A month ago, I made two big decisions. I deferred the Empire State Ride (for cancer research), and I said yes to a total knee replacement.
If you know me, you know neither choice came easily. I’m the person who signs up for the race, circles the date on the calendar, and builds my whole season around it. So stepping back felt strange at first. But something surprising happened once I did. Instead of feeling like I’d given something up, I found something I’d been missing for a long time. In fact, slowing down to speed up truly changed my perspective on everything.
Every Single Day, I Move
Here’s what my last few weeks have looked like: every single day, I’m either in the water or on the bike. No excuses, no skipped sessions. And honestly? It’s been some of the best training I’ve done in years, even though I’m not “training” for anything at all.
Most mornings, you’ll find me down at Tobay Beach with my faithful yellow duck, Star, and my swimming buddies. There’s nothing quite like sliding into the water as the sun comes up, my crew beside me, and Star keeping watch like the loyal friend she is. We swim, we laugh, we catch up on life. It’s part workout, part therapy, and it’s also my way of slowing down to speed up, both in body and mind.
Other days, I’m on my bike. Sometimes I ride the path close to home. Other times I head into Manhattan and pedal through the city streets, taking in the energy, the buildings, the whole beautiful chaos of it. Riding around Manhattan never gets old.
Waking Up to the Beauty Around Me
Something shifted in my head this month, and I want to share it with you because I think a lot of us need to hear it.
Every morning, I wake up, and I actually notice where I am. The water. The sky. The way the light hits the sand at Tobay. The hum of the city on a good ride. I’m not staring at my watch, obsessing over splits, or calculating whether I hit my target heart rate, power, or cadence. I’m just… there, present and grateful.
I’m not preparing for a race right now. I’m preparing my body to be strong for surgery, and I’m preparing my heart to enjoy the moment.
The “Why” We Forget
Here’s the thing I keep coming back to. As athletes, we get so laser-focused on building speed and endurance that we forget why we started in the first place.
Don’t get me wrong, the “why” is always there. But somewhere along the way, it gets wrapped up in the race, the finish line, the PR. It stops being about the training itself. It stops being about the simple joy of moving our bodies, being outside, and sharing miles with people we love.
I fell into that trap too. It took deferring a ride and facing surgery to pull me back to the beginning, to the pure joy of just doing this thing I love. Not for a medal. Not for a time. Just because it feels good and it’s good for my soul.
If that resonates with you, I’ll gently challenge you: the next time you head out, leave the watch at home. Feel the sun. Notice your surroundings. Remember your why. Ultimately, slowing down to speed up might be exactly what you need.
What Comes Next
I won’t pretend I’m not a little bit sad. After surgery, it’s going to be a while before I get back to the things I love. That’s just the reality of a knee replacement, and I’m making peace with it.
But I’m also full of hope. I can’t wait to get back to my running buddies and to keep coaching our WeREndurance Run/Walk group. That community means the world to me, and knowing they’re waiting for me on the other side of this makes the whole journey easier.
For now, I’m soaking up every active moment. Every swim with Star and my buddies. Each ride on the Cedar Creek to Captree path and through the city. Every sunrise. Because these are the moments that matter, and I don’t want to miss a single one.
So that’s where I am. Slowing down, showing up, and loving every minute of it before the big day. I’ll keep you posted on the road ahead.
Until then, go enjoy your moment. I know I’m enjoying mine.
