Love Alone is Worth the Fight: Memoirs of Levi's Gran Fondo, Santa Rosa, CA
It is amazing the power that music, prayer and positive self-talk can bring with a daunting task in front of you. Over the past few days and weeks,in preparation for a big bike race, I have reflected on several songs written by Switchfoot that really brought me hope and comfort: Dare You to Move, The Shadow proves the Sunshine, Learning to Breathe, and a new one they just recently released called "Love Alone is Worth the Fight"
Way back in February 2013, my great friend Justin called me and said, "Lets do Levis Gran Fondo". Because it was so far away, I signed up for the race almost without reservation. I told myself that I had plenty of time to prepare for this. Up to this day, my longest ride was doing the Rupert Century which is 100 miles long with very little elevation gain.
Levis Gran Fondo is in Santa Rosa. It is a 103-mile race that has roughly 9,000 ft of elevation gain. We had learned about the race from reading a bike blog called fatcyclist.com, written by a great guy named Elden Nelson. "Fatty", the nickname that Elden now carries has said more than once that Levi's GF is his favorite event of the year.
From the time we registered to about July, I mostly spent time riding my bike on my trainer in the basement, with a few jaunts here and there outside. It wasnt mid July that I really started putting some time in the local hills here.
As our ride of October 5th approached, I started getting more and more nervous. Fear of the unknown encircled me. Why should I fret so much over a "bike ride"? But, I did! A lot.
I had a few turning points that brought great perspective. I was so nervous about doing the ride with Justin, mostly because he is such a strong cyclist and I still feel like a novice. He and I did a ride together on the Sick55 loop, which is a loop that goes from Declo to Malta to Albion and back to Declo. 55 miles and near 2000 ft of climbing. I had a hard time keeping up with Justin on the ride; completely gassed after we finished. That afternoon I drove with my family to Idaho Falls to see my wife's family. I was having an internal battle. I felt very discouraged from the ride earlier in the day. I prayed a lot.....tried to pump myself up lost.....nothing worked. Then, and I don't where this came from, but I prayed one more time and said "Lord, I trust Justin". That was all I said. And the fear and anxiety immediately fled. This would prove to be foreshadowing of what was to come.
Getting closer to October, I had several great rides in preparation for the race. One in particular will forever stay in my memory. I rode to Pomerelle, our local ski hill. It was misty all the way to the top. I even got rained on my descent; but it was beautiful and refreshing.
Fast forward to race week. My anxiety was pretty high and I was losing sleep. And to top things off, 3 out of 4 of my kids and Courtney all got a stomach virus. It felt kinda selfish, but I prayed hard to not get sick. I stayed healthy and know those prayers were answered.
Justin and I had an enjoyable drive to Santa Rosa. I had just learned from my friend Dean Molen, an avid mountaineer, that next to Alaska, Nevada is the most mountainous state. I was expecting a flat desert and instead was treated to mountains all the way to Sacramento.
We woke up Friday morning and headed to the coast to see Bodega Bay. We knew we were near part of the race course and decided to return to Santa Rosa via Coleman Valley road. By the way the engine revved going up the climb, you could tell that climbing it on the bike was going to be tough the following day.
We strolled into Santa Rosa, completed our registration, and then headed to the Armstrong Woods to see the groves of redwood trees. What a site!
All this time, I was on the verge of a complete freakout. I did lots of praying for strength and courage. I kept singing those Switchfoot songs in my head. Particularly, on Dare You to Move, "Where will you run to escape from yourself...where you gonna go, where you gonna go?....Salvation is here". I don't know what they intended that to mean, but to me it means that, in the end, the Savior is the only One we can run to for Salvation! Also from The Shadow Proves the Sunshine, "Oh, Lord, why did you forsake me? Oh Lord, don't be far away. Oh Lord, why did you forsake me? Storm clouds gathering beside me, Please Lord, don't look the other way"
I also got comfort from a story told by Elaine S. Dalton:
"Several years ago, I had the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon. I had trained hard and felt I was prepared, but at mile 20 there are hills. The locals call the steepest and longest hill Heartbreak Hill. When I reached that point, I was physically spent. The hill was long, and because I was a novice, I allowed myself to do something no seasoned runner ever does—I started to think negatively. This slowed my pace, so I tried to think positively and visualize the finish line. But as I did this, I suddenly realized that I was in a big city, there were thousands of people lining the route, and I had not made any arrangements to locate my husband at the end of the marathon. I felt lost and alone, and I started to cry. I was wearing a big red T-shirt with the word Utah printed on the front in big block letters. As the spectators saw that I was crying, they would yell, “Keep going, Utah.” “Don’t cry, Utah.” “You’re almost finished, Utah.” But I knew I wasn’t, and I was lost. I also knew that even if I stopped running and dropped out of the race, I would still be lost.
Do any of you ever feel like you’re running up Heartbreak Hill and that even though there are people lining the route, you are alone? That’s how I felt. So I did what every one of you would do—I began to pray right there on that marathon route. I told Heavenly Father that I was alone and that I was on a hill. I told Him that I was discouraged and afraid and that I felt lost. I asked for help and strength to be steadfast and to finish the race. As I continued to run, these words came into my mind:
Here are the lyrics:
I'm trying to find where my place is
I'm looking for my own oasis
So close I can taste this
The fear that love alone erases
So I'm back to the basics
I figure it's time I face this
Time to take my own advice
Love alone is worth the fight
And I never thought it'd come to this
But it seems like I'm finally feeling numb to this
The funny thing about a name is
You forget what the reason you were playing the game is
And it's all an illusion
A 21st century institution
So I'm headed down the open road unknown
And we find what we're made of
Through the open door
Is it fear you're afraid of?
What are you waiting for?
Love alone is worth the fight
We're only here for a season
I'm looking for the rhyme and reason
Why you're born, why you're leaving
What you fear and what you believe in
Why you're living and breathing
Why you're fighting it and getting it even
Let's go headed down the open road unknown
And we find what we're made of
Through the open door
Is it fear you're afraid of?
What are you waiting for?
Love alone is worth the fight
Here we are, here we go
Where the road is our own
Hear it calling you home
Here we are, here we go!
I'm trying to find where my place is
I'm looking for my own oasis
So close I can taste this
The fear that love alone erases
So I'm back to the basics
I figure it's time I face this
Time to take my own advice
Love alone is worth the fight
And I never thought it'd come to this
But it seems like I'm finally feeling numb to this
The funny thing about a name is
You forget what the reason you were playing the game is
And it's all an illusion
A 21st century institution
So I'm headed down the open road unknown
And we find what we're made of
Through the open door
Is it fear you're afraid of?
What are you waiting for?
Love alone is worth the fight
We're only here for a season
I'm looking for the rhyme and reason
Why you're born, why you're leaving
What you fear and what you believe in
Why you're living and breathing
Why you're fighting it and getting it even
Let's go headed down the open road unknown
And we find what we're made of
Through the open door
Is it fear you're afraid of?
What are you waiting for?
Love alone is worth the fight
Here we are, here we go
Where the road is our own
Hear it calling you home
Here we are, here we go!
Levis Gran Fondo is in Santa Rosa. It is a 103-mile race that has roughly 9,000 ft of elevation gain. We had learned about the race from reading a bike blog called fatcyclist.com, written by a great guy named Elden Nelson. "Fatty", the nickname that Elden now carries has said more than once that Levi's GF is his favorite event of the year.
From the time we registered to about July, I mostly spent time riding my bike on my trainer in the basement, with a few jaunts here and there outside. It wasnt mid July that I really started putting some time in the local hills here.
As our ride of October 5th approached, I started getting more and more nervous. Fear of the unknown encircled me. Why should I fret so much over a "bike ride"? But, I did! A lot.
I had a few turning points that brought great perspective. I was so nervous about doing the ride with Justin, mostly because he is such a strong cyclist and I still feel like a novice. He and I did a ride together on the Sick55 loop, which is a loop that goes from Declo to Malta to Albion and back to Declo. 55 miles and near 2000 ft of climbing. I had a hard time keeping up with Justin on the ride; completely gassed after we finished. That afternoon I drove with my family to Idaho Falls to see my wife's family. I was having an internal battle. I felt very discouraged from the ride earlier in the day. I prayed a lot.....tried to pump myself up lost.....nothing worked. Then, and I don't where this came from, but I prayed one more time and said "Lord, I trust Justin". That was all I said. And the fear and anxiety immediately fled. This would prove to be foreshadowing of what was to come.
Getting closer to October, I had several great rides in preparation for the race. One in particular will forever stay in my memory. I rode to Pomerelle, our local ski hill. It was misty all the way to the top. I even got rained on my descent; but it was beautiful and refreshing.
Fast forward to race week. My anxiety was pretty high and I was losing sleep. And to top things off, 3 out of 4 of my kids and Courtney all got a stomach virus. It felt kinda selfish, but I prayed hard to not get sick. I stayed healthy and know those prayers were answered.
Justin and I had an enjoyable drive to Santa Rosa. I had just learned from my friend Dean Molen, an avid mountaineer, that next to Alaska, Nevada is the most mountainous state. I was expecting a flat desert and instead was treated to mountains all the way to Sacramento.
We woke up Friday morning and headed to the coast to see Bodega Bay. We knew we were near part of the race course and decided to return to Santa Rosa via Coleman Valley road. By the way the engine revved going up the climb, you could tell that climbing it on the bike was going to be tough the following day.
We strolled into Santa Rosa, completed our registration, and then headed to the Armstrong Woods to see the groves of redwood trees. What a site!
All this time, I was on the verge of a complete freakout. I did lots of praying for strength and courage. I kept singing those Switchfoot songs in my head. Particularly, on Dare You to Move, "Where will you run to escape from yourself...where you gonna go, where you gonna go?....Salvation is here". I don't know what they intended that to mean, but to me it means that, in the end, the Savior is the only One we can run to for Salvation! Also from The Shadow Proves the Sunshine, "Oh, Lord, why did you forsake me? Oh Lord, don't be far away. Oh Lord, why did you forsake me? Storm clouds gathering beside me, Please Lord, don't look the other way"
I also got comfort from a story told by Elaine S. Dalton:
"Several years ago, I had the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon. I had trained hard and felt I was prepared, but at mile 20 there are hills. The locals call the steepest and longest hill Heartbreak Hill. When I reached that point, I was physically spent. The hill was long, and because I was a novice, I allowed myself to do something no seasoned runner ever does—I started to think negatively. This slowed my pace, so I tried to think positively and visualize the finish line. But as I did this, I suddenly realized that I was in a big city, there were thousands of people lining the route, and I had not made any arrangements to locate my husband at the end of the marathon. I felt lost and alone, and I started to cry. I was wearing a big red T-shirt with the word Utah printed on the front in big block letters. As the spectators saw that I was crying, they would yell, “Keep going, Utah.” “Don’t cry, Utah.” “You’re almost finished, Utah.” But I knew I wasn’t, and I was lost. I also knew that even if I stopped running and dropped out of the race, I would still be lost.
Do any of you ever feel like you’re running up Heartbreak Hill and that even though there are people lining the route, you are alone? That’s how I felt. So I did what every one of you would do—I began to pray right there on that marathon route. I told Heavenly Father that I was alone and that I was on a hill. I told Him that I was discouraged and afraid and that I felt lost. I asked for help and strength to be steadfast and to finish the race. As I continued to run, these words came into my mind:
Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. "
I sang the words to this song quite a bit the day before the race and felt comforted!
On to the race! We arrived at the start line a little after 7 am. What a spectacle it was to see 7500 people all gathered together to do a bike race together. The race started promptly at 8. It was a mass start which means we all started at the same time. Because of the bulk of people in front of us, it took at least 10 minutes before we started rolling out. I thought that we would be bunched up for miles, but Justin and I were on our way with our own tempo after just a few miles.
The ride was spectacular. We rode through lush, dark forests; on top of bare ridges with fantastic views below; thrilling descents; we even spent 20 miles riding along Highway 1 next to the Pacific Ocean. And we climbed...a lot. In fact, that was the theme of the day. As soon as you thought you had a little reprieve, you started going up again.
Justin was such a great support on the ride. He is an excellent climber on his bike. He would ride ahead of me and then I would meet him at the next feed zone. When I would arrive, he would change my water bottles, grab me a Coke and some bananas, and make sure I was ok! We would ride together for a few minutes, and then he would be off again.....ready and waiting for me at the next feed zone. In fact, his total time ended up being around 9 hours. I got a little choked up when he told me his "ride time" (the actual time he spent on his bike) was under 7 hours. He did a lot of waiting for me at the feed zones. But for me, it was a blessing to know that he would be there at the next stop. He was so encouraging. He didnt have to do any of this. He could have blasted through the course and got a great time, but this wasnt his focus for the day. Previously, he had said that he just wanted to have a good time; and we did!
Other than having some serious cramping issues, I loved the bike race. I learned a lot about myself. I strengthen my friendship with Justin, and felt like I drew closer to the Lord as well. It must be a great thing, when you say the day after the race, that you would do it again. What an experience! I am extremely grateful for the ride! It was worth the fight!!
I sang the words to this song quite a bit the day before the race and felt comforted!
On to the race! We arrived at the start line a little after 7 am. What a spectacle it was to see 7500 people all gathered together to do a bike race together. The race started promptly at 8. It was a mass start which means we all started at the same time. Because of the bulk of people in front of us, it took at least 10 minutes before we started rolling out. I thought that we would be bunched up for miles, but Justin and I were on our way with our own tempo after just a few miles.
The ride was spectacular. We rode through lush, dark forests; on top of bare ridges with fantastic views below; thrilling descents; we even spent 20 miles riding along Highway 1 next to the Pacific Ocean. And we climbed...a lot. In fact, that was the theme of the day. As soon as you thought you had a little reprieve, you started going up again.
Justin was such a great support on the ride. He is an excellent climber on his bike. He would ride ahead of me and then I would meet him at the next feed zone. When I would arrive, he would change my water bottles, grab me a Coke and some bananas, and make sure I was ok! We would ride together for a few minutes, and then he would be off again.....ready and waiting for me at the next feed zone. In fact, his total time ended up being around 9 hours. I got a little choked up when he told me his "ride time" (the actual time he spent on his bike) was under 7 hours. He did a lot of waiting for me at the feed zones. But for me, it was a blessing to know that he would be there at the next stop. He was so encouraging. He didnt have to do any of this. He could have blasted through the course and got a great time, but this wasnt his focus for the day. Previously, he had said that he just wanted to have a good time; and we did!
Other than having some serious cramping issues, I loved the bike race. I learned a lot about myself. I strengthen my friendship with Justin, and felt like I drew closer to the Lord as well. It must be a great thing, when you say the day after the race, that you would do it again. What an experience! I am extremely grateful for the ride! It was worth the fight!!
