We had our first training ride last Saturday (4/2), and it was amazing. We all met at Allen Hall and it was such a sight to see so many alumni and 11' riders geared up for the upcoming ride. Everyone smiling, everyone talking and laughing, everyone working together for the same cause--truly inspirational. We went over routine safety material and headed out in groups.It was nice to finally get a taste of what I will be experiencing this summer. A glimpse of what I had been working for this whole year. There was so much positive energy in the air, and it put me in such a feel-good mood.After some I4k fun at Homer Lake, the real challenge set in. Wind. The winds were against us that day. Despite my years of cycling experience, these winds knocked me back to novice. What was the point in cycling in conditions there were clearly, and obviously against me? Why on earth had I decided to do this? I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with the emotions of self-pity, low self esteem, and the desire to quit altogether. My sanity hurt more than my body. If I was alone, I would probably have gotten off my bike and called a cab. But because I was with a group, because these people were fighting the same struggle I was (and probably complaining a lot less then I was), I decided that giving up was unacceptable. If I let this defeat me, who knows what glorious moments I will miss because I didn't have enough strength to push through. I thought about the mission of I4K, and why these people do what they do. And I realized that we do what we do because we strive for betterment. I signed up for this knowing that the whole point in participating in I4k was to put the well being of others before my own. And while I struggle for 36.5 miles, others are facing harder challenges almost everyday. This was just not the time nor the place to be selfish.I know this all sounds very dramatic, but the hardest moments of my life have produced the most epiphanic enlightenment. Completing this ride was definitely one of the most rewarding experiences I have had this semester, and I now kinda know what to expect this summer. Making it to the end, hearing the cheers of my group and of the other team mates, and seeing the alumni and board members that did this strenuous activity, not because they had to, but because they WANTED to, made it all worth it.Yep, this summer is pretty much, without a doubt, going to be really, awesomely amazing.Rachel Samaniego