goes through her “ritual” of setting the pedals just so as to remount.

The whole way this is happening, all three grown men are saying words of affirmation. We aren’t doing it for her. She is doing it herself, but we are trying to take the pressure off. “It’s ok, take your time, look forward on the trail” etc. Every maximum of 20 yards, she is off the bike, resetting the bike on the trail, setting the pedals by hand, remounting, and going again. Worse, she is getting tired, and adding a drink of water to every third or fourth remount.

It is taking forever to make progress on this trail…

She is not a physical specimen. It’s awesome that she wants to do this. She also has these THICK glasses. She disclosed that not only is she sharply near-sighted, but she is also cross-eyed. I try to imagine how good I could ride if I couldn’t see.

You Know What I Never Heard from this Girl???

• This sucks
• I give up
• I wanna go home
• I’m tired
• Can we take a shortcut back to the parking lot
• I don’t think I’m going to do this anymore

In this moment of abject failure, this 16-year young woman is displaying the heart of a champion. If she can keep it together and keep trying through her challenge, what does that say about others and their lack of excellence in the absence of “challenge”? When we finished the lap – she was happy, accomplished.

As much as I felt the experience tug at my patience, I was simultaneously awestruck at her resolve. Resolve – the word of the month — maybe the word of the quarter? Resolve.

For me personally, I need to look at my effort levels and ask if I am optimizing my potential. Then I need to remember Ruby and her resolve… then dig in.