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Sep
10

Standing, staring out at the empty spaces that will soon be occupied by stakes, course tape, and bicycles, there is a sense of limitless possibilities, which by no means is a comforting thought. With possibility comes potential, and with potential comes responsibility, and with responsibility comes accountability. Looking down at my watch, I care less about the time and more about the date. How much longer do I have and how much more needs to be done? 4 weeks left. Only a month. 4 weeks may seem like a long time, but in reality it’s not. 4 weeks is never 4 weeks when putting on a race. Days dedicated to work, to family, to my own training and racing, to everything but the thing that is coming 4 weeks. Better not to think about that now, and focus on the reason why I’m standing and staring out at these empty spaces: what is this course going to look like? What can I shape and mold? Before a child is born, parents can spend a lot of time wondering what the child is going to look like, something you won’t know until after the birth. The same can be said for a cross course: you never really know what it is going to look and be like until after the race is over.

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Race directing sits somewhere in between a selfless and selfish act, one where you can be out on an island alone while simultaneously being the center of attention, both of which are equally desired at various points. The gratification that comes with a race that is well done, where everyone has a good time and comments are given that testify to that fact, provides a euphoric feeling of accomplishment. At the same time, the sense of isolation that comes with that responsibility can provide ample counterweight to any sense of accomplishment. Professional stage performers can find it difficult to hear the many applause past the few criticisms. Directing a race can be the same. All the voices proclaiming the race a success can be overshadowed by the few who don’t share that opinion. Those are the sentiments that last the longest in your mind. Ultimately, however, none of the voices of criticism can ring as loud as those stated in your own voice, resulting from the comparison between what you would like to do and what you can do, the time you need to deliver on your vision and the time you actually have, the resources necessary and those provided. This is the balancing act required, and a sense of equilibrium is needed to realize that the perfect cannot be the enemy of the good.

The Midnight Ride of Cyclocross(or MRCX) is entering its third year, occupying a position at the start of New England’s Holy Week of Cyclocross. In many respects, the race probably shouldn’t exist. It is a midweek event, often requiring people to take time from work to volunteer and participate, in a race calendar that is already full of events. In New England, you can literally race twice every weekend from September to December and never have to travel more than a couple of hours (and many people do). The race day battles over the length of the season are based as much on fitness as attrition. It is easy to move up in placings if you can just last long enough throughout the months of competing. But that’s the trick. It’s not an easy thing to do, and thus why do one more race on a Wednesday night on a relatively featureless track of land? This is a question I’d rather not think about, especially at four weeks out when the final rush to register won’t occur until days before the race date.

Midnight Ride Cyclocross - September 28, 2011

Photo © Russ Campbell 2011

But people have shown up, and will show up again. They come because this is cyclocross in New England, and we do have midweek night races, and if we didn’t have midweek night races peoplewould be doing a midweek training series, and what else do I have to do on a Wednesday night in September but travel to a place called The Fairgrounds and do fast loops around flowy corners and woodchip turns, and up and down one hill. For most people, it is not a question of “Why am I doing this?” but “Where is everybody else?”

Every new year for every race director is a leap of faith, bounded by the hope that supplies will be delivered on time, people will show, the budget will be met, and fun will be had. For MRCX, this is especially the case. The business model of having a race that is: 1) more expensive than most to put on, coupled with 2) fields that are smaller than most would not be considered by the risk-adverse as a rationally thought out enterprise. The additional element to this is that the proceeds from the race go to charity. The opportunity to own the loses but not the profits is not a chapter in any business seminar. Then again, this isn’t a business; this is a cyclocross race. The two should never be confused.

In a chance discussion with a work colleague about the race, she asked “But you do get paid for putting on the race, right?” There are those questions that when asked not only reveal the lack of familiarity that the asker has with the topic, but how much effort would be required to explain the answer. What to say in the middle of a hallway, a brief discussion that at its beginning showed no potential beyond polite small talk? A simple, “No, I don’t get paid” was all is could summon. The next obvious question is “Then why do you do it?” That is precisely the question.

There is a concept in community organizing called ‘social brokering.’ It can be the job of the organizer to bring together disparate members of a locality and get them to act as a community to effect some positive change or achieve some goal. In this way, race directing is community organizing. It is no different in its essence than working in another neighborhood context toward establishing a neighborhood watch, cleaning up city blocks, and general creating potential for positive change and improvement of people’s lives. Any race is an effort of many hands, and the RD is merely the conduit bringing those parts together.

Putting on a race can be relatively simple thing to do in terms of getting a license, setting up a course, and having an event. The trick is to go beyond that, to create something that people feel attached to because they see themselves in it, see it as part of the community, and will support because it represents who they are. The thing I am probably most proud of in putting on MRCX is that it is a community effort. It belongs to no singular entity. It is the product of a number of cycling/athletic clubs, small businesses, individual volunteers, participants and local municipalities. In that way, it belongs to everyone, representing the same spirit seen in many races: the coming together of many parts to create one whole. The goal of these races is not to put on a race that meets a set of minimal requirements. Rather, it is to transform the empty space into a neighborhood park for that moment. The course becomes the center of the NECX community, and for anyone who wants to experience and become a part of it. That’s ultimately the vision, the sense of possibility that exists four weeks out, staring at that empty space. And the knowledge that once created, that space is never truly empty again.

Thanks for reading.

Gary

 

Feb
28

KIT_in_Spain

By KIT guest blogger, Dave Andersen

Most of us have a limit to which we can prioritize our lives around training and racing. A pro athlete, or a single person with a cushy job, probably has the best opportunity for low stress and maximum training.   For the rest of us, the athletic lifestyle is one in which you do what you can within your “life” constraints to achieve your fitness/training goals.  And thus, the philosophy of “Keep it Tight” (KIT) must be adopted.

Ideally, you constantly monitor your training; rest-sleep-relaxation; nutrition; and equipment. All this works best when you plan ahead, stay organized, be honest with yourself, and live a tranquil life.  It’s important that you make the rest of your life as stress-free as possible. Stress from work, family, and other responsibilities is a part of life, but it is what you do to minimize these daily stresses that can make the difference between whether you recover properly and perform to your maximum ability.

Beyond living a tranquil life, consistency of training may be the single most important thing you can do to reach your potential and reach your fitness and/or competitive goals. Therein lies the challenge for many folks. How can you fit your training into your daily life so that it becomes a part of your day without sacrificing too much on the family and work front? Cycling, walking or running to work is one strategy. Training on your lunch hour or after work every day is another. Getting up early is common for many folks with busy lives. Talk with your partner about a routine that works best for you and your family and commit to it!

Another strategy you could employ is to make your workouts as efficient as possible.  Read up on how to incorporate speed walking, progressive running, interval training, etc. so that every moment devoted to exercising/training is generating the maximal benefit.  No “junk” miles!  If you adopt this approach, you can be just as fit AND spend more quality time on other areas of your life, including rest.  Don’t forget that you must give your body time to recuperate if you want to reach the next level.

Think like an athlete and live like one. And above all else, enjoy the process.

Keep It Tight,

Dave

*Dave Andersen lives in Boston and works in the educational publishing business. He shares his passion for cycling and sport with a wide range of friends and competitors.

 

Feb
20
The purpose of a training camp is to:






On Day 1 of training camp you should:





At training camp, its OK to:






Its OK to show up to training camp:





True or False: Its OK to wear head phones/ear buds while training with your buddies



Each day, the following task is considered mandatory:






You should expect the following from training camp:






You should NOT expect the following from training camp:






You are in the middle of a solid tempo piece with your training buddies and a Strava segment is beginning just up the road. What do you do?






The SAG (follow) vehicle is an appropriate place to:







Post Camp Stress Disorder is best abated through which of the following: