guest post by Sheri Ward
When I was a little girl, I was obsessed with horses. My favourite novel was Black Beauty, and I read it cover to cover countless times. I loved horses, drew sketches of horses, and dreamed about horses. My ultimate dream was to have my very own horse one day. The two of us would be the best of friends, and ride off into the sunset.
But life has a way of crowding out our childhood fantasies. Those longings were replaced with other things as I grew up and became a wife, mom, and a responsible adult. All good stuff, but still…
I rented a road bike while visiting my kids in Vancouver, and Jen showed me the ropes. I was hooked!
Fueling up at JJ Bean pre-ride.
This week, that childhood dream became a reality in an unexpected way when I bought my first road bike—a Giant Liv Avail, all carbon fiber with Ultegra components. She’s sleek and black, with just a touch of fiery red here and there—hopefully a hint of her high-spirited personality. It was love at first sight.
This week, on a sunny afternoon, we went on our first ride together. As I clicked into the “stirrups” and headed out on the open road, she responded beautifully to my gentle nudges. I felt the wind on my skin, the warm sun on my face, and the exhilaration of my muscles pushing me forward.
(Jen note: Can I just say my mom looks #sopro in her matching kit/bike?)
Finally, all these years later, I have my very own Black Beauty. She isn’t exactly what my little girl’s heart longed for so many years ago, but I know she’ll be my faithful riding partner and loyal friend for many years to come.
I’m really excited about this journey we’re on together. We’ve got miles to go before our trip to the Whistler 70.3 in July, but she’s already shown me that she’s ready for our adventure.
And with a lot of hard work and determination, I will be too.
I probably couldn’t do this with a horse.
black beauty | rest days | trust the process