This is not Bob’s Lake Tahoe report, but since so many people are checking the site for it I thought I would hack in and give you something to watch. This video was one of his mantras as he headed out into the darkness. He’ll post something soon, after he recovers from the 100 mile run and the Burger King incident.
The start of the Way Too Cool 50k in Cool, CA
First things first: CONGRATULATIONS to Point Positive triathlete, Jeff Ottoboni for knocking 10min off his open half-marathon time yesterday at the inaugural Modesto Half-Marathon. Jeff just established his open half-marathon personal-best back on Feb 7 at the Davis Stampede. That’s gotta feel good, especially since Jeff’s from Modesto.
Spring has officially sprung. Some folks have more clocks to set than just the alarm, the microwave, and the one on the dashboard. If you’re an endurance athlete, well then there’s all those other devices that we use to measure ourselves against–our trusty Ironman, Polar, and Garmin wristwatches, various cyclometers, gizmos and gadgetry, that bear witness to our continuous struggles; those myriad ups-n-downs that constitute our annual ebb and flow as birds of a feather. And flock together we find ourselves now that the race season is underway. It’s an exciting time to set new goals as we reset our timing devices, as we reset our microwaves, and as we recalibrate our minds to the tasks we’ve boldly set before us.
I’m reminded while looking at the faces in the above photo of the Way Too Cool 50k last weekend that here are some of the most bold and mentally tough athletes out there. Victor Ballesteros, the 2009 Montrail Ultra Grand Prix Racing Series title winner, Erik Skaden, winner of the 2008 & 2010 Tahoe Rim Trail 100 miler, Tim Twietmeyer (#51), five-time champ of the Western States Endurance Run, and Michael Cook (#10), who, in addition to having a balanced life as husband, father, and friend has completed numerous Ironman triathlons, 100mi runs, raced his bike across the country last year in RAAM, and always paces evenly for the Clif Bar Marathon Pace Team. And look as these guys — for something that most of society would dismiss as more than a bit crazy, they’re happily bouncing off to test themselves against one of the most difficult, most competitive ultras in the country.
If you want to improve at racing you must race. If you want to see how you stack up against the best your sport has to offer (whether in the overall or your age-division) then you go to the events that attract the best in the sport. Like the ship to the tide, you will rise to the occasion and find out what you’re really made of. Let the chips fall where they may then be at peace with your results so that your mind is free to move forward unencumbered, tougher.
“The thing that made me mentally tough was experience and putting myself in race situations. It takes a bunch of times getting beat to become a champion. You have to go out there and get the experience. Don’t worry about winning or losing; you’re not going to learn how to win until you race. You have to toe up if you really want to learn.” -Mike Pigg, Triathlon legend
The Lake Sonoma 50 miler is coming up next weekend right here at home. After being disappointed about not being able to toe the line at Cool and get trounced there by some of the best in my sport, I took a look at the entrant list at Lake Sonoma this year to find that Hal Koerner, reigning champ of the Western States 100 will be there preparing to defend his title at States in June. Joe Palubeski’s back, who whooped me by an hour at last year’s Sierra Nevada 100k placed 5th in ‘09. Nathan Yanko, 2nd last year, is back. To make matters “worse,” Geoff Roes is slated to be there as well. All of a sudden, the whole dynamic of the race changes based on who throws their hat in the ring. Why did I mourn my failed lottery attempt at Cool? Lake Sonoma’s exactly where I want to be. I’ve never raced some of these fellas. Having them there inspires me to put my very best foot forward. Preparation becomes easier when you visualize yourself where you want to be late in your next race >>> strong and pushing. I believe those words of Dr. George Sheehan, “There is no failure except in no longer trying.”
There are 3 Point Positive athletes racing at Oceanside next weekend.
Lake Sonoma 50 miler - 3/27/10 - Let's GO!
So, most of us will get beat and beat and beat some more this year and next. But when we get beat by the best (those we should measure ourselves against), well then, aren’t we the worst of the best? Still, the draw is to work smarter to improve. I know that I’m better than I was last year, and so are you if you still sense that fire in your belly when a car passes you on the freeway or you’re passed by on a road-ride or trail-run. Better is a relative term. Better is an attitude. We’re better than we were last year. I’ll pace smarter this year. I draw confidence from my preparation, which has been more specific to the demands of the type of racing I’m now doing. All of a sudden I find myself no longer a newby ultra-runner; I’ve got a couple 50Ks and 50milers to my name, a 100k, and a 100miler. “Every experience,” as John Dewey wrote, “lives on in future experiences.” So, I want to toe up. I want to learn. This attitude, I feel, must be the tap of our potential, however you define your potential. So let’s take a long draw from the tap this year. Let’s toast heartily to that mighty space that exists between the start and finish lines of our most challenging events. May we be brave in our struggles.
Mike Pigg - Old School is so cool.
“We need to rest our minds to get the fire going for the race. Part of my success was that I was good at resting my mind. A lot of good athletes out there should have beaten me in races, and they either didn’t rest their bodies or they didn’t rest their minds. That clean, rested mind, as a muscle, will be ready to give 100% on race day.” -Mike Pigg
A lot of us have races coming up. How will we “rest our minds” coming into them? What new strategies will we employ to steel our heads against the rigors of racing, strategies that will massage our mental muscles so that we can stay up with our perceived competition longer? Yoga, meditation, reading some classic literature…?
“It’s really a simple thing. It’s your outlet in life. You train, rest, and race. That’s what it amounts to. We can start to complicate things more than is needed. Try to let go of some of the minutiae and big issues and just focus on the simple things. Control what you can and let go of what you can’t. It’s really not much more complicated than that.” -Paul Huddle, triathlon coach and former professional triathlete
Michael Cook at the Cool 50k run - Mental Toughness in action
.+! Point Positive .+!