20 years ago I thought I lost something, but I really didn't, truth be told I actually improved. I have always been a cyclist but never as good as I am now. I have always wanted to compete but never did. So I thought I lost something I loved, but God made it something even better.
I spent about 14 years of that time feeling sorry for myself, thinking about all the adventures I had on my bike, wondering if I would ever ride again. According to the doctors I never would; but then they also said I would never walk, talk, feed myself! It sure is a great thing that God has the final say! If you look back to when I was in the hospital the doctors were about to let me go!
Knowing that God would never leave me and that I get my strength through him helped me continue. Every step I took improved me, knowing that He was behind me kept me going. I had no ides He was preparing me for what was to come! All of the walking I was doing was strengthening my muscles in my legs to help me on my bike.
I started using a sedentary recumbent bike that I would ride for hours. But it wasn't until Christmas 2013 when I found out some news from my cousin about a bike that I could use. That was where all of my cycling journey started. When I got that bike, you couldn't get me off of it. I rode in century rides ( a hundred miles) or less.
That wasn't challenging enough for me, that's when I started looking for other ways to challenge myself. This was when my friend and mentor informed me about a race I could do, The Redlands Classic. There was not many races that would allow recumbent bikes. This was the next part of my journey of cycling.
After becoming as good as I could become on that bike, even going overseas to help further the sport, I was stuck because there was no interest in it. I thought my journey was over, but it had just begun.
I started to ride an upright trike because that was as far as I could go, now I ride that everywhere. I have just made Team USA, but have my dreams set on something else. I know that with God and all the hard work e lets me do, I will achieve greater things.
Faith in God got me here, and the trust that I have in Him kept and keeps me going.