Beyond the Office: 90 Miles, a Personal Goal, and Plenty of GratitudeBy Dr. Jim Harding

Earlier this year, I set a goal for my 60th birthday year: ride the Gran Fondo Hincapie in Greenville, South Carolina. With approximately 90 miles and 9,000 feet of climbing, it was a challenge that would require preparation, consistency, and some determination. I wanted to arrive fit, ready, and able to give it my best.

What I couldn’t have anticipated was how much more meaningful that goal would become.

Last weekend, I got to share the experience with my wife, my daughter, and nearly a dozen friends and family members. What began as a personal fitness challenge became an amazing weekend with people I love, at an event that also raised money for charity. There was plenty of hard work on the bike, but also laughter, encouragement, and a great deal of gratitude.

Patients usually see me in the office, focused on their dental care. Occasionally, though, I think it’s worth sharing a little about the person behind the mask. For me, physical fitness and mental health awareness are deeply personal. They are part of how I try to live, take care of myself, and work through life’s challenges.

I believe there is real value in having a goal that asks something of us. It doesn’t have to involve a bicycle or a mountain. It just needs to matter enough to get us moving on the days when staying put would be easier.

Much of the work toward this ride happened long before the starting line: early mornings, workouts squeezed into a busy schedule, and quiet decisions to follow through when nobody was watching. Those moments matter to me. There is something powerful about keeping a promise to yourself without needing anyone else to notice.

At 60, I wanted to know that I could still set a demanding goal and put in the work to meet it. The person I needed to prove something to was myself.

Having family and friends choose their own challenges and share this experience with me made it more special than anything I could have accomplished alone.

The past few years have brought profound loss and difficult changes to my life. They have also reminded me how much it matters to have people to lean on. I am grateful for those who have helped me through the hardest days and continue to share moments of joy and possibility with me.

A weekend like this doesn’t erase the difficult things. It does remind me that there are still experiences worth working toward, memories worth making, and people who make the effort worthwhile.

My hope is that you have something on the horizon that encourages you to take care of yourself and stretch a little beyond what feels comfortable. Whatever that goal looks like, I hope you give yourself the chance to pursue it—and let others share the journey.

To my family and friends who joined me in Greenville: thank you. I started with a goal for my 60th year. I came home with a memory I will always treasure.