My Fountain of Youth

What do you get when you combine 19 years of working at a desk job, PLUS a love of sedentary hobbies such as reading, writing, video games and model cars, PLUS a love of junk food, PLUS a general disdain for working out?  The answer’s easy.  You get ME . . . a 40 year old woman who weighed about 100 pounds more than she should, along with all the aches, pains, lethargy and moodiness that accompany such a sedentary lifestyle.

So what do you get when you add a Trikke T78 into the above equation?  That answer’s also easy.  You get ME . . . a 40 year old woman who has lost 40 pounds in 5 months and who now has the energy and enthusiasm of a 20 year old!  When I gave myself that little green Trikke as a birthday present, I had no idea that I had actually discovered my personal “fountain of youth”.

While this is a success story in its own right, my story has really just begun.  Five months ago, I struggled to make my little T78 go back and forth on my own driveway, and would get winded within minutes.  The first half-mile I rode it on a bike trail was enough to make me nauseous and fatigued.  But there was something I loved about the way the Trikke moved and the smile it put on my face, so I kept carving.

I joined a local riding group, Trikke Riders of Pennsylvania (http://www.meetup.com/TrikkePA/), to make some new friends, find some new trails and learn some better riding techniques.  Soon after, my rides increased to 5 miles and I was feeling stronger, more capable and more confident.

Last month I attended the Trikke Academy in Philadelphia and took the new one-day ‘Trikke Associates’ program (http://www.trikkeacademy.com/Associate_Clinikk_FAQ.html).  I have now earned the status of ‘Trike Affiliate’, and the first time I took to the trail with my improved carving skills I completed 10 miles with relative ease.  In such short time, I have gone from struggling to putter along at 4 mph to cruising along at 8 mph and enjoying it more with each carve.

My love affair with the Trikke has not stopped there.  My desire to ride faster and further has spurred other lifestyle changes, which include a switch to a nutritious diet, calorie counting, and other cross-training exercises such as bicycling and kettlebell workouts.  Most of my age-related aches and pains are gone, and I’m greeting each day with a newfound enthusiasm.

This blog is the next step in my personal journey, as I seek to share my love of Trikking with others and to begin building a community of fellow riders.  I still have another 60 or so pounds to lose while exploring the many trails that the Lehigh Valley and eastern Pennsylvania have to offer.  I hope you’ll join me in that journey, as we all seek to reclaim our health and our youth.