Celebrating one year of FitRider

Hey Athletes!

We are coming up on the one year anniversary of the FitRider membership platform, and as you can imagine, my mind is whirling.

I started Ride Like an Athlete with one goal in mind, to help riders believe that they are absolutely athletes and that they deserve to treat themselves as well as they treat their horses.

For as long as I can remember, there has always been a badge of honour with riders treating themselves poorly for the sake of their horses. Eating ramen noodles so you can afford high quality grain, wearing old damaged shoes while your horses get the finest farrier work. Nearly passing out of dehydration while fretting about your horse at the trough who merely isn’t drinking because they know their biological needs and just aren’t thirsty.

However, as anyone who has watched the safety demonstration on the plane knows, we need to take care of our own needs so that we are physically capable to take care of others. The thing is it isn’t a secret, its widely known, but it is so culturally ingrained and celebrated, that we still participate.

Working with the group of FitRiders for the last year, I feel more and more like we are starting to see a shift in this. Not only within our own group, but I see more and more social media accounts popping up with similar views. The tribe is building.

With my Mongol Derby riders who are now reflecting on their experience, we have been talking a lot on the topic of success and what makes something a success. While I could go on endlessly on that topic, I want to take that same mentality back to the FitRider program in my own reflections.

There have definitely been a lot of things that haven’t worked this year. I threw a lot of spaghetti at the wall to see what stuck. What did everyone like? I spent a lot of time, money and energy on things that didn’t take. I have lost some subscribers in the process, but I am learning. Much like fitness and cross training might be new for many of you, training online is new for me. Trying to close the gap between who I am with my athletes online vs who I am when I can physically be with them is really hard! Soliciting feedback is hard! Sometimes I feel a little blind when behind the online curtain. There are many days when I worry whether my FitRiders are satisfied enough to let their membership renew for year two.

I don’t talk about it a lot, but I often have self doubts. These feelings are innately human and none of us are alone in that.

Do I let it get me down? In all honesty, I have some bad days where I wonder why I haven’t gotten it just right yet, and I give myself that hour or that day to feel that, and then move on from my pity party and try something new. One of these days my million and two ideas will come together in a more cohesive way and that light bulb will shine bright and things will click. Perhaps its because I am an optimist, but I believe that giving up on one thing might open up my spirit for even more possibilities.

So I guess that is my long winded way of saying, I hear you guys.

I am going to keep trying for all of you.

I am going to keep trying to inspire you to treat yourself right.

I am going to keep making changes to the FitRider program to find the right product or service for more of you.

I am going to keep narrowing it down until its easy for you to use and feels good!

I am going to keep throwing some spaghetti, but I am working on my aim and the consistency of the pasta.

I am going to keep looking around and seeing the positive changes in the world, beyond just my own clients, and keep believing that one day there will be a new generation of athletes, who will be born into the belief that riders DO deserve to treat themselves like an athlete, and the self-inflicted suffering to win a badge of honour in their community never has to even cross their mind.

I’m going to keep defining success not on my numbers but on staying true to my values and personality.

-Sarah

PS. In case you didn’t gather, some changes will be coming soon to the FitRider program! :) I really hope to see you there!