The roots of a Hero

“Il est interdit d’interdire”

It is forbidden to forbid. I recently read this quote and decided to do a little research on it. Webster’s dictionary defines the word forbid as the following: “to hinder or prevent as if by an effectual command”. In the spring of 1968 in the streets of Paris Daniel Cohn-Bendit (now a well-known EU parliament member) told a crowd of students this very phrase which had a lasting impact on the evolution of European mentalities. This phrase meant much to students who were struggling to scale the mountains of social injustice and eventually became the motto of the Paris Student Revolution.  We live in a world that tells us to Just Do it and that Impossible is Nothing, while these phrases have grown in popularity and become almost cliché I feel that we have forgotten that a true hero never succumbs to anyone let alone opposition. As a cyclist, athlete, and student I can relate full-heartedly to this statement in my own pursuit of glory. In order to achieve this stardom that we desire so badly we must first learn to conquer ourselves. This struggle is in its most basic form is about learning how to stop oneself from forbidding ourselves from the future and our potential. It is in that struggle where men become heroes!

I won this t-shirt!

Last Tuesday I was finally able to end my streak of bad luck and close calls by winning my first ever night race called Clammy Cross. I started writing this post before I left for my race and while I was riding I couldn't help but recall on my studies which in turn allowed me to forbid myself from going through the "what-ifs" of racing, such as: what if I get a flat, what if I crash and second place catches up to me, what if, what if, what if... I was able to cross the finish line with my arms stretched out accompanied by a hugh smile. I would like to thank my parents (sponsors), family, friends, team, and lady for helping me through this season.