This last week has had more obstacles than any previous week of training.

Monday, I got my first flat out on the road. I went up a driveway to get on a trail. At the bottom of the driveway I went over a pothole and blew out my front tire. It was just below ninety degrees outside and it felt much hotter sitting only a few inches above the asphalt of the road. On Friday of the same week I ran over a thorn and got a flat on my back right tire. After changing the tire, I only got another ninety yards before running over another thorn.  After sitting above the asphalt on another extremely hot day, I decided it was time to take some preventative action. I bought three new tires with flat resistant properties, as well as tire liners to prevent thorns from puncturing the tube.

The most difficult obstacle of the past week was when I accidentally ran over my dog Danger with my right rear tire. He usually rides in the basket in between my two rear tires. During a ride last week, for an unknown reason, Danger decided to jump out of the basket. Unfortunately he jumped forward and landed just in front of my tire. It felt as if I was going to tip over when I ran over his back right leg. I immediately turned around and brought him to the vet. Luckily he was just bruised up with some road rash with no broken bones. Needless to say, Danger does not want to get back in the basket. He is doing much better now!

These small obstacles I faced last week were both difficult and heart wrenching.  However, it reinforced a valuable lesson I had previously learned after breaking my neck.  Obstacles are how we learn to overcome. They help prepare us for what is to come, and color our personality so we are more dynamic than a blank canvas. For those of us who would rather not face obstacles because they are difficult and uncomfortable, I challenge you to look at those who have overcome incredibly difficult things and ask yourself; would they be as strong or as incredible as they are now without having overcome any obstacles?