I've never really been one of those 'couldabeen / shouldabeen' kinda guys. This probably comes across as a cliche, but there are absolutely no quasi-philosophical / spiritual undercurrents here - I'm simply not smart enough to conduct the business of everyday life and spend a lot of time worrying about what I could have done better at the same time. This is probably a curse and a blessing at the same time, but, true to form, I really don't spend a lot of time thinking about it.
Lately, however, there has been one major exception. My parents are probably the first people on the 'exempt' list when it comes to assigning blame for the decisions I made as a young lad - as many folks around will eagerly inform you, they pretty much made did the best they could with the, well, let's just call it the difficult hand they were dealt. But nowadays, when I'm out suffering on the bike just so I can be competitive in a few more B grade club races, I can't help but wonder why, when I was 15 and totally jack of athletics and football, but still really freaking fit from going out into the Grampians on my mountain bike every other weekend, my folks didn't take me down to the Ararat velodrome and suggest I go round and round in circles for a bit. I might have been hooked from the start, and my fitness wouldn't have ever dropped the way it did, and those results would've been in A grade instead of B.
When I'm struggling up some hill, or killing myself to keep up with some nineteen year old, this really pisses me off. Is almost-thirty too old to storm off into my room, slam the door and crank the stereo?
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5 comments:
I like this post. BUT - not someone for self reflect and rehashing the past? I certainly would not suggest you bring up the past too much but you did publish multiple volumes of your memoirs, right? ;)
I'm a bit past fifteen now but when I'm peeved I go ride round the terrible training velodrome near home til I get so annoyed I have a thirty second temper tantrum and let it all go. Works really well... I also wish I'd figured it out at fifteen though!
I used to do gymnastics when I was little. My mum pulled me out because she thought the centre "smelled like socks." I'll never forgive her for this.
i keep this article bookmarked for good reason:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/sports/othersports/08cycling.html?pagewanted=1&_r=3
I have a good friend back in vancouver who picked up racing while working as a messenger. He did ok in a couple of alleycats, then it was winter and he raced a little track to stay fit and b/c it was fun. 18mths later and he is mixing it up with National Champs in A grade, now he rides B grade on the road and just made B grade in CX after one season.
He got focused, kept his head/ego down and worked hard.
He is 28... he works in the film industry and just got offered a spot on the updated version of Sven's old team.
Look back to learn, and laugh... but keep your mind in the future. Most of those 16-19yr old burn out by the time they are in their early 20s as biking is all theyve done. You had your 20s and now you have biking as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmXri8ZCKjc
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