| It has been some time since I have settled down long enough to put some of the endless thoughts floating in my head into words. But here are few aimed at helping pin point just where the Kavys are at the moment. At the close of 2011,Sara and I sat down to discuss some planning for the coming year. During our discussion the most striking statistic of the year was my absence from the family. All totaled I was gone for more than 170 days. Neither Sara or I desired to make this a common theme as we both firmly believe we are at our best when at one another’s side. So the cogs of change sprung to life. In fitting fashion the speed with which change is happening has been anything but slow since acknowledging change was needed. Now I will admit many of the things that are now coming to reality have been floating in and out of our consciousness for some time,but up until a month or so ago it all seemed nearly impossible. Priority number one has been maximizing the time we are together as a family. Thus the first big change has been that Sara and I rented a house in Long Beach,CA and will be living in SoCal through mid February. This move allows me to prepare and focus on the upcoming Track World Championships in ways that I have not been able to in the past while still having direct contact with Sara and the kids. Last week was moving week with Sara and the kids flying in to meet here and move in our new home. The first few days were a bit bumpy with cranky/exhausted kids but by the end of the week we were enjoying time (post ride) on the beach as a family and soaking in the sun. Each morning I find myself reading through the weather report and cringing just a little at highs hovering just above zero back in Montana as I pull on my shorts for the 13th day in an row. So where are the Kavys? Count us down as just another one of those Montana to California transplants…for 6 weeks that is.  It ‘s not possible in life to make every challenge/race priority number one…well that is until you’re on the start line. As an athlete,I realize that in any given season there will always be events that are of lower priority;where their primary objective is one of training/honing a specific skill set. Likewise,there is a select few events in which your sole objective is to arrive at the start line ready to exhibit your absolute best physically and mentally.
Now this concept is easy to define on paper. However when it comes to real life application it becomes more complex. While I believe we all can appreciate the need to prioritize challenges,I also contend that the majority of us throw that thinking to the wind on the start line. The reality is that while my season has long been planned out with A,B and C races,when I take the start line at each race,every moment becomes a priority. Thus,at the conclusion of each event I find myself in deep reflection on my result and overall performance. Unfortunately,many times in the year this may find me frustrated and disappointed. On the surface my disappointment typically lies solely in the ultimate placing. As one of the top bike racers in the world,I have an expectation that in each race my results reflect that. However the truth is,I can not possibly maintain top form indefinitely…my body needs a break from time to time and in those moments the immediate consequence will often be a slide in placing. Such was the case for much of my racing this past week at the Parapan Games in Guadalajara,Mexico. In the lead up to the Parapan Games,I had been instructed by my coach to take a break from the day to day drills and the regimented training program. After 9 months of racing riddled with priority races,my body and mind were approaching burn out. This became more apparent when I was blind sided by a common cold that manifested itself into a raging beast. It left me fighting complete exhaustion and a temperature of 104+ for 5 days the week before the Parapan Games. Flying to Mexico I was calm and relaxed,focusing on clean racing execution and not on overall time/placing. As the clock counted down from 5 in the time trail,such thoughts were instantly replaced with a win. Thirty minutes later the facts hinted towards a well-executed ride that just so happened to be slow. My result was consistent with the preparation and where I was in my training season yet I was all but devastated. My thoughts were overwhelmed with thoughts of failure. I do not race my bike to finish mid pack;I race to win. In the following days I would carry this burden of supposed failure into the Kilometer TT on the track. And while I road a respectable time,it was far from my best and consequently only added to my frustration. With two more events yet to contest,I needed to change things and fast. As an athlete we often focus only on the physical things we can do to become strong;completely overlooking the significance our mind can play in performance. The truth is,when anything becomes questionably difficult we will at some point have to fight off the demon of doubt that tells our aching legs that there is still more in the tank. As I analyzed my performances from the first two races,I realized that regardless of my physical fitness and overall placing,my only real disappointment and failure was not a lack of fitness/speed but rather my inability to appreciate any effort that was done to the best of my ability. Armed with this brighter outlook I readied myself in the start gate of the Individual Pursuit,committed to riding a perfect race;one that would leave me physically destroyed and mentally transfixed on precise execution. It did not result in a medal,but I road my best pursuit ever,5 hundredths of a second from setting a new American record. To say I was pleased with the performance was an understatement. Can I go faster? …Yes,with time,but on that day I believe I left it all out there. I applied this same thinking to the road race and felt great right up until flat number one hit. Still motivated,I fought to chase the peloton back down but the second flat took the wind from my sails. In short the Parapan Games was a great learning experience and a vital assessment of where I am physically and mentally. This is the beginning of the next 10 months before London. I feel good about the foundation I’m starting with and now it’s time to start erecting the walls! The prologue to the off season was our Track National Championships. One would imagine that the National Championships were a pretty high priority. Unfortunately for this year,my body,mind and will power rebelled. That is not to say that on race day I did not show up ready to race. No,I was ready and excited to race;I just had not done anything to prepare or be at my best. In fact,before my first race I had not ridden on a velodrome,let alone ridden my track bike,in over 6 months. With that said I had pretty good legs and hoped to hold my own with the athletes that were making this event a top priority. I was surprised though,to ride the top qualifying time in the pursuit,edged out for silver in the finals,and then follow it up with a silver in the kilometer after breaking my shoe mid-race. Off season was upon me the moment I crossed the final finish line,and soon the entire team was placing doughnut orders and plotting the next edible indulgence. Ahhh life of the irresponsible…. So here I sit in the airport a little over a week since the start of my off season. Turns out the definition of off is still riding regularly and abstaining from doughnuts. However,the computers,data collection and constant ride analysis are turned off. In that time,I have spent more time with my family then I have in the past 6 weeks combined. I have loved and cherished every moment but in all honesty it has been a bit painful to realize how much changes in my absence,and I admit just how much I miss the physical contact of my family. Soon we will begin a new season…a big season…training is going to be more intense as will the daily demands of surviving and thriving as a family of four. I realize for us to achieve these goals and overcome the challenges ahead I need to be with my family. As with each new year changes are afloat,what,how,where,when… Sara and I are not sure. What we do know though is that in whatever way it all plays out,we will be a better,stronger family having shared hand-in-hand life’s many adventures…living without limitations. Amelia woke the other morning and proceeded to put on her snow pants and boots… alas the Montana ritual of prepping for the impending first turns has begun. As Amelia hopped about the house doing her best to work through the preseason ski drills I am reminded of the need to begin my annual backcountry travel and avalanche awareness refreshment. Over the years,I have developed a routine of reviewing notes,books and gear in preparation of the first foray of the season into the outdoors. As luck would have it,there is a great opportunity this year,to take part in a world class Avalanche Workshop held in Whitefish,Montana: http://www.avalanchesafetyworkshop.com. The Northern Rockies Avalanche Safety Workshop (NRASW) will take place on October 1,2011 at 8:00am at Grouse Mountain Lodge in Whitefish,Montana. NRASW is a one-day gathering of avalanche professionals and winter backcountry enthusiasts. Five of North America’s prominent avalanche professionals will present practical avalanche safety information and research to those attending the workshop. Having participated in several such workshops over the years,I can say that educational information,general discussion,not to mention the networking that takes place during these workshops,is incredibly beneficial to both the novice and experienced winter enthusiast. These workshops offer unparalleled access to cutting edge research and field applications that are pivotal to making your backcountry experience safer. Life’s road map…or in today’s speak:a GPS into the future I often find myself contemplating where I am,and where I am headed. I have always enjoyed maps not so much for their ability to direct you on a specific route,but rather the way in which they offer a glimpse of what is yet to be explored. Be it the tangled webs of roads that lead to nowhere in particular,or the large regions of this world that remain impenetrable to modern means of travel. Gazing at a map has always left me day dreaming of great adventures. However,contemplating life’s map can sometimes lead to a distinctly different feeling,one of being disoriented and/or heading in the opposite direction of where you intended. When faced with this feeling one’s initial reaction is often that of panic…a sudden slamming of the brakes. I would suggest though that it may be more appropriate to ease up on the accelerator and ask yourself a few questions before flipping a 180 and heading back to a place you have already been. Questions: Who/What got me here to this moment,this place?
Why am I suddenly questioning where I am going?
What has me doubting and/or afraid of the direction I am headed? There is no right or wrong answer to these questions. Rather,it is the process of asking and answering them that I believe allows you to see the adventure again. Often,during this contemplation,I realize that while my destination remains the same,it is the path that has changed. Taking the back roads may not be faster than the express way,but then again,speeding lifelessly along 6 lanes of uniform concrete without an intersection in sight,is not exactly the life I am looking to experience. It has been 6 years since I competed in my first World Championships in Switzerland. While alot has changed and I have improved drastically,it seems as though I am perpetually stuck waiting to climb the podium. When comparing the speeds of 2006 to today’s speeds,it is clear that the depth of competitors and athletic ability of each individual is exploring new heights. Thanks to global awareness we are attracting,and now training,the most talented pool of adaptive athletes ever. Consequently,the time invested and the dedication necessary to climb onto a World Championship podium has grown exponentially as well. Simply looking at race placings,can leave me feeling a bit lost and stuck in a rut. However,if I broaden my perspective I become more aware of my surroundings. Surrounding that are new and different. Surroundings that reflect a world in which I move faster,stronger and with the confidence now to race among,and in time beat,the world’s best. So here I sit,a year out from London. The map has kept me on path and now it is time to tackle those last most difficult miles of the journey…those miles where the competition can begin to falter. We will down shift and accelerate into the first of many twists and turns in this final stretch to the top. The training is going to get more intense from here on,the efforts more focused as the miles add up….it is these final miles that define a Champion and secure lasting memories of some wandering road on the map of life. | |
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