Rising to the Challenge

The past 6 months have been a whirlwind of decisions, anxieties, emotions, and excitements; but as I like to say if something doesn't scare you or challenge your psyche a bit, it's probably not a worthy endeavour.  Now as I sit in the community kitchen at the newly christened Africa Rising Cycling   Center in Musanze, Rwanda I could not agree to this statement more.  I haven't even met the entire team or long time director, Jock Boyer, yet since they are competing in a month of racing in Algeria with the “A-team” while a few others are in S. Africa competing, but those that are on the ground here have a certain twinkle in their eyes.

That twinkle I now know exudes passion, hope, and a higher calling that was reiterated by all those I interfaced with initially feeling out this opportunity.  I remember Jock & Kimberly (Logistics director) saying, “You can and have coached numerous athletes, but you have a chance to change someones life in a way you don't even know yet.”  Or as a fellow coach, Dave McIntosh, that was here in the fall of 2012 mentioned that these guys will truly latch on to your expertise for a chance to make it out of the farming.  And in November, while Travis Nicks was in the meat of his 2 day travel home from Africa from a 2 mth stint that turned to 5 mths, he stated with smooth Texas drawl slowed even further by flight fatigue, “The relationships you develop will be true and the guys are truly genuine.  I'm ready to see my family too but the team became family....”

So as I step back from this the passion and gut feeling that I can now feel confident in the decision that I was going “All-in”!  My wonderful wife, Heather, and I just celebrated our 2 year anniversary along with a surprise birthday before I felt my gut sink as she dropped me and a plethora of baggage at the Denver Intl Airport.  I was going to Africa for months without my wife without even a plan of when she was to visit and even to what country!  And weeks before, I made the difficult decision to step away from my full-time Senior coaching position with Carmichael Training Systems after just shy of 5 years.  I gave up stability, comfort, 1st world amenities, my home, personal racing goals, and so much more, but only to gain so much more as I see now.

The travel started on Thursday March 20th just shy of midnight in CO after a day of finishing one last honey-do in our longtime backyard project; finishing a gate to enclose the fence I'd built.  Did I mention how hard it is as a professional coach and athlete to set aside weekends and extra time to finish projects like this after big weeks of required work, coaching, training, and camps!  Thanks Heather for the patience!  So with a little sunburn from the day in the yard, I jettisoned from Denver to Washington Dulles with a long 6 hr layover that started at 6am using my last few stateside minutes to check in with athletes and friends before having a few days of radio silence.  Jumping on Ethiopia Airlines turned out to be a pleasurable experience because my ticket issued in Denver didn't carry over I wasn't assigned a seat so mine just happened to be in a row to myself for the 15hr flight.  I must say, I wish I could have utilized it.  I was too amped to sleep, although I tried.  But 3 movies later, some 30 min documentaries and lots of time reading The Rise of Superhuman while being served 3 pretty decent meals from very courteous flight attendants we arrived in Addis (the capital of Ethiopia).

The airport was dead as it was still before sunrise and it quickly became hectic as more flights came in.  I realized we were outside of security as a mass started to form at either ends of the building.  These masses ballooned like a peloton awaiting a team to take the lead into a heavy wind.  The normality of queuing in the states was out the window as the “line” grew to a mushroom engulfing the few dividing tapes, chairs, poles, trash cans, etc as everyone pushed shoulder to shoulder and chest to back in attempt to get to the check point.  I'm a personal bubble person so 2 hrs of people pushing my backpack and having carry-ons scooted into my feet was enough after the lack of sleep I'd had, but I decided to smile and go with it.  Nothing I can do so might as well just endure.  The next flight from Addis to Kigali (capital of Rwanda) was only a few more hours, but I knew my travel wasn't complete upon my noon arrival on Saturday. Yes that is correct; Saturday!  I'd now been traveling for 3 days with the combination of 23 hours of in-flight time combined with 13 hours of airport time and time change.  I was beginning to feel it but as I stepped onto the tarmac into the sticky equatorial heat seeing the lush green foliage and the sweat form on my brow, I pepped back up with the movement.

Our awesome "Mzungu" crew at Africa Rising Cycling

Kimberly was to pick me up, but we had to run errands in the city awaiting another couple that were also flying in at 5pm that day to help with the programming.  This is where the small world aligns, as Weston Pope and his wife Kelsey were in Uganda but we'd all graduated from a small private school in Kentucky, Lindsey Wilson College, where we'd been members of their renowned varsity cycling program.  Weston won 3 amateur world BMX titles & a Collegiate Slalom Natl Championship on his rise a BMX Olympic hopeful in 2012 just missing the trials by 2 spots; so his expertise will be put to building a skills, BMX and pump track for team members and future visitors.   And his wife Kelsey, also a talented athlete as an amateur duathlete world champion, is aiding with grant writing and fundraising.  I feel blessed that I have such a skilled cohort to work with on a daily basis to foster the creative juices that will succeed in this environment.

I'm 3 days in with an excited perspective of things to come with an open mind to learn, adapt, and extend my expertise to benefit a greater good.