I have the great pleasure of introducing another #FindYourWhy post by Ryan Pierce. Ryan and I have been best friends ever since the bowl cut was cool…Ryan is a wanderlust at heart, and one of (if not THE) most adventurous people I’ve ever known. He surpassed being an adventure-seeker a long time ago, he’s more of an adventure-maker. I reached out to Ryan because he has a unique perspective on health, wellness, and fitness. As a MTB tour guide on the west coast at Moab Cyclery in Moab, Utah. He relies on his health daily to be able to function and perform optimally both out on the trail and while prepping and caring for those he’s guiding along the way. Check out what he has to say about WHY he focuses on keeping himself healthy and fit and follow him @OutThereInIt on Instagram to see what he’s up to. And while you’re at it, check out why Finding Your Why is the best hack you’re not using to see results with your wellness goals.

I have the unique privilege of having so many aspects of my life integrated with each other. As a job, I’m a mountain bike tour guide, continuously traveling across the western states, showing people the greatest trails and most beautiful landscapes of our country. And when I on personal time, well, I’m actually doing the same thing. Physical fitness is the foundation of so much of what I do.In my early 20s, I became aware that the amount of natural beauty I could experience was directly proportional to my fitness level. When I saw this it was game on! 900 mile bike trek on a whim? Done. Hike to the bottom of Grand Canyon? Totally. Hit a few 14ers? Sure. All while sweating and smiling. (Most of the way at least.)

Now, at age 30, I do the same activities but I’m paid for it. So my fitness isn’t just my own. Customers and my co-guides rely on me to perform, day after day. In a 15 hour work day, I may wear more than a dozen hats. Cook, cleaner, motivational coach, bike mechanic, technique instructor, emergency first responder, navigator, sherpa, just to name a few. They all rest on the cornerstone of my mental and physical fitness. Sometimes I can be stretched thin, but I’m over the moon to have the opportunity to lead folks through the great outdoors. Sports are fun. Traveling is awesome. But at the end of the day, I’m also looking for connection with people. Trekking through a desert canyon or riding trails in the mountains have a special way of facilitating that connection. Burning thighs and a sun burn are small prices to pay for joy I get in return. This current obsession of mine, mountain biking, has proven to be a fantastic almost-full body workout. Hard riding engages everything from your feet all the way to your neck. During a ride, I may stop and add some pushups. If I’m ticked off a hard sweat on the bike with my headphones clears my head better than anything I’ve found. And finding new trails promotes road trips and exploration. MTB is the love of my life.

Blog reposted from: http://www.sethkingwellness.com/blog/2016/11/22/mountain-bike-life-a-findyourwhy-story