"Cycling is funny sport. I mean,
you may be doing all the right training guided by the best coach
in the world (like the late Eddy
Soens, Charlie Walsh and Chris Carmichael), yet somehow you do not
improve.
" So you sit there pondering what could have been, would have been after
a race or what you didn't do so that you messed up big time. I've seen
and I know dozens of cyclists who have this problem.
" They have the mileage for it, done all the intervals and even strength
training, but what they lack is the self-confidence to do it alone.
Hey, at the end of it, only one guy is gonna be up that podium, so
you'd better get used to being alone!
"
If you need your teammate to help you in a chase or attack as a decoy
... fine! But when the crunch comes it's better to be prepared to do
a "solo", or you're gonna be pondering and pondering like
there's no end after every race!
" I have even seen good cyclists give up because they lack confidence
and I have always felt a tinge of sadness that they left the sport
just because of that. Some were really good riders but others should
have been playing chess?! And some left because they were impatient
and wanted be good overnight?!! Hey, it took me five years to win my
first medal worth anything in terms of importance?!!... I don't think
it matters much now that I've quit the sporting arena, but just to
tell myself that it hurts a lot during those times!!! Ha!
"
Most of all, I think they left because they were not confident enough
to take up the challenge to be winners when they were supposed to be
winning. We all can relate to that; we all can be losers because losing
is easy - but being champions? It takes a lot of guts and sweat, and
most of all enough confidence to carry it all through. The stress from
the "put-downers" around us, you know? Those that seem to
have everthing figured out, but all they ever do is to whine all day
about COE's and landed properties, and making money seems to be their
ultimate goal in their life. But most of all, from the press if you
ever made it up to that kind of level. They are a mean bunch.... believe
me!!!
"
All being said, confidence is A-One on the list of "must haves" for
any athlete, but do not go overboard and start getting "cocky" or
overly confident; now that's a mistake waiting to happen. Soon, you
will not have any friends left?!!
"
If you put in enough miles like there's no tomorrow, sleep and rest
enough like "Farmer John" after a day's work in the corn
fields, and focus enough like a sniper waiting for the kill - you will
be ready on the race day!
" So start shaving you legs clean, get up earlier, eat your whole hearty
breakfast, drink that double dose of espresso, show up earlier an hour
to warm up because today, you are going to be a winner for the first
time!
" Better pack all you race gear in that sport bag ... don't forget to
bring along an extra bottle of water and a lot of that CONFIDENCE we
just talked about!!!"
