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It wasn’t supposed to be there.

In fact, there should have been a path leading down to the gate about 100 metres in front of us. Instead, the way was completely blocked—fallen trees, thick shrubs, and what looked like half the hillside had collapsed onto the track.

We’d just descended a steep hill, about 1km from the last turn-off, so heading back wasn’t really an option. Climbing above or below the blockage wasn’t possible either. And we were on gravel bikes—so wherever we went, the bikes had to come too.

Finding a way through was the only option.

After a bit of a scramble, I spotted a possible route—ducking under branches, clambering over logs, sliding down a 10-foot bank, then squeezing beneath a few more trees. It took around 10 minutes, a fair bit of bike-wrangling, and some solid teamwork—but we got through. And we had a good laugh about it afterwards.

Whatever you're working towards in life, you're always going to face obstacles.

Whether you’re simply trying to get home, training for your first triathlon or ultra-marathon, or building a business—progress is rarely linear. Obstacles come in all shapes and sizes. You can give up, get frustrated, or go back. Sometimes you’ll just need to push a bit harder. Other times, you’ll have to pause, take a breath, and find another way.

If you truly want to reach your goal, finding a way is your only option.

In his book The Obstacle Is the Way, Ryan Holiday writes:

“The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.”

So next time your progress is blocked, take a moment to consider how the challenge in front of you might actually be an opportunity. Then take a breath, puzzle it out, and keep moving forward—calmly, creatively, and with purpose.

Got your own story of overcoming a blocked path—on or off the bike? Hit reply and share it with me, or leave a comment on the blog. I read everything, and I’d love to hear from you.

If you're enjoying these weekly reflections, gear tips, and mindset musings, make sure you're signed up for the newsletter—and feel free to forward this to a friend who might appreciate it.

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I really appreciate you being part of my tribe and I look forward to helping you achieve better health and better performance. Simon

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