Biking in PE is a highlight of the year for the students as well as myself. Students practice techniques that make them safer and more efficient on the road. They exhibit good sportsmanship and cheer each other on. They have fun and beg for more. The true magic happens; however, when a student learns to let go and trust their body. You can see it all over their face- the sense of accomplishment mixed with a bit of surprise and overall giddiness. In just two weeks I can see the students grow in their confidence. That confidence continues to grow from one year to the next. This year I had the joy of watching a student who learned to ride her bike in PE two years ago help another student learn to ride this year.

Each year we conclude bike week with a run-bike-run duathlon. On the day of the duathlon the students anxiously await putting their skills to the test. This is something I can relate to, finding joy in working hard and pushing yourself a little harder than you thought was possible. At the end of the duathlon they tell me how exhausted they are- with some of the biggest smiles I have seen all year.

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