Reaching my potential

Took a beautiful bike ride on the W & OD trail through Vienna and Herdon yesterday. Probably the last time I'll get out on the bike this year. It was a gorgeous fall day and even warm enough to ride in short sleeves. The fall leaves made for a scenic ride.

Pretty sure the 12 miles I road on my old mountain bike took about twice the effort it would have on a road bike. So I didn't feel that bad when all the road bikers kept passing me. Just felt good to exceed my 10 mile goal. I decided I have the heart of an athlete, but the body of ... a girl. My 105 lbs, 5' 3 3/4" just doesn't contain enough strength/coordination to be the competitor I've always wished I was. Not tall enough for basketball, not good enough for volleyball, not fast enough for much of anything else, but I sure do enjoy it all. I even can catch a few more passes at ultimate frisbee these days than I used to. As long as I'm not playing with people who won't include me cause I don't meet up to their standards, I love the competition and feel of a good outdoor game.

Lately, I've also loved kick boxing and spin class at the gym. If my muscles weren't so small, you'd have good reason to be scared of my jump kick. As it is though, I feel tough anyway after I've made it through an hour of punching and kicking. As long as I'm pushing myself, in shape enough for a tough hike or a fun game, I feel like I'm reaching my potential...even if that reach isn't as high as the next guy.