Success Through Failure: LAF Ride Experience-Austin, TX

I woke up in the morning with a 101 degree fever. My head felt like a pressure cooker. Normally, I would not make much of feeling slightly under the weather. However, I had been training for months and I was a bit worried. That morning, I did all that I could to get my body back to 100%. I downed Vitamin C, drank tons of water, took a hot shower and used my Neti-pot. I took a few cold medicine tablets. I went to work. I went through the process of feeling better during the day. At night, I would feel sick again. How could I be sick? I have been careful. After all, we have a 5 month old and the pig flu was scaring humans across the globe.

In a matter of less than 24 hours I must bike 90 miles in Austin and I am SICK. Needless to say, the worry on top of illness was making me feel worse. I look back and see all that I have done in order to make it to this point. I suddenly feel great! Hours later, I find myself riding through the hills around Austin, Texas. Lance Armstrong has mobilized 4,000 folks to raise millions for cancer research and we're all pedaling down back-country roads, through hollows, ranches and swollen rivers and creeks. The scenery is pure Texas beautiful. The a kind of beautiful that exists only in Texas. I was cruising and feeling great!

Hour 3ish: "Houston, we have a problem" The hills and wind are taking their toll. I had decided to take it easier and make some rest/refuel stops before I set out on the ride. My goal is to finish. I am pushing myself with the help of a fellow Dead Head who I had noticed wearing signature "Steal Your Face" socks... He's been keeping me company for about 10-12 miles and I am pacing with him through the hills and straightaways. I have to stop at the next rest area and refuel and stretch. I notice that I'm going to need to push it to make the 90 mile cut-off. I start pushing as hard as I can. I start dedicating the steep climbs to my grandmother who died of Leukemia this year. I'm praying to get through this.

As I push up a gentle rise, I see the rest stop and the cut-off point. I pedal hard and arrive at the stop completely out of breath. As my luck would have it, I have missed the 90 mile cut-off by a few minutes! I can't believe it... But, in my disappointment, I could believe it. I was in no shape to tack on another 26 miles. I am forced to ride 65 miles. Disappointed, I rode on. Deep down, I knew that 90miles could lead to some serious problems.

Finally, I'm on the last 10 miles. My head is throbbing, throat is sore and my body is beginning to shut down. I had taken in as much fuel as possible and hydrated. My legs are beginning to cramp. My body is having trouble regulating it's temperature and I have ceased sweating. I remembered seeing other riders being carted off in vans b/c they were injured or too exhausted to go on. I am determined NOT to be one of them. However, I can't believe my body is shutting down and for the first time I wonder "Am I going to be able to finish?" I mean 90miles is one thing, but 65 is doable. I am losing track of time. Tunnel vision and darkness are slowly encroaching my vision from the periphery. Everything is moving in slow motion.

I am heading up another hill. However, I feel like I am detached from the guy on the bike. I begin to pray. I pray to Christ to give me the strength to finish. The strength to dignify the support that all of my donors, supporters and cancer survivors had given me. Maybe it is not God's will for me to finish. What am I supposed to take away from this experience? Why am I here? I'm feeling pretty low and shaken.

Ahead, I can see the entrance of a gated community of new homes. At the lowest point in my journey, I see movement coming my direction from inside the gate. As I draw closer, I see that it is a young girl on a bike. She is definitely not a participant in the LAF Challenge. She has no helmet or race number and is riding a standard run-of-the-mill bike. She is wearing a bright electric blue t-shirt.... I push up the hill and within 10-15 feet of passing the gated entrance where she is clearly watching me struggle. She comes to a stop, and quietly smiles as I pedal. There, on the front of her brilliant blue t-shirt, in bold white lettering is the word "FAITH". For a moment the time continuim stopped as I recognize the major significance of the seemingly insignificant. Over the years, my perception has been tuned to know when the Almighty is speaking to me. Caught in a moment when one knows that God is there and no matter what happens, He loves me. "Faith" is a reminder of what is and will be.

For the first time all day, my head is clear and I know my goal lies hundreds of miles beyond the finish line in Austin. I am at peace. I return the smile to the girl. FAITH. The next thing I know, my body is on auto pilot. The fatigue is gone and I have an energy that was not present when I began my trek 55 miles ago. FAITH. God wants me to finish this ride. I begin to pedal with vigor. I finish the LAF ride with a big grin and feel like I could do another 10-20 miles!!!

Upon reflection, I see that I was depending on myself rather than God. As you can tell, you can see where depending on myself got me. And you can see where depending on God got me... A place of peace and strength. All I had to do was rely on my FAITH in Him to get me through and beyond. Through my failure God showed me what true success is.

Lance Cashion

Ps. Hula Hut never tasted sooo good!