If you are already a TeamWILD athlete, you have or will soon receive log-in information for the soft launch of our membership site. If you aren’t in a program, you will still be welcome to join the site when it fully launches in May.
Joining Alex Osais in keeping the site full of new information and “teamy goodness” is Bryan Ritchie:
How do you define “Athlete”?
Honestly, I struggle with my definition of an athlete. I imagine Dave Scott, Lance Armstrong, and my neighbor that runs 25 miles a week as athletes. Me? Not as much. But, I’m growing and learning that athletes come in all shapes and sizes. I love John Bingham’s quote, “The miracle isn’t that I finished, but that I had the courage to start.” My perfectionistic personality can’t fully wrap my head around his quote, but it has motivated me more than once to strap on the running shoes and hit the road. Afterwards, I’m always glad I got the run in.
What inspires you?
Watching someone stretch themselves. Whether that is an Ironman athlete setting a new PR or a new runner taking those first steps, I’m inspired watching people pushing themselves. I love the underdog! When everyone thinks you’re out and you fight your way back in, I’m always rooting for ‘ya.
How do you move past obstacles to your fitness goals?
Adapt and move on. When challenges pop up in training, it is easy be discouraged, but just keep moving. If I can still meet the goal, then I push on and make it happen. If not, then I’ll adapt my goal to fit a new time or distance.
How do you reward yourself?
I love shoes! Most of my rewards involve a shoe purchase of some kind. Set a new PR? Get a new pair of shoes. Meet a fitness goal? Get a new pair of shoes. It’s Tuesday? New shoes! Also, after a workout chocolate milk is a nice treat, which can motivate me through an entire workout on some days.
What is something about you that might surprise us?
I’m a stay-at-home homeschooling dad of four kiddos. After hearing the number of children in our foster care system in need of a home, my wife and I adopted four of them. These four munchkins are a blast!
How do you GO WILD in your life?
Joining TeamWILD and committing to a half marathon is wild! Having run my first mile less than 18 months prior, I’m fired up about completing this distance. There is a lake near our house that is 9 miles around. Running my first loop out my front door, around the lake, and back home is one moment I’ll never forget.
Bryan, you are so right about starting being harder than finishing. I am just getting started this year on cycling, and though I’ve run half a dozen half marathons so far, I feel like a helpless kid! But I know I can go the distance, and that the only obstacle is figuring out how best to do it. Once your mind decides you will do something, your body will find a way.
Wow, people who run 25+ miles a week are athletes? I didn’t know I was one! I saw a quote recently, though, that put it better: it said, “Once you realize that even when you have plenty of excuses not to, you still get up, suit up, and work out, you’re an athlete.” That is always something I have to keep reminding myself about.