Today, Karel celebrates 50 years on Earth.
Fifty years of cycling, training, racing and traveling. Of immigration struggles and eventually becoming a U.S. citizen. Of adopting animals and having to say goodbye to several of them. Of getting married (to me!). Of working his way through different jobs and industries, starting a small business, moving to a different country and then a different state.
Fifty years of exploring, adventuring, failing, struggling, succeeding, taking risks, starting over, figuring things out—and experiencing all that life has thrown his way.
Fifty years of his favorites: croissants, cats, ice cream, chocolate and coffee.
Fifty years of becoming the person he is today.
On Saturday afternoon, I surprised Karel. I don’t know how I got away with it but it was my 3rd time throwing him a surprise birthday party (I also surprised him on his 30th and 40th birthday). Knowing that Karel is not excited about turning 50, he thought that I “forgot” about his birthday. Little did he know that for over a month, I was working behind his back to throw in a surprise 50th party. It was the most stressful month ever having to keep so many secrets from him!
After sending out the invites to our close friends, I arranged to host the party at the Imaginary Bike Works Studio/Bike Shop. Shopping for decorations and prepping food was tricky because I couldn’t use my credit card. I wanted to throw off Karel in as many ways as I could so I had our friend Ruthanne invite Karel’s mom on a “boat trip” at the lake so that she would leave the house on Saturday around 3pm. To get Karel to the shop/studio, I had TJ (the owner of the store) text Karel and ask him to bring his vintage Colnagno and any vintage cycling gear to the store on Friday for a small get together (vintage cycling theme). I knew Karel would not be excited to go to a party (with people) but if it was cycling themed, there was a chance he would want to go. I had our friend George make a chocolate and raspberry cake and our friends did an incredible job keeping this a secret for over a month.
Karel was surprised when we walked into the shop. It was a success!
I also printed out some vintage cycling trivia for the party and had a phonebook of Karel with 26 pages of pictures from the past 50 years.
Turning 50 is a big deal. And while 50 can feel like a number that is supposed to mean something bad like slowing down, settling, giving up, or accepting that certain things are behind you, I don't think it has to mean any of those things.
Getting older does mean something. It means you've lived enough life to have stories, mistakes, lessons and a lot of experience. There are so many people you've loved and lost. There are lots of start lines and finish lines. There are memories from epic races and adventures and travel and experiences that didn't go as planned. There are moments you wish you could relive and others you're grateful you don't have to repeat.
Getting older means you have a past version of yourself to look back on but sometimes, that's hard to accept.
It's easy to compare today's body, today's fitness, today's productivity or today's energy to the person you were 10, 20 or 30 years ago. You may struggle that you are not as strong, fast, capable or adventurous.
But getting older isn't about trying to stay the person you once were. It's about appreciating who that person helped you become.
Karel at 30 didn't know everything Karel at 50 knows. He hadn't experienced all the races, injuries, surgeries, setbacks, adventures, friendships, business decisions, miles and memories that would shape the next two decades.
And 50-year-old Karel doesn't need to be the 30-year-old version of himself (even if he sometimes tries to be :)
Getting older means you get to be more appreciative of what the body can still do rather than focused on what it once did. And getting older doesn't have to mean giving up on goals. And it doesn’t mean you stop signing up for hard things. It doesn't mean you stop riding up mountains, exploring new places, challenging yourself, or wondering, What else can I conquer?
At 50, the goal may look different and the timeline to reach that goal may not look the same as it once did.
But the desire to explore, to learn, to challenge yourself and to see what you're capable of doesn't have an expiration date.
So today, we celebrate every version of Karel—the younger version who had an American dream, the versions who struggled, the versions who succeeded, and the version standing here (often with a sore back), ready to tackle his 50s.
The past year + has been challenging for Karel. His body isn’t as strong and durable as it once way but that doesn’t mean that he is giving up on doing what he loves. While it’s often frustrating, he can still be grateful for the past while also being hopeful for the future.
This is a good reminder that we can be proud of what we've already accomplished while still being excited about what comes next.
Turning a year older isn't the end of something. It's simply another starting line.
