Tuning Out the Noise: Finding My Own Pace on the Road to the Rebelle

The Pressure of Preparation

As the countdown to the Rebelle Rally ticks closer, the buzz gets louder. Social media is flooded with gear upgrades, training trips, sponsorship wins, and all the hustle behind the scenes. It’s exciting. It’s inspiring. But if I’m honest? It can also feel overwhelming.

Protecting My Peace

This year, the noise is louder than ever for me. And not in a cheerleader pom-poms kind of way—more like the static of comparison, pressure, and financial strain. I’ve found myself needing to step back. To protect my peace. To remember why I said yes to the Rebelle in the first place.

Protecting my peace means silencing both internal and external chatter. I’ve stepped back from feeling obligated to like or comment on every social media post related to the rally. I’ve given myself permission to not have to practice every day—in fact, I took all of May just to breathe. I chose to stop pressuring myself to be perfect, or to overhaul my gear in search of the latest and greatest. What I have is good enough to get me where I need to go.

Instead, I’ve spent time creating art, grounding myself in what really matters: mental, physical, and spiritual self-care. That’s where I want to invest my energy right now. I’m also giving myself permission to not be at every meetup, to not have all the answers, and to not show up just to be seen. I don’t need to be part of every conversation or chase visibility just to be “known” by other Rebelle teams. This event is important, but it is not my identity. It feels big right now, but just like 2023, I’ll return to my everyday life when it’s over. The hype will fade, and I’ll still be me—a regular person navigating everyday struggles. The Rebelle Rally is not my peak; it’s part of my journey.

Running My Own Race

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of thinking we have to chase every tip, every piece of gear, every practice run. That if we’re not constantly leveling up, we’re falling behind. But the truth is, I rocked my first year without all the bells and whistles. I didn’t have the fanciest equipment or a packed training calendar, and still—I did great.

I’ll never forget Day 0 of my first Rebelle Rally. We showed up with very little practice together, unsure of how it would go—and we killed it. We surprised ourselves! Not only did we complete the day successfully, but we even had enough time left over to stop and help my now teammate, Jessi, change her flat tire on the way back to basecamp. We didn’t have the best tools or the most experience, but we showed up, leaned on each other, and kicked butt. That moment reminded me how capable we are, and how sometimes showing up with heart and hustle matters more than showing up with the perfect gear. We carried that energy all the way through Day 6.

The Cost of Commitment

This year, things feel different. The financial load is heavier. The sponsorship road feels steeper. Our merch isn’t flying off the shelves like I’d hoped. And that’s hard. Saying yes to the rally has meant saying no to a lot of other things I care about—like our usual summer trip, home savings, even new gear if something breaks. I’m even considering picking up a second job to help make this happen.

But what keeps me going is knowing that I’m proving something important to myself: that I am worth this investment. This isn’t just a rally—it’s a personal commitment to my own growth. I’m stepping into something challenging because I believe that doing hard things shapes me. Being uncomfortable and choosing to show up anyway—day after day—is what builds my strength. This experience is a mirror, and in it, I see resilience, courage, and deep self-worth. I won’t give up, because showing up for myself like this is one of the most rewarding things I can do.

Trusting Myself

And yet, despite the stress and the sacrifice, I keep coming back to this: I am capable. I am smart. I have what it takes. Even when I feel behind, even when I have to learn at my own pace, I know I’m building toward something meaningful.

It’s easy, especially when I’m home and away from my teammate, to let the doubts creep in. I catch myself comparing—even to my own teammate—wondering if I’m doing enough, or if we’re falling behind other teams. But then we get out there. We practice. We train. And I remember: I’m good at this. Navigating comes naturally to me. Every time I’m out there, I refine my skills. I grow. I shine. I have strengths that are uniquely mine, and I can trust that. My journey to the Rebelle is unfolding just right for me.

Turning Down the Volume

There is an amazing community of women out there training, learning, pushing themselves for the Rebelle—and I’m grateful to be part of that. But I also have to run my own race. Not theirs. I have to filter the noise, honor my limits, and trust my instincts.

Maybe the noise around the Rebelle is getting quieter this year—or maybe I’m just learning to turn down the volume. Either way, I’m reminding myself: I’m not here to be perfect. I’m here to be present, to be resilient, and to do what I love in a way that works for me.

That’s enough. I’m enough. And I’m ready.

Looking Ahead

This isn’t the loudest or flashiest chapter of my Rebelle journey—but it might be the most honest. I’m learning to navigate uncertainty with grace, to show up with courage instead of comparison, and to root myself in purpose rather than pressure. Wherever this year leads, I’m proud of how far I’ve come—and how true I’ve stayed to myself along the way.

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