Shari Aubrey

I came to exercise late in life, and cycling even later and have been riding consistently over the last four to five years. My foray into cycling was a back-up plan in case I got injured from running, and just as I bought my first bike – I got injured. Fortunately, I discovered a love for cycling that surpassed running.

Sometimes I’m surprised when I look back at what I’ve achieved over the time I’ve been riding.   I’ve raced both crits and road, ridden from Melbourne to Sydney (over the Snowy Mountains no less), have been fortunate enough to feature in a number of cycling videos (including for Dinner Plain and Mt Buffalo), become a ride leader for Tribal Cycling, recently completed my cycling coaching course, write blog posts, been a regular at Tour Down Under and also made it over to France for the 100th anniversary of the Tour de France. There is so much I’ve not been able to list here – but one of the biggest highlights for me has been completing the 7 Peaks Ride three times.

This season I’m planning on my fourth participation in this ride, but along with six friends we’ll be undertaking the 7 Peaks in 7 days to raise money for 7 charities.

And in looking back and trying to summarise my experiences, it never ceases to surprise me what cycling has provided me with!

For context, I don’t come from sports background; if you met me ten years ago I would have staunchly told you exercise and I existed in separate universes; and never the twain shall meet. But then it’s funny how life unfolds in ways you don’t expect, which includes not only my transition to exercise, but to avid cyclist (one of my other staunch declarations was ‘I’ll NEVER ride a bike on the road in Melbourne!!’). So what happened?

I clearly remember the day I first got on a bike, around five years ago. It was winter, but one of those sunny winter day’s Melbourne does well. I nervously headed – on my own – down to the Beach Road bike path, with a loan bike that seemed so alien to me. And then I rode around ten kilometers; I’m sure very awkwardly and slowly, but that didn’t matter because there was an enormous smile plastered on my face as I experienced the sensation of moving through time and space, with the sun on my skin and the air passing over my body.

But as much as I love riding my bike, what really motivates me is community. Ever since I’ve been riding, I’ve found myself part of something larger than myself; and a connectedness with positive and like-minded people that really is special. Cycling really is more than the bike.

I’ve ridden the 7 Peaks Ride three times and this year will be my fourth. If I think back to my first season it was a very different experience. I definitely needed a gentle prod to sign up. Being relatively new to cycling – and possibly full of a little too much self-doubt – the prospect of riding up one mountain, let alone seven; seemed ridiculous and not at all like something I would do.

My first climb was Mt Baw Baw (eek!) and I was extremely ignorant, a blessing in hindsight, as I had no idea what I was in for. I’d never climbed a mountain, had a fear of descending, had only been to the Dandenong’s a few times and was a relatively new rider. All reasons I would have used to say ‘I can’t possibly do that’.

But I did it! I stopped a few times. I had to ‘deliver the post’ (ride side to side across the road, which takes a little of the gradient out). And I may have sworn – a lot. But then I reached the top and I can’t describe the sense of achievement and elation; lil’ ol me – newby rider – conquered (arguably) the hardest climb in Victoria and maybe even Australia. No other climb compares to Baw Baw for this intense, overwhelming sense of achievement and in some ways this was the most memorable climb over my three seasons of riding the 7 Peaks; it was certainly the most intense in every way. There have been times where I’ve been a bit scared about doing something – cycling or otherwise – and I’ve said to myself; ‘you’ve climbed Baw Baw, you can do this’.  And if that’s not empowering, I don’t know what is.

I guess that’s the joy of climbing. Its more than being just a physical struggle, you will battle with your mind, and find a way to work with it. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes its brutal; a friend and I coined a phrase for climbing; sometimes ‘you’re stripped bare’. But wow, what an amazing opportunity to look inside yourself, find strength, continue on and achieve more than you ever thought possible. And that’s why I love climbing. And why I love the 7 Peaks Ride.