Are You Ready To Be The World's Best?

If you're never scared or embarrassed or hurt, it means you never take any chances. - Julia Sorel

What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything? -Vincent van Gogh

You really need to ask yourself why you're into cycling. Is it simply a social activity? Is it more for your fun and fitness? Do you really want to race? Your training should be structured around whatever your decide your ultimate goals are. If those are more fun and fitness, then 3 to 4 days a week of riding, even just an hour a day, should meet those goals. But if you want to race, then you need to be a bit more serious and courageous. You need to start thinking about being the world's best cyclist, which brings me to...

How Big Is Your World?

You really can be the world's best cyclist, as it all depends on how you define the size and shape of that world. You only need to do enough training to satisfy the needs of that world. It could be a world defined by century rides. It could be a world defined by Cat 4 racing, by Masters racing, or by elite national class racing. You decide - and then go for it!

I think many of us desperately want to believe we can be the world's best at something. So do the rational thing and decide how big that world will be. The choice is yours. You must make active decisions along the way, which brings me to...

Winners Risk Losing

We are creatures of habit. It is comfortable to sit-in during a race and react to the events around us. But if you want to be a winner, you really need to start thinking like a winner. Winners take chances and risk losing so they can actually increase their chances of winning. If you get to the finish line in a pack of 20 riders, then you are guaranteed at least 20th place. But if you could actually break up that group before the line, and get in a smaller pack of say 8 riders, then you're guaranteed at least 8th place. Where would you rather place your chances?

You Make The Move

In your next race, be a player. You make a move and try to get others to go with you. You are the orchestrator of your life, so why not be the orchestrator in your next race? You could very well end up on the podium. If it doesn't work out, pay attention to what went wrong, learn from it, write it down in your log book, and come back better prepared next time.