As a Sports Performance Coach, I have had the opportunity to work with some very gifted young athletes over the years. It is always great to see the developmental changes that occur as a result of hard work and sacrifice, both physical and mental. I have witnessed high school students 'come out of their shell' as they begin to realize the fruit of their labors. Many of the young athletes I have worked with over the years have come to me with low self esteem, and a very low level of confidence. I can honestly say that every one of them left confident that they would be able to excel in their chosen sport...it's simply a part of training, and realizing one's goals.
I too have experienced this feeling through rigorous training...the feeling that I am getting stronger, faster, and more powerful. Improving one's confidence is beneficial for everyone, but for an athlete...it is imperative for success.
Yesterday I took the new bike out for it's first ride. I was both excited and anxious about getting this bike back on the trail, having broken three frames already. I decided the best place to put this new machine to the test would be the Pemberton Trail...home to the Dawn to Dusk Endurance Mountain Bike Race that I will be competing on December 1st. My plan was to ride two loops...roughly 32-miles.
I am feeling strong, and I know I am on track to tackle 10-hours of riding come December 1st...confident that I will be able to achieve my goal of six laps, for a total of roughly 96-miles. My bike looks great, and it weighs in at 22-pounds...a lean, mean, mountain bike machine!
As I was driving out to the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, I was thinking of my upcoming race, and what I have done to prepare for it. I also thought about why I was riding...who it was truly honoring, and the sacrifices they have made for our country. During my 1-hour drive, my confidence level continued to improve, and by the time I arrived at the trail, I was rarin' to go! As I pulled my bike down from the roof rack, I noticed just how light it was...another confidence builder. I suited up, and headed out on the trail feeling like I could take on the world. Thoughts of the three previous frames that had broken, were non-existent...all I was thinking about was just how fast and nimble my new bike was.
I completed my first lap (16 miles) and felt great. What a difference between my two bikes. I was noticeably less fatigued than I usually am when riding my other bike. You see, my other bike is a full suspension mountain bike...which means it is nice and cushy on my tushy! It's a great bike, but because it has both front and rear suspension, it is considerably heavier. It is also made from aluminum rather than carbon. Like I said, it's a great bike, and I feel blessed to have two amazing bikes, but my race bike is just more efficient, therefore I use less energy for a given amount of riding. Another confidence builder.
I quickly downed some legal supplements, ergogenic aids...whatever you want to call them. No doping for me...just legal, evidence-based products that help to keep me pedaling! I set out on my second lap, feeling great. I quickly noticed that I was averaging a faster pace than I did on my first lap! More confidence. My second lap seemed to be over very quickly. As I rolled back into the parking lot, I hit the LAP button on my computer, and was surprised to see that my second lap was faster than my first lap! My training, coupled with the efficiency of my new bike, was paying off big!
Aside from noticing that I was riding faster, I also noticed an older couple unloading two hybrid bikes from the pack of a pickup truck. My initial thought was that they would be riding on the roads that meandered throughout the McDowell Mountain Park. As I was getting my bike loaded up, and putting my gear away, I heard the familiar sound of tires on gravel. I turned to look, and saw that the man was riding up to me. He stopped and asked if I had any tools with me, as he needed to tighten the stem on his bike. As he worked to get his bike repaired, he mentioned that he would hate to get caught "way back, out there on the trail"...insert the sound of a record being scratched right here. I was unable to hide my disbelief as I blurted out "What!?" "You are riding those bikes on this trail?" He looked up from his work, and said "Of course, where did you think we were riding?" I asked him if he had ridden this trail before, and his response was "Yes, a few times...I love how fast you can get going coming back down the hill on the north side!"
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| A typical hybrid bike... |
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| my bike |
Alright, let me paint the picture here a little better. Not only were these folks in their mid-sixties (don't get me wrong here...I'm not saying that they are too old to ride the trails), they were not in very good shape. Both of them were significantly overweight, and they both only had one small water bottle each...oh yeah...and the guy had a Canadian accent, which means that they were probably not acclimated to our 'warm' weather. Now remember, this is a 16-mile loop!
My Canadian friend did his best to fix his bike, but the stem was still a little loose. He shrugged it off and stated "It'll be fine, it's not that long of a ride anyway." I stood there, dressed in Spandex, looking at this guy in corduroy shorts, a golf shirt, and tennis shoes, who was about to go out and casually ride the same 16-mile loop that just finished...on a bike that is made to ride on nicely maintained asphalt or gravel roads...and his wife was doing it too! I was speechless, as he spoke. I tried to wish him a fun, safe ride...but I'm sure my words got jumbled, as I noticed him tilt his head sideways slightly as if he was saying to himself "Strange American." He and his wife rolled off together, calmly attacking the trail.
My confidence faded.
So what is the moral to this story? I'm still trying to figure that out. If you have some ideas for me, please leave me a comment at the bottom of this page. I'll be here...trying to build my confidence back up.
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