here is a random message I sent out to my mountain bike race team.....
a message not to Elite Racers, but to us regular folk who try to balance life with some bicycle racing... which in my case is the occassional semi regular mountainbike race
this monday I am doubled booked....
my wife and I are headed to the National Geographic for the first night
of the Banff Film Festival
so I will say what I may want to say at the team meeting now...
In the Sci-Fi Cult Classic BLADE RUNNER there is a moment where
uber-android Roy "meets his maker"
In this emotional exchange Roy questions his mortality or more
specifically Roy questions his "expiration date." Eldon Tyrell; founder
of the Tyrell corporation and metaphorical father to this race of
androids, responds to Roys question with this poetic statement....
Welp may identify more clearly with the character Leon Kowalski, but the
rest of us can reflect on this quote directed to the bad boy antagonist
Roy Batty as portrayed by Rutger Hauer and see how this may apply to our
lives, our cycling, and our training...
in an email exchange between my brother and myself there was some
discussion about the rapidly approaching mountainbike season and my lack
of base miles...
well, not so much the"lack of base " but more specifically... the slight
envy for all of those who have been logging long and hard miles this
early in the preseason (including all sort of winter trail riding)
to this idea my brother shared with me a little Pearl of Wisdom that he
heard/read from the mind of a roadie
there may be some truth to that...
the season is like one long race
just like on race day it is important not to leap out of the gate too
fast... remember
so many of us end up feeling burned out come August, when there are
still so many mountain bike races to do in the late summer on through
the fall
not to mention the pleasure of cyclocross season!
so....
take a look at your season last year
study what you did
study how well achieved
carry with you the things that you did right
shed the things that you did wrong
then
slightly modify your training/lifestyle so that this season your
performance will be better than your last
as for me.....
I am not sure what I did
I am not sure what I am doing
there is no coach over here
there is no training log
I have no specific diet
(unless you consider the Fried Fish Box from YUMS to be a racer's diet)
but I do know that I had a good ratio of input and success
my intention it is to try and repeat a healthy performance this year
not so much measured by victories.... as I can not control how fast the
opponent races... I can only control how fast I race.... be certain I
will give it my all... there are those that are faster than me... that
is to be expected... but I can still be satisfied with my efforts and my
personal achievements!
yes, go out and ride
yes, go out and ride those long miles and long hours
but
keep it in perspective
keep a balance
and
keep a good healthy pace
a healthy pace with your cycling and with your life
my life is by no means a model to live by
by no means am I telling anyone to not do that long ride
I am just presenting some FOOD FOR THOUGHT
eat up or spit it out
most people have more than likely already hit DELETE without making it
this far
no worries
I get paid whether you read this message or not!
a message not to Elite Racers, but to us regular folk who try to balance life with some bicycle racing... which in my case is the occassional semi regular mountainbike race
this monday I am doubled booked....
my wife and I are headed to the National Geographic for the first night
of the Banff Film Festival
so I will say what I may want to say at the team meeting now...
In the Sci-Fi Cult Classic BLADE RUNNER there is a moment where
uber-android Roy "meets his maker"
In this emotional exchange Roy questions his mortality or more
specifically Roy questions his "expiration date." Eldon Tyrell; founder
of the Tyrell corporation and metaphorical father to this race of
androids, responds to Roys question with this poetic statement....
"the light that burns twice as bright, burns half as long.... and my you
have burned so very, very brightly"
have burned so very, very brightly"
Welp may identify more clearly with the character Leon Kowalski, but the
rest of us can reflect on this quote directed to the bad boy antagonist
Roy Batty as portrayed by Rutger Hauer and see how this may apply to our
lives, our cycling, and our training...
in an email exchange between my brother and myself there was some
discussion about the rapidly approaching mountainbike season and my lack
of base miles...
well, not so much the"lack of base " but more specifically... the slight
envy for all of those who have been logging long and hard miles this
early in the preseason (including all sort of winter trail riding)
to this idea my brother shared with me a little Pearl of Wisdom that he
heard/read from the mind of a roadie
"winter hero... summer zero...."
(or something to that effect)
(or something to that effect)
there may be some truth to that...
the season is like one long race
just like on race day it is important not to leap out of the gate too
fast... remember
"set the pace... win the race"
(I admit my race strategy is go out hard and hang on... burn all ya got in the tank and hope the finish is around the next corner!)
so many of us end up feeling burned out come August, when there are
still so many mountain bike races to do in the late summer on through
the fall
not to mention the pleasure of cyclocross season!
so....
take a look at your season last year
study what you did
study how well achieved
carry with you the things that you did right
shed the things that you did wrong
then
slightly modify your training/lifestyle so that this season your
performance will be better than your last
as for me.....
I am not sure what I did
I am not sure what I am doing
there is no coach over here
there is no training log
I have no specific diet
(unless you consider the Fried Fish Box from YUMS to be a racer's diet)
but I do know that I had a good ratio of input and success
my intention it is to try and repeat a healthy performance this year
not so much measured by victories.... as I can not control how fast the
opponent races... I can only control how fast I race.... be certain I
will give it my all... there are those that are faster than me... that
is to be expected... but I can still be satisfied with my efforts and my
personal achievements!
yes, go out and ride
yes, go out and ride those long miles and long hours
but
keep it in perspective
keep a balance
and
keep a good healthy pace
a healthy pace with your cycling and with your life
my life is by no means a model to live by
by no means am I telling anyone to not do that long ride
I am just presenting some FOOD FOR THOUGHT
eat up or spit it out
most people have more than likely already hit DELETE without making it
this far
no worries
I get paid whether you read this message or not!