Day 58 5.12.20
Tom asked for a fit bit for his 10th birthday. I think he saw how it has motivated me and wanted to join. Yesterday we tried to go for my 15 km bike ride and he had a flat. We tried letting him use the adult bike but after 5 km he was too uncomfortable- he could hardly reach the floor using a sidewalk and his arms were so outstretched which made it simply too uncomfortable. I promised to fix his bike for today. My bike had no tread left so I decided to go to Kevin's bike store (they moved by the way). I could have left the two bikes there for them to fix but would’ve only gotten in back in a week and I (we) wanted to ride today. I asked for the materials I needed to fix it. Luckily, I assumed my 'tread-less' wheel also had a flat and WALLA returned home for my evening project!
After I finished my “shift” with the kids and my partner took over, I did the work I had planned, finished my steps and then at 10 pm, started watching ‘how to’ Youtube videos. I watched:
removing the tires (gears and brakes) from the bike
Remove inner tube from tire
Filling it up with air, dunking it in water to find the hole, releasing the air, marking the hole (somehow that came to me intuitively)
Patching the hole
Returning the inner tube on the wheel with the tire,
Pumping it up again,
Assembling the whole thing back on the bike (gears and brakes and all)
Then starting again to do it to Tom’s bike. Fixed one flat only to realize after that there were a few more, instead changed the inner tube completely and then put everything back.
I have never done this before and I normally feel these things are too difficult for me. At midnight when I finished I felt so proud of myself that when I woke up after only 6 hours of sleep(NO, that is not enough for me!) I told Tom we were going and while I was still in bed tossing he told me he was ready, and asked if he should put his helmet on. TALK ABOUT MOTIVATION. I crept out of bed slowly and stiffly and got ready. I drank some water, fought with the girls about why they could NOT come and then we left!
We rode 17 km and he did just fine. The problem is within three more times he will be wanting to do 20 km and then 30 km and I would've been fine sticking with my 15!
He had his 10,000 steps by noon. I know because he told me every 100 steps. I made a deal he can tell me when he is half way when he gets to 10,000 and how much he has before bed. I still have 5000 more and its already six o'clock.
The reason for all this blabbering is to say I am proud of myself for being able to fix a bike - something I have never done before quite easily and (thankful to my husband who “just couldn't” help- really, there is no sarcasm here). I am proud of my son for his complete and utter motivation to be fit and take on a challenge. He even made his sisters go on two walks with him today. I love that he pushes me to keep going even though I am wrecked (don’t forget I still have 5000 more steps today )!
Lessons from today:
I want to show my children that women can do anything with practice.
A child can also motivate a mother and their siblings!
That feeling when you finish something a bit hard is extremely satisfying.
My 6 year old desperately wants to go with us. I really want to exercise so we will take her on my off day and show her she can do as much as she can do and that's fabulous. I am always so concerned about saying “ you can't do this” but I told her we could practice so that soon, she can come too!
Our after exercise bike ride bike ride.