As I get older, my body is not necessarily keeping up with my head and what I think I would like to do, or even what I’m capable of.  I scroll through Instagram posts of women riding bikes around the world, or hiking here and there, and I think, “Ooh – that looks fun. I wonder if I could do that.”

Over the winter, I’ve been looking at posts of other fat bikers in Nelson and seeing the trails they are hitting on a regular basis – trails I would not even pretend to bike in the summer…with full body armour and paramedics waiting for me at the bottom. Feeling like what I was doing was lame in comparison and that I should be doing more, I showed John the pictures and asked, “Do you think I should be trying these trails?”

“You need to stay in your lane, Stacy.” Best.advice.ever.

Staying in my lane allows me the freedom to go out on my bike and just ride – impressing no one and caring not a whit. Staying in my lane allows me to be happy for others who are younger and more daring than I am without a nagging sense of jealousy or comparison. Staying in my lane allows me to be content with my journey without feeling pressure to go farther, faster or on more difficult terrain. I’m a middle-aged woman riding a fat bike. So what?

I’m learning not to compare myself, my marital arts skills, my biking ability, my personality, my place in this world, my values,  my fill-in-the-blank with anyone. This is me…and I’ve got nothing to prove.