Steve Miller learns about Racing

" I cannot believe how hard the start of those swim races are with so many bodies swimming and climbing over each other.  I did better this year, not getting so anxious and out of breath at the start of the battle.  It helped doing multiple races. " Steve Miller(Steve is life long athlete who cycles and played college football at the Div 1 level 'back in the day').  

Don't freaking tell me a crit is scary.  This guy jumps in the ocean with about 1000 people and swims out around two piers and back to shore….. I don't  know…maybe 2 miles?  Yea, through the surf in 'cold as heck' water.   Last race, a 7 foot long shark was sighted.

When we went to the start of the Barrouse Bales recently, our plan was to start at the front.   Chris, Hellen, Christina and I had our tires on the start line.   The road was about 20 ft wide and no more than 50m from the line was metal barrier protecting some utility construction.   There were about 5-6 guys crammed into the first line with us and rest of the 419 people were behind us.   Christina and I set there calmly knowing this thing would start like and explosion and collapse to 12 ft wide causing a huge traffic jam for the racers behind us.   People would be unclipping….a horrible sound.  Some would be yelling obscenities in French.

We were totally prepared as this was only one of many races this year.   In the recent weeks, C has said a couple of times that more frequent racing really reduces her stress running up to a race.  This is coming from someone that use to feel stressed out about doing the SCTAC 'B' ride/race on Tuesday nights………she loves SCTAC now.

It is almost amusing to me that so many people never learn this:  You cannot do anything well(and have fun) without the correct preparation and in athletics, this means doing races before 'the big race'.  It means racing often so one is 'race hard' physically, but mostly mentally.  Some people who have 'race reluctance' say, "I don't race, I just like to have fun."  Hum….to me, racing is fun.  They say, "I just like to ride, I am not competitive any more."  I used to ride with a couple that said this……every ride would become a race……every hill a competition.  "I am not competitive…"?  They wanted to beat my ass every time we threw our legs over our bikes.   I gave 'em up.  Most of time, I just want to ride(albeit hard sometimes), not competing but working with my ride mates!  Save competition for racing.  Before leaving this, I want say understand most folks that ride bikes do not want to race bikes(like most do not swim in open water ocean races)….I get that.  Some want to race but it is beyond their comfort zone.  However, all of us compete at something in our lives, so overcoming limits caused by comfort zone issues is terrific lesson to learn!

I've got a pal named Gary Rancourt, that does not cycle anymore.  After a year or so of paddle boarding, he recently finished a 25 mile race.  He endured boating traffic, head winds and waves, falling off the board several times.  Took over 5 hours.  You think this guy understands how to increase his comfort zone?  Don't use age as excuse either……Gary is about 70.  You can increase your comfort zone until as long as yoga re breathing.

Thirty five years ago I started a dinky business from scratch.   At that time, I could not speak publicly to 300-400 people(or 3-4 either), ask a bank for a $10m line of credit, or close the sale of a $2m contract……heck, I was cleaning the toilet and typing letters.   I increased my comfort zone…..day after day….year after year.   Now, I am back cleaning toilets and typing letters.  And, I like it….funny how life works.

Anyone can increase their comfort zone, or just set around Starbucks, drink coffee and talk.  I love Starbucks but I like a big comfort zone because it allows me to do a lot of stuff.  I've ridden in Europe and Africa but C has been talking about Asia and Hawaii……wow! gonna need to increase my comfort zone again.

See ya out there.