YOGOWUPI

Last Wednesday Travis promised a "memorable route" in his e-mail. He also included a special task at the bottom of the message to see if we were actually reading all the way through his weekly missive.

When we arrived on Saturday morning he reported that all the "newbies" and a few alumni had completed the task but he was feeling generous and wanted to give the special prize to everyone. I understand team spirit but what is the point of calling it a "special prize" if everyone is getting one?

He then handed out water bottles that have a TNT logo on one side and his hand written encouragement on the other. YOGOWUPI it says. "You only get out what you put in."

Do you think that's true? I wonder if sometimes I put in a lot more than I get out.
I think that's called service.

And other times I get out a whole lot without putting anything in.
That's called grace.

But here I am trying to make coach-lingo fit with Christian theology. I should stop that.

Saturday's 50 mile ride was supposed to be memorable for the scenery, we rode home on legendary "Thunder Road." Which I, of course, insisted on repeating with all the deep, gravelly, resonance I could muster. We're on Thunnnnnnder Road.

It was pretty but more than that it was hilly. Travis turned us loose from the formed paceline to attack the long series of hills (which he euphemistically called "bumps") at our own pace. As we charged up the first few I made it to the front of the pack until pretty soon it was only me and the other Amy leading each attack.

Someone clever in the group has dubbed us "Amy-teacher" (she spends her day in 7th grade biology) and "Amy-preacher."

Amy-teacher kicked my butt up each and every hill. Then she slowed down on the descent so I could catch up, enabling her to kick my butt up the next hill. Honestly, it was a great way to spend the morning.

It also showed me that biking can hurt. A lot. Legs burning, burning, burning, in a way I have rarely accomplished in running. Of course when you run up a hill you still have to run down which can be just as painful on knees and quads. But bike up? You are rewarded with a pedal-free descent.

I remember once reading about pro-cycling and seeing a quote saying what makes a truly great cyclist is his or her ability to suffer. I would like to think that rides like Saturday make me better at suffering on the bike and therefore a better cyclist. Of course our suffering, up even the biggest hill, is so short lived. It's nothing compared to laying in bed with cancer unsure if or when the pain will stop. This is TNT, we are doing this for cancer-patients, after all.

I suppose that's my problem. "You only get out what you put in" makes it seem like life is some how fair. And you and I know it's not. I could make some comment here about taking each hill as it comes, but that seems glib. Travis, I don't know if you read this but I mean no disrespect. I'm just thinking these things through. I'll still use the water bottle.