The power of a pit stop

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I remember the time when I enlisted for the Trans Baviaans mountain bike, endurance race here in South Africa. It’s a gruelling 240 km race, from a little town called Willowmore to surfing paradise, Jeffrey s Bay. You have 24 hrs to complete, with a minimum of two riders per team. It covers the most spectacular landscape and scenery. You cross rivers, go down steep mountainous declines at ridiculous speeds, and then there is the slow, steady, steep climbs that seem to continue forever. What a race, it’s the worst of times, yet it’s the best of times.

It’s an event that forces you to question your own sanity, repeatedly asking yourself, why am I here, why don’t you just quit, and go home. Every fibre of your being gets tested. No amount of training and time spent in the saddle can prepare you for the actual event. It’s all mental, and ultimately the power of synergy.

The rules are interesting. You participate in a team, and the teams’ time is measured by the last man crossing the finishing line. This compels you not to just be part of the team, but to participate within the team context. The issue is that without your teammates, you’re not officially finishing. When one of them cramps up, you slow down, stop if necessary, and help. You can carry, tow, push or whatever, as long as the team makes it over the finishing line together.

That’s exactly the sense I’ve had since I joined Wealthy Affiliates. We are a community, group, team if you like. The principle of participation is crucial. Helping someone else along the journey. Sometimes physically helping or many other times just a little motivation and encouragement helps. Everything to help the team cross the line. This brings me to the point of pit stops.

One of my fondest memories was the pit stops. Thank God for pit stops. They were spread all over the route every 70 – 80 km apart. That oasis in the desert. My little Paradise Island in the Pacific Ocean. People that you did not even know, welcoming you with a smiling face, luring you in and giving you something to eat and drink to desperately replenish that vital nutrients and vitality which were lost. I remember this one specific pit stop called Bergplaas. It was right on top of a mountain peak. The strategy before the race was, get to Bergplaas, before it gets dark and cold. You guested it. It was dark and cold, and we were about 30 km away from Bergplaas. The only thing that consumes your thoughts at that moment is, just get to Bergplaas, Bergplaas…

We eventually made it. Little did I know that when we eventually arrived, that I had contracted hypothermia. That pit stop saved my race. I was immediately given warm substances to drink and eat. Wrapped with a warm blanket and received some medical attention. Eventually with a warm cup of soup, I stood around a campfire enjoying the company of the friendliest people I’ve ever met. An hour later, the team was ready to continue our epic journey.

Thank you to the Wealthy Affiliate community for being that pit stop for so many.

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Recent Comments

4

That sounds like it was a GREAT adventure, Randal!

Jeff

Thanks for sharing
Tim

Thank you Alex. Just sharing one of my most treasured memories.

That would have been an adventure, Randal thanks for sharing, I like the comparison to WA definitely a pit stop for many.

Alex

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4-Steps to Success Class
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