We Begin Where You Are
- Charlotte Backus
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
With Mari Holden
A reflection for the HCC Zwift Ride
Arriving
As you roll out, let this be an arrival, not a performance.
You do not need to feel ready.
You do not need to feel strong.
You do not need to have everything figured out.
You only need to be present.
Pema Chödrön offers a grounding reminder: “You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.”
So let today’s weather move through without judgment.
Fatigue. Calm. Distraction. Hope.
None of it defines you.
Notice your breath.
Notice the rhythm of your legs.
Notice that showing up is already a quiet act of courage.
Mary Oliver writes, “You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.”
Let your body be where it is today—without negotiation, without apology.
You begin where you are. Together.
Being Held by the Group
One of the quiet gifts of this community is how much support exists without needing to be named.
Some days, you lead.
Some days, you steady the pace.
Some days, you ride close enough to feel the reassurance of others.
And some days, what you most need is to let yourself be held by the group.
That is not weakness. It is wisdom.
John O’Donohue wrote, “We belong to each other.”
Belonging does not mean staying small.
It means having a foundation strong enough to build from.
Being held is not the opposite of strength.
It is what makes strength sustainable.
You begin where you are. Together.
The Sweep Team
The Quiet Strength Behind You
Pause for a moment and recognize what makes this ride what it is, week after week: the sweep team.
They are the backbone of this ride.
They stay attentive when others push ahead.
They notice who is struggling before anyone has to ask.
They stay patient. They stay kind. They stay present.
They show up not for recognition, but because they believe in this community—and in making it welcoming and supportive for everyone.
Lao Tzu captured this kind of leadership perfectly: “A leader is best when people barely know they exist. When the work is done, the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’”
That is your sweep team.
They help people finish rides.
But more than that, they help people believe they belong.
And that belief stays with you longer than any workout ever could.
Let this land: leadership does not always look like being out front.
Sometimes it looks like staying back.
Sometimes it looks like choosing patience.
Sometimes it looks like making sure no one gets left behind.
That is strength.
That is courage.
That is community.
You begin where you are. Together.
The Middle and the Long View
It is easy to think life is defined by starting lines and finish lines.
But most of life is lived in the middle.
The middle of a season.
The middle of a training block.
The middle of learning how to manage stress, responsibility, change, and growth.
You may have had moments recently that widened your perspective—travel, family, work, weather, a shift in your routine.
Sometimes those moments feel inspiring. Sometimes they feel stretching. Often they are both.
David Whyte says, “The real conversation is always just below the surface.”
The middle is where that conversation deepens.
Where patience is practiced.
Where trust grows quietly.
The middle is not something you rush through.
It is where character is built, mile by mile.
You begin where you are. Together.
Medals, Patience, and Becoming
It is tempting to treat medals—literal or metaphorical—as proof.
Proof you are talented.
Proof you are worthy.
Proof you did enough.
But a medal is rarely about a single moment.
It reflects years of consistency.
Showing up on ordinary days.
Staying committed when progress feels slow or invisible.
Medals are earned in patience.
In repetition.
In believing that effort compounds over time.
James Clear puts it plainly: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
This week ahead may not come with applause.
But it will offer opportunities to practice who you are becoming.
You are building something, even when you cannot yet see it clearly.
You are closer than you think.
You begin where you are. Together.
Legacy Is Built Quietly
Legacy is not built through big gestures alone.
It is built through repeated choices.
Through showing up tired.
Through caring about the experience of others.
Through doing the small things well, consistently.
The sweep team models this every week.
And so does this group as a whole—every time you show patience, encouragement, steadiness, and respect.
What you practice here matters.
How you treat one another matters.
The tone you set ripples outward.
Maya Angelou reminds you: “People will never forget how you made them feel.”
This ride is not just a ride.
It is a practice ground for the kind of person you want to be.
You begin where you are. Together.
Community as Nourishment
You often think of nourishment as food, sleep, and recovery—and those things matter deeply.
But there is another kind of nourishment that sustains you just as much:
being seen
being welcomed back
being expected
being missed when you are gone
Maya Angelou also wrote, “Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.”
Sometimes your light needs rest.
Sometimes it needs protection.
And sometimes it needs direction.
Community does not just comfort you.
It fuels you.
Let this ride be fuel for the week ahead.
You begin where you are. Together.
Effort, Intention, and Confidence
As you move through this ride, let effort come from intention—not pressure.
Push when it feels aligned.
Soften when it feels wise.
Help when you can.
Receive help without hesitation.
Alan Watts offers a useful metaphor: “Muddy water is best cleared by leaving it alone.”
Clarity comes when you trust the process.
Confidence grows quietly through consistency and care.
Not through forcing.
Not through proving.
Through returning—again and again—to what matters.
You begin where you are. Together.
Recovery That Strengthens Resolve
Recovery is not stepping away from your goals.
It is reinforcing them.
It is the pause that allows clarity.
The breath that sharpens focus.
The kindness that keeps you in the game for the long haul.
John O’Donohue said, “Resting is not a failure. It is listening.”
Listening gives you direction.
Let today be restorative and strengthening at the same time.
You begin where you are. Together.
Setting the Stage for the Week Ahead
As this ride continues, consider the week ahead not as something to get through, but something to step into.
Ask yourself:
Where can you be a little more like the sweep team this week?
Where can you slow down enough to notice someone else?
Where can you offer steadiness instead of urgency?
Where can you choose kindness without needing credit?
You do not need to do everything.
You do not need to be perfect.
You only need to stay engaged.
Carry this steadiness with you.
Carry this confidence.
Carry the felt sense of being supported.
Be kind. Do fearless.
Be kind to yourself as you stretch into the week.
Do fearless by showing up with intention, patience, and trust.
You begin where you are. Together.
Recipe: Coach Charlotte’s Tangy Cooked Cabbage (Vinegar-Braised)
Simple. Bright. Comforting. The kind of side dish that tastes like you took care of yourself on purpose.
Ingredients (Serves 3–4)
1 medium head green cabbage, thinly sliced
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced (optional but recommended)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1–2 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (use 1/4 cup for a gentler tang)
1/3 cup water or vegetable broth
1 tsp Dijon mustard (optional, adds depth)
1/2–1 tsp salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp caraway seeds or fennel seeds (optional)
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tsp maple syrup or honey (optional—balances acidity without making it sweet)
Method
Sauté the base: Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion with a pinch of salt and cook 4–5 minutes until soft.
Add cabbage: Add sliced cabbage (it will look like a lot). Toss and cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted with a few golden edges.
Aromatics: Add garlic, pepper, and caraway/fennel (if using). Stir 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
Braise: Add vinegar + water/broth (and Dijon/maple if using). Scrape the pan bottom, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 10–15 minutes until tender.
Finish: Uncover and cook 2–4 minutes to reduce excess liquid. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and an extra splash of vinegar if you want more tang.
Coach Charlotte Add-Ons (Optional)
Protein boost: stir in chickpeas or white beans at the end
Make it a bowl: serve over roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes
Fresh finish: dill or parsley, plus a squeeze of lemon
Why this belongs here
This is the same principle you practice on the bike: simple inputs, repeated consistently, create real change.Nourishment is not a reward. It is part of the work.
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