The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy of the Department of Army/Navy/Air Force, Department of Defense or U.S. Government.
The last 12 months were horrendous. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in over 96 million infections and more than two million deaths worldwide, fundamentally altering our way of life. I am fortunate that my family has been healthy. I have a job and a place to call home. Many in the world are not so lucky. The challenges that we now face range in size and complexity. Yet, we persevere. We are resilient. We find ways to carry on by tapping into sources of strength. Some of these we always knew we had, while some are new to us. When I reflect on where my sources of resiliency came from over this last year, I would be remiss not to mention my family. But something that surprised me was a rediscovered enthusiasm for mountain biking.
With social distancing recommendations, many people found refuge in outdoor activities in 2020. The Outdoor Industry Association noted increased participation in outdoor recreation compared to previous years. Their data showed that outdoor recreation had the lowest impact from COVID shutdowns compared to team sports, where nearly 69% of those surveyed were affected. Hiking, for instance, rose 8.4% in the spring of 2020 in comparison to the spring of 2019. NPD’s consumer tracking service found that cycling equipment sales were up 63% in June of 2020 compared to the same time the year before. Other areas that saw significant growth were paddle sports, golf, camping and bird watching. So, I wasn’t alone in my renewed interest in being outside and biking. Apparently, it was also good for me. Not only a great form of cardiovascular exercise, outdoor exercise is linked to multiple additional health benefits.
It also helped that I had a good friend that enjoyed mountain biking. In previous years, we would ride together a few times a year. Conflicting obligations often made finding the time difficult. But in the spring of 2020, time seemed to be plentiful. So, with my tires aired up and chain lubed, we headed out. And it was a blast. We started weekly rides on the trails in the area, coming home tired and sporting new bruises and scrapes. But it was worth it. Out on the trail, there was nothing else to focus on, except for the cadence of the pedals, finding the appropriate gear or the burning in my quadriceps as I climbed up a hill. Everything not on the trail disappeared for a while.
The benefit I didn’t expect was the increased camaraderie that came with routinely exercising with my friend. Stops along the trail were a chance to stretch and catch our breath, but also a chance to talk and commiserate about life. We became part time bicycle mechanics, sometimes in the middle of the trail, as the increased miles on our old bikes accelerated the wear and tear process. This naturally led to both of us getting new bikes and ensuing conversations about the benefits of carbon fiber frames and the perceived advantages of a single chainring drivetrain. With the experience of 2020 behind us, we are planning our rides for 2021.
Mountain biking, and all that comes with it, became a big part of my resilience over the last year. Not only from the exercise component, but also a deepening friendship that resulted from it. With exercise and friendship, I was better able to meet the challenges both on the trail and off. So I challenge you to take a moment and reflect on what contributed to your resiliency. The source may be old, new or rediscovered.
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