What Comes After 14 Peaks? Leaning Into Misogi and the Unknown

What Comes After 14 Peaks? Leaning Into Misogi and the Unknown

After finishing my 14 peaks project, people inevitably ask, “What’s next?” To be fair, I wondered the same thing. Climbing those peaks was a long physical, emotional, and spiritual journey. When I finished, I decided my next challenge would honor what I believed was the Japanese tradition of Misogi: picking something hard, unfamiliar, and with less than a 50 percent chance of success.

As a novice mountain biker fearful of rocky trails, I set my sights on the Leadville 100 mountain bike race. It is known as one of the hardest endurance mountain bike events in the country, and it takes place less than 50 miles from my home.

My History with Mountain Bikes

Mountain bikes and I have a complicated relationship. Nineteen years ago, after finishing my residency, I crashed on a mountain bike and dislocated my elbow. Four surgeries followed, and that injury triggered a cascade of life events that I suspect would not have otherwise occurred. Since then, I have mostly stuck to road bikes, dirt roads, and easy social rides.

So the Leadville 100 was not just about physical endurance. It was about facing old fears head on.

Training, Failing, and Continuing

In preparation, I took on the Bighorn Ram’s Horn Escape course: nearly 80 miles and 10,000 feet of climbing. They offer a shorter course, but in the spirit of Misogi, I chose the big one. I trained diligently, scouted the course, and gave it all I had. On race day, though, I was too slow. I missed the last cutoff, finishing at about 66 miles and 8,500 feet of climbing instead of the full course. Was it disappointing? Sure. But I was also proud. I had attempted my longest mountain bike ride ever, and that is worth celebrating.

With Leadville still on the horizon, I doubled down. I rode tougher courses, pushed my limits, and tried to get both stronger and braver.

Somewhere along the Big Horn bike race.

The Crash and a Revelation

On July 2nd, oddly enough 19 years to the day since my last major bike accident, I crashed. Big. I was coming down a stretch of asphalt at about 30 mph when a car came unexpectedly around a curve, heading straight for me. I swerved to miss it, crashing hard on my shoulder and head. The impact resulted in a fully separated AC joint, bruised ribs and sternum, and a concussion. Just like that, my Leadville dream for this year was over.

What Did I Learn?

Surprisingly, the lessons are not what I expected. I discovered that biking can be fun again when you let it be. I found new friends and new places. And, most importantly, the wounds, both physical and emotional, brought me to a realization:

The true Misogi for me may not be about conquering more physical feats. Harder still would be learning to slow down, be present, and savor the world as it is. Maybe the greatest challenge is not “what’s next,” but how to stay present, grateful, and open to life’s messy, beautiful uncertainties.

PS – You will still find me in the mountains but on foot for the foreseeable future!