A year ago today I started what I believed to be the best job in the world for me.
Happy to report this is more true today than the day I started. It's been a short year - one that seems to have happened in much less time than a year. A lot has happened, much has yet to happen. For the first year in my life, I am not spending my free time trying to figure out what I'm going to do for the rest of my life.
I've finally figured out how to focus my enjoyment of too many things to accomplish one much bigger thing instead of spreading myself too thin and not making significant forward progress. Everything I did in the past was important when I did it then, and now it's all finally able to add up.
I'm so excited for the coming year: for the challenges that will come, for the cool events that will happen, for the growth to come in the business, for the changes that will take place, for the people who will discover the RSC and those who will make new connections and accomplish their goals through them. For the opportunities I will have to impact each of these and the satisfaction that will result.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Race Report
As always, when I race, I must report on that race. Racing has to be one of the most fun things to report about and, based on responses by others, also one of the most interesting things to read. I always enjoy reading the stories from my Ride Studio Cafe teammates even though I am left imagining where they're racing as I'm not familiar with the New England races.
Last Wednesday, two days after becoming my race age of 35, I raced in the Witches Cup in Salem, the Massachusetts State crit champ race. Almost every year there's a race on or around my birthday. The last race that I did when I was really serious about training and bike racing was the day before I turned 30--downtown Denver at one of my favorites, Bannock. Eeek, time has flown much too quickly.
Salem is a town I have grown to like through a few bike rides that have brought me there and I did this same race last year. Thinking back, I like almost every small town where I've raced. Maybe it's the adrenaline and happy feelings that come along with the endorphins that endear me to a place after being there to race. This, in conjunction with getting to know people and the place shows its personality and warmth as so many small towns do.
One more reason to race: get to know small towns and places that wouldn't be seen otherwise. Silver City and Salida are both places near and dear only because of races. St Paul is a town I like otherwise, but thinking back to the race of attrition that happened as Stage 1 of Nature Valley Grand Prix the year I was there and how devastated I was in that race, it almost soured me to the place.
Back to the Witches Cup: it's a very fine course that involves only right-hand turns around a large park so it is the perfect venue for racers and spectators, alike. Being a Wednesday night, it doesn't mess up a weekend day and everyone goes out together after the race to have dinner since no one has made plans, which is a typical problem on weekends. The best part of racing is the time after the race, hanging out and enjoying the company of teammates and friends. Racing is super fun, of course, it's just usually a let-down to finish and immediately go home alone. Traveling races are good - so are hours afterward to talk with teammates about strategy, what happened, who did what, etc. Yes, the conversation is hours in duration to be complete and fully satisfying.
My goal for the Witches Cup race was to finish with the pack and be safe. I haven't trained for a crit, haven't done any intervals (though I've gotten in a few hard rides in the past few weeks) nor did I go in remotely well-rested. The pace was reasonably high, though no one tried to make an attack stick. Had they done that, it would have helped raise the pace to something a bit more uncomfortable. The first part of the race was good, though I was pretty concerned about the racers who didn't appear to have good cornering skills. Everyone, at first, was worrying me as I didn't know who to trust. My racing once-upon-a-time found me blog-stalking my competitors. I knew what my rivals had eaten for breakfast. I knew which wheels to ride on and who I needed to worry about at the line. The research was useful. Racing week after week with the same set of people helped, too.
I realized how few people I knew at the race and it feels weird to be so unknown in a situation so familiar. Having good teammates out there was awesome. The warm-up with the RSC girls was really cool. I don't like warming up alone because I often find that I think about the race so much that I get lost and almost don't make it to the start on time. It's also nice to have company for the pre-race leg-openers. Worrying about others' races helps me not think about mine. I offered more advice to my teammates than they probably cared to hear. I like to give good advice and promptly discard it where it comes to my racing. I care that my friends have a fun race, make it to the finish line & feel good about the experience. For me, I feel that if I die out there by working hard, then I've had a good race and I know I will feel good about it. If I play it safe and not everything goes perfectly in the final lap, I didn't get my money's worth. Actually, if I play it safe and do well, I'm still not totally satisfied. Whether I race or not, I love racing and am hooked on it. I know I never have to worry about disliking riding or the sport. I used to guard against that, especially as a cat 3, when so many women decide that racing really isn't for them.
Around and around we went. It's a bit of a blur - though only a 35-minute blur. About 15 minutes in, I was pretty sure I was going to get sick. I'd eaten a bit too much earlier in the day because of pre-race nervousness, but the feeling of sickness was probably due to my heart beating faster for longer duration than it had done since last year at this same race. Fine with me, I didn't have to do a single interval session, my least favorite part of training or racing. February intervals. I used to hate those with a passion and they hurt so badly, it's hard to explain, especially because in February I used to be super fit from a winter of long endurance rides, long trainer rides and lifting in the gym. Still, those intervals....sends shivers for me to think back about doing those out on a lonely, flat, boring bike path to nowhere at dusk feeling like the least fit person in the world as I had to fight to get my heart rate to rise high enough.
I didn't compete for a single prime during the race. That was hard for me to bear. I always, always like to sprint for primes and at the very least give the others a run for their money. For starters, they're a great way to warm up the legs in the race and it's also very educational: how is everyone else sprinting? What's most effective? Who's riding well? And, of course, it is always the time to attempt a breakaway.
But in this race, I was a bit concerned that I'd blow up going for a prime and not be able to recover to continue to race with the pack. So I rode hard, tried to keep good position up front and reminded myself to not do anything too ultra-stupid. With only a few laps to go, I lost position some and I don't exactly know what happened and why. With two short laps to go, I moved up a lot, pretty close to the front. The pace was fiery as people positioned. On the last lap, a crash happened to my left and it spread across the street. I had to ride around it to avoid it so that messed up the finish a bit. When that crash happened, all I could think about was how silly it would be to be broken because of a crash and not be able to be fully functional at work. I used to type for a living, now I need to be able to stand on my feet for 12+ hours some days. When I get (hopefully much) older and naturally less mobile, I look forward to going back to being a computer geek, but now I'm eating up the chance to be active during the day at work.
The final result? 15/44 and it felt great once it was over. Reminded me what it is to race, how fun it is and how possible it is to return to the sport (so unlike tennis or soccer, two sports I used to adore but can't participate in any longer, don't get me on a rant about that). Doing it as part of the Ride Studio Cafe team really added to the experience. Having guys out there represented in the other races was great and sharing in the experience with everyone at the Sul Posto really enhanced the time spent out there during the evening.
Well, I raced. Once ought to do it this year. As fun as it was, I'm really very happy to continue to spend weekends doing the job I adore and living vicariously from the race reports and stories of others. I've discovered so many kinds of riding (off-road dirt for the cx bike and going out at night) that I enjoy so much that spending this time doesn't leave me wishing I were racing. Even if time permitted, I'm not sure I would race more. Okay, I probably would, but that's because it's the thoughtless solution to what, for me, would possibly be an otherwise dull weekend.
There it is, one race, one race report sized for a full season of racing. So, Witches Cup next year? Maybe it's time to start racing masters. Or, maybe it's time for track so I can get my sprint back. Then again, racing is a distraction from much bigger goals I have for my life that I won't achieve if I'm distracted. When will there ever be enough time for both?
 |
| Photo courtesy of Jay Robbins. Photo missing teammates Joy & Mo, we had a great showing at the race. |
Salem is a town I have grown to like through a few bike rides that have brought me there and I did this same race last year. Thinking back, I like almost every small town where I've raced. Maybe it's the adrenaline and happy feelings that come along with the endorphins that endear me to a place after being there to race. This, in conjunction with getting to know people and the place shows its personality and warmth as so many small towns do.
 |
| Time before the race with Erin & Cindy. |
One more reason to race: get to know small towns and places that wouldn't be seen otherwise. Silver City and Salida are both places near and dear only because of races. St Paul is a town I like otherwise, but thinking back to the race of attrition that happened as Stage 1 of Nature Valley Grand Prix the year I was there and how devastated I was in that race, it almost soured me to the place.
Back to the Witches Cup: it's a very fine course that involves only right-hand turns around a large park so it is the perfect venue for racers and spectators, alike. Being a Wednesday night, it doesn't mess up a weekend day and everyone goes out together after the race to have dinner since no one has made plans, which is a typical problem on weekends. The best part of racing is the time after the race, hanging out and enjoying the company of teammates and friends. Racing is super fun, of course, it's just usually a let-down to finish and immediately go home alone. Traveling races are good - so are hours afterward to talk with teammates about strategy, what happened, who did what, etc. Yes, the conversation is hours in duration to be complete and fully satisfying.
 |
| Photo courtesy Russ Campbell |
I realized how few people I knew at the race and it feels weird to be so unknown in a situation so familiar. Having good teammates out there was awesome. The warm-up with the RSC girls was really cool. I don't like warming up alone because I often find that I think about the race so much that I get lost and almost don't make it to the start on time. It's also nice to have company for the pre-race leg-openers. Worrying about others' races helps me not think about mine. I offered more advice to my teammates than they probably cared to hear. I like to give good advice and promptly discard it where it comes to my racing. I care that my friends have a fun race, make it to the finish line & feel good about the experience. For me, I feel that if I die out there by working hard, then I've had a good race and I know I will feel good about it. If I play it safe and not everything goes perfectly in the final lap, I didn't get my money's worth. Actually, if I play it safe and do well, I'm still not totally satisfied. Whether I race or not, I love racing and am hooked on it. I know I never have to worry about disliking riding or the sport. I used to guard against that, especially as a cat 3, when so many women decide that racing really isn't for them.
 |
| Photo courtesy Russ Campbell |
I didn't compete for a single prime during the race. That was hard for me to bear. I always, always like to sprint for primes and at the very least give the others a run for their money. For starters, they're a great way to warm up the legs in the race and it's also very educational: how is everyone else sprinting? What's most effective? Who's riding well? And, of course, it is always the time to attempt a breakaway.
But in this race, I was a bit concerned that I'd blow up going for a prime and not be able to recover to continue to race with the pack. So I rode hard, tried to keep good position up front and reminded myself to not do anything too ultra-stupid. With only a few laps to go, I lost position some and I don't exactly know what happened and why. With two short laps to go, I moved up a lot, pretty close to the front. The pace was fiery as people positioned. On the last lap, a crash happened to my left and it spread across the street. I had to ride around it to avoid it so that messed up the finish a bit. When that crash happened, all I could think about was how silly it would be to be broken because of a crash and not be able to be fully functional at work. I used to type for a living, now I need to be able to stand on my feet for 12+ hours some days. When I get (hopefully much) older and naturally less mobile, I look forward to going back to being a computer geek, but now I'm eating up the chance to be active during the day at work.
The final result? 15/44 and it felt great once it was over. Reminded me what it is to race, how fun it is and how possible it is to return to the sport (so unlike tennis or soccer, two sports I used to adore but can't participate in any longer, don't get me on a rant about that). Doing it as part of the Ride Studio Cafe team really added to the experience. Having guys out there represented in the other races was great and sharing in the experience with everyone at the Sul Posto really enhanced the time spent out there during the evening.
Well, I raced. Once ought to do it this year. As fun as it was, I'm really very happy to continue to spend weekends doing the job I adore and living vicariously from the race reports and stories of others. I've discovered so many kinds of riding (off-road dirt for the cx bike and going out at night) that I enjoy so much that spending this time doesn't leave me wishing I were racing. Even if time permitted, I'm not sure I would race more. Okay, I probably would, but that's because it's the thoughtless solution to what, for me, would possibly be an otherwise dull weekend.
There it is, one race, one race report sized for a full season of racing. So, Witches Cup next year? Maybe it's time to start racing masters. Or, maybe it's time for track so I can get my sprint back. Then again, racing is a distraction from much bigger goals I have for my life that I won't achieve if I'm distracted. When will there ever be enough time for both?
Monday, August 13, 2012
Inspire me Rock
Did you have a Pet Rock? I'm trying to remember why I did have one as a kid & I think a lot of kids had one. Mine had a face on it and I know I still have it somewhere safe.
The other day I was on a birthday bike ride on the North Shore (primarily in Gloucester), a place that is remarkable to me and I'd only driven through once before. The ride was full of discovering delightful places sitting on water, the roads wound in and out allowing for nice views and then swept through quiet forests that I wouldn't expect to see so close to ocean water. It was vacation.
One of the woods was full of large boulders inscribed with words of inspiration, paid for by Roger Babson in 1930.
It was a large investment for this man to chisel inspiration in these rocks in the Dogtown woods. He had 24 mottos inscribed in these rocks in 1930, it sounds like it was a job creation program for people who needed the work and it gave him satisfaction.
There are words that are motivational and, silly as it may sound, when I hear them, inspire me and make me think about where I am, where I'm going and why I do what I do. It must exist for everyone to some degree. Maybe not words but smells, sounds, feelings, something that makes the heart pound faster and internally incite some small fire of internal motivation without there being anything in reality to be motivated about.
Since it was my birthday and on my birthday, I go in search of something to inspire that year of my life, these rocks were well-placed. There were things written all over that afternoon and evening to make me think so picking one that is most appropriate for my 35th year was not as obvious as it has been for many other years. Interesting, I think I see where this is going.
Choose. Picking and choosing what to do, what's important and what's not is one of the most vital pieces to success this year. It always is, but I believe that it will play a large role in the coming year's progress. That'll be one inscription for my boulder.
Other words that make my heart beat faster that I'd inscribe in a large, immovable object for the ages:
Creativity.
Passion.
Like Babson, I have to copy his "Ideas."
Innovation.
Entrepreneurship.
Build.
Create.
Dream.
Smile.
Imagine.
Love.
Together, these are what my life is all about and keep me going. I will be trying harder this year than ever to follow the path that winds me around these boulders. With any luck, I will end up in a place no different than where the ride Monday night ended up: in a peaceful place watching the world's most beautiful sunset accompanied by someone special. In the interim, before the sunset, there's nothing I want more than to have created something that I'm passionate about in a creative, innovative way. Smiling through the difficulties to achieve a dream, making the impossible a reality and sharing in the joys and challenges of the journey with someone.
Full speed ahead.
The other day I was on a birthday bike ride on the North Shore (primarily in Gloucester), a place that is remarkable to me and I'd only driven through once before. The ride was full of discovering delightful places sitting on water, the roads wound in and out allowing for nice views and then swept through quiet forests that I wouldn't expect to see so close to ocean water. It was vacation.
One of the woods was full of large boulders inscribed with words of inspiration, paid for by Roger Babson in 1930.
It was a large investment for this man to chisel inspiration in these rocks in the Dogtown woods. He had 24 mottos inscribed in these rocks in 1930, it sounds like it was a job creation program for people who needed the work and it gave him satisfaction.
There are words that are motivational and, silly as it may sound, when I hear them, inspire me and make me think about where I am, where I'm going and why I do what I do. It must exist for everyone to some degree. Maybe not words but smells, sounds, feelings, something that makes the heart pound faster and internally incite some small fire of internal motivation without there being anything in reality to be motivated about.
Since it was my birthday and on my birthday, I go in search of something to inspire that year of my life, these rocks were well-placed. There were things written all over that afternoon and evening to make me think so picking one that is most appropriate for my 35th year was not as obvious as it has been for many other years. Interesting, I think I see where this is going.
Choose. Picking and choosing what to do, what's important and what's not is one of the most vital pieces to success this year. It always is, but I believe that it will play a large role in the coming year's progress. That'll be one inscription for my boulder.
Other words that make my heart beat faster that I'd inscribe in a large, immovable object for the ages:
Creativity.
Passion.
Like Babson, I have to copy his "Ideas."
Innovation.
Entrepreneurship.
Build.
Create.
Dream.
Smile.
Imagine.
Love.
Together, these are what my life is all about and keep me going. I will be trying harder this year than ever to follow the path that winds me around these boulders. With any luck, I will end up in a place no different than where the ride Monday night ended up: in a peaceful place watching the world's most beautiful sunset accompanied by someone special. In the interim, before the sunset, there's nothing I want more than to have created something that I'm passionate about in a creative, innovative way. Smiling through the difficulties to achieve a dream, making the impossible a reality and sharing in the joys and challenges of the journey with someone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)