Happy New Year and Making Plans for 2013

Happy New Year!

Welcome to the last day of 2012. This year has flown by and we are now hours away from another year. Are you ready and prepared? Have you written down your 2013 goals?

2013 L'Etape du California - Get Ready!!

Recently, the 2013 Amgen Tour of California host cities were announced. In contract to past years, the route will run from the south to the north, starting in Escondido on May 12 and finishing in Santa Rosa on the 19th. Unfortunately, in 2013 there will be no finish atop Mt. Baldy or the "grueling climb" up to Big Bear.For those of us not competing (which is all of us!), what of the L'Etape du California ?

Thinking of 2013 - What Are Your Goals?

As we get ready to put 2012 into the rear-view mirror, it's time to take a few minutes to review the goals you set at the beginning of the year. Did you achieve them? If not, do you know why and, more importantly, did you learn anything that will help you in 2013?

As you start making your 2013 goals, one of the keys to your success will be to establish short and long-term goals and write them down. If need be, chunk them down into weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly goals.

Winter Training and a Holiday Gift

Once again we are heading into the off-season with reduced daylight hours, weather changes, holidays, etc. On top of that, many of us work a 9-5 day making it difficult to get outdoors, regardless of whether you are in sunny Southern California or snowy New England. The challenge, now even as it was in the late 80's when I was on the National Team, was to to maintain fitness and prevent typical winter weight gain throughout the off-season when daylight hours are at a premium.

The Winter Months and Off-Season Training

It's that time of the year when colder weather (cold being relative to where you live!) and the time change makes it far less desirable to ride outdoors. And, with the holidays around the corner, our attentions begin to turn towards time with family and less about time with the bike.

However, weather, time and the holidays do not need to be inhibitors to staying on the bike. When I lived in the Northeast, the thought of riding indoors was painful. I hated it. What could be more boring than spending 45 minutes to an hour sweating and going nowhere?

Your Path to Achievement

Is success a part-time gig? It is a fact that we will consistently perform in the manner in which we see ourselves performing. If you don't like what you see, then change the way you see yourself and you will start to perform in that manner.

Cyclist Supporting a Great Cause

Cycling is a sport that I love and it is disheartening to be constantly asked what I think of the recent news. I could dedicate a number of articles discussing my views but, if you are like me, you are probably tired of hearing the stories over and over and over.

So, this week, I wanted to dedicate my article to a good cause. A friend of mine made me aware of 100 Pedals and, after reading the story, I thought it might be good to share a positive story instead of a negative one.

Pushing Past Your Limits

Ever have a moment at which time at which you just can’t go any further? Whether it's exhaustion or fatigue, in work or on the bike, you are exhausted and your body says "no more?" 

But does that mean you've hit your limit or is there more? Is our ability to achieve success limited?

MAP-21 and Safer Cycling

Recently, here in Newport Beach, two cyclists were killed by motorists in a three day span. Both deaths were unnecessary and make me wonder exactly how this could happen given where the accidents occur.
So, while at Interbike, I took the opportunity to spend some time with folks from Bikes Belong and the League of American Bicyclists. The mission of both organizations are to be cycling advocates and have a lot of industry backing to support their missions.

Interbike - So Much to See

I returned last night from two tiring but fun days at Interbike Expo. This was my first time going but my initial impression was "Wow, this is huge." To give you an idea, there are over 1200 exhibitors at Interbike, representation from over 4000 retail stores and over 20,000 attendees. Absolutely massive.

3 Ways to Improve Your Cycling While Away From the Bike

Obviously, the best way to get better on the bike is to ride your bike under a training plan. However, the reality is that many of us spend more time in an airplane seat than on the bike seat. So, when you are on the road, what sort of exercise can you do that will also benefit you when you actually get on the road?

Here are three ways, even on a limited time schedule, to improve your cycling while traveling. A good workout session of 30 to 40 minutes, either in the weight room or your hotel room is a good start.

• Strength training - It is important during the season that you pay attention to overall muscle maintenance. Two sets of 10 to 15 reps will make a difference for you.
• Lower body lunges (and if you want to ratchet it up a little make these what I knew in high school were called mountain climbers).
• Push ups
• Chairs - I cannot think of what this exercise is called. What you do is place your back flat against a wall and then begin bending your knees until your knees are bent 90 degrees (like a chair). Keep you back flat against the wall and do this until fatigue. Take a three to five minute break and repeat. I would recommend doing no more than three or four of these since your quads will feel it in the morning!
• One or two core exercises - Your core muscles provide the key link between your upper and lower body. Your core muscles also provide a solid base of support to ensure an efficient delivery of power to the pedals. Two exercises that I recommend are planks and crunches. Focus on control and form.
• Flexibility - The muscles that cyclists typically need to stretch out are hamstrings, the lower back, calves, achilles, quadriceps, glutes, hip flexors, shoulders and neck.

In doing these exercises, you will find yourself riding stronger and reduce training-related injuries. Let me know if you have questions. Comments, thoughts, feedback is always welcome!

Also, I will be at Interbike next week. It is the largest cycling-industry event in North America. If you are going to be there, let me know. I'd love to meet up with you!

- Mark

Overcoming Defeat

Alberto Contador scored a gutsy stage win and rode into the red jersey on Wednesday. Photo: Graham Watson www.grahamwatson.com

This week's posting comes courtesy of Alberto Contador's never give up performance and Ash Cash. If you are one of the fortunate viewers to be able to watch the Vuelta on NBC Universal or via an online streaming site, then you cannot help but admire Alberto's efforts. On the toughest mountain days, he has constantly attacked Rodriguez, hoping to gain valuable seconds and move closer to the red leader's jersey.

For three epic mountain days, they battled with the opposite result - Rodriguez gained a few seconds on Contador. As a viewer, I was convinced that Rodriguez was the stronger rider and barring an accident, he was going to be wearing the red jersey on Sunday in Madrid. Alberto, however, refused to accept defeat and after every stage would tell Rodriguez he was coming after him tomorrow.

Tomorrow came on Wednesday, a day few, if any, expected to be very exciting. Contador snuck into a large break with over 50 km remaining. He used his teammates to perfection, won the stage and took a solid lead in the overall general classification. Rodriguez had no answer, riding across the line appearing shattered from the day's events.

So, you ask, what does this have to do with this guy Ash Cash? Ash publishes a daily email titled "Daily Word." On Tuesday, the day before Contador's epic ride, his daily word was titled Overcome Defeat. Ash was kind enough to allow me to share it with you.

"Happy Tuesday my soldiers and survivors! Welcome to the day that you finally say enough is enough! Today's Daily Word is dedicated to overcoming defeat! Defeat is defined as having been beaten in a battle or demoralized and overcome by adversity. Life is a challenge but in no way should you ever let it beat you or demoralize you! Every single thing you go or are going through is designed to simply make you stronger! No circumstance is ever permanent unless you give up! I know there may be a lot going on in your life by by all means ITS ALWAYS TOO EARLY TO QUIT!! In life, you will never be given more then you can handle! If your obstacles are seeming too much for you to bear then you have not fully recognized your power! OVERCOME DEFEAT!! Recognize your power and use it to make you situation better! When all else fails take a step back from the situation, relax, breathe and start over! Sometimes taking a step back can help you take a step forward! You are more powerful than you even realize! Don't let your power go to waste! Stay strong and Tell life you are not Having it! Nothing can stop you but you!!"

-Ash'Cash

We are never going to go through life without adversity. It is how we deal with that adversity that either makes us stronger or defeats us. When the chips are down and it looks like you've been dealt a bad hand, do you quit? Or do you decide that, as Ash said in his Daily Word, that it is too early to quit and that you refuse to lose?

"A man is not finished when he is defeated. He is finished when he quits."

-Richard M. Nixon

Ash'Cash is a Business Consultant, Motivational Speaker, Financial Expert and the author of Mind Right, Money Right: 10 Laws of Financial Freedom. For more information, please visit his website, www.IamAshCash.com.

A Sad Day For American Cycling

AP Photo By Peter Dejong, File

Hello from San Francisco! We in San Francisco moving our son into his college dorm room and get ready for freshman year. Although this is our second child to head off to school, my wife and I are melancholy about another one leaving the nest.

On our way back to the hotel tonight, the news alert popped up on the screen of my iPhone. First, that Lance had decided to not defend himself against the USADA. Shortly thereafter, another news alert that USADA had banned Lance for life and were stripping him of his seven tour titles.

Lance has done a lot to boost the popularity of cycling in the US and, to his defense, he has brought a huge amount of attention and support to cancer research. So, when I heard the news tonight, my reaction was mixed.

See, I first met Lance in 1989 when he was a very brash 17 year junior, taking the cycling scene with talent last seen from Greg Lemond. He had swagger and produced the results to back it up. It was hard to like the guy but you couldn't argue with his results. He talked the talk and walked the walk.

I don't know if Lance is guilty or innocent. However, his willingness to just give up really made me wonder if there is more truth behind the USADA allegations than we want to believe. For a guy who I've seen fight everything he encountered for over 20 years to just give up the fight doesn't make sense. Why quit unless...

No, I'm not going to speculate that Lance doped. I'll leave that to the experts and others with access to proof. But, this is a sad day for american cycling. Lance quit the fight, gave up on something he has vehemently denied ever doing.

Don't let this ruin your enthusiasm for cycling. The sport is a lot cleaner and there are many up and coming talented riders that will take the sport into the next decade.

But there is a lesson in here for all of us. As Jim Valvano said in his waning days of fighting cancer, "Don't give up, don't ever give up." And, from my younger days, a quote I remember: "Winners never quit and quitters never win."

Hope you all have a great week! As always, let me know if I can help you.

10 Ways To Guarantee Better Results

Do you want better results in business and/or on your bike? Sure, who wouldn't Mark! If you are like a lot of others around you, you might not be sure what to do in order to get better results.

Maybe you’re confused and frustrated by things happening to you, some of which may be out of your control. Maybe everything you are trying doesn't seem to work, making you even more frustrated.

Well, don't give up. We all have days and weeks like that. Here are 10 things you can do that will help bring you better results.

1. You'll get better results when you try harder. My cycling results are proof of this!
2. You'll get better results when you stop making excuses. Just do it!
3. You'll get better results when you ask for help. Nobody achieved success without the help of others.
4. You'll get better results when you create a better plan.
5. You'll get better results when you fight through the pain (as long as it is good pain, not the kind that is actually causing damage or harm).
6. You'll get better results when you aren't afraid of failure. Thomas Edison failed something like 10,000 times in his quest to create the light bulb.
7. You'll get better results when you can control what is going on in your head. Negative thoughts bring negative results.
8. You'll get better results when you try one more time (see #6 above).
9. You'll get better results when you say "thank you" more. Show gratitude and appreciate what you have.
10. You'll get better results when you believe what you are doing is worth it.

Try one or a few. You'll be amazed at the positive impact on your business and cycling efforts.
The secret to getting better results is simply to do whatever it takes to improve. Adapt, learn, grow and try a little bit harder each day.

And while that doesn’t come easily, the results you’ll get are worth the struggle. What’s stopping you from getting better results?

How Are You Progressing Towards Achieving Your Goals

First week back from an awesome family vacation on Maui. Hot, windy weather but still enjoyed the time on my bike and with my family. The next to last full day on Maui I rode to the top of Haleakala on Maui, stopping only once to fill my water bottle at the 15 mile mark). My wife took the above picture as I was reaching the summit of the climb. So what does this photo have to do with the subject of this week's post? Read on and you will find out.

To succeed in life, you have to have a clear picture of where you are going. Clear goals will give you purpose and direction, and they keep you focused.

Just like an airplane pilot must know their destination and have a flight plan to get there, you need to have your own destination (goal) and road map to get there. Not only does the pilot have his flight plan which is entered into the computer, there are also in-flight adjustments made along the way to ensure the plane stays on course and arrives at the correct destination.

Whether in business or in cycling, those who set goals (the destination) are fare more likely to achieve success than those who do not. But just stating a goal is not enough. You also need to have a plan to achieve that goal and periodically review that plan to see how you are progressing. Maybe your goal wasn't realistic and it is time to make some changes in order to accomplish your goals.

So, back to the why I have a picture of me finishing a climb to Haleakala? The climb is a 34 miles long, rising from sea level to 10,000 ft (all uphill). Not a ride for the faint of heart or someone who hasn't been training. For me, riding to the Haleakala summit was a goal to do this year (the last time I did it was over 20 years ago when I was many pounds lighter and in better fighting shape!). However, I knew what I had to do to prepare for the ride and I knew in my mind how I needed to do the ride if I expected to make it to the top.

Clear goals will give you purpose and direction, and they keep you focused and on target. With your goal clearly in mind, it is easy to make the adjustments needed to make along the way.

So, how are you doing on your 2012 goals? What adjustments do you need to make in order to achieve them? Or do you need to start over and make your goals more realistic?

If you found value in this article, please comment below and/or share with your friends. And, as always, please do not hesitate to let me know how I can help you!

This Is Going To Be An Exciting Month!

Aloha from Maui! As I enjoy my vacation in Maui, doing my tradewinds training, I started to think about about the month ahead.. If you are as passionate about cycling as I am, the next 30 to 45 days is going to be jam packed with top-notch cycling events.

First up are the Olympics. It is the eve of the men's road race and, although it may not have the drama of the Tour or a spring classic, we should be treated to an exciting finish. Considering the way he won the last two sprint stages at the Tour, if Cavendish can avoid the crashes and make it over Box Hill he has a great shot to win gold. Sunday's treat is the women's road race followed by the time trial events on Wednesday. The track events kick off on Thursday through Tuesday the 7th with BMX and Mountain Bike events on Aug 10-12. Not sure if all of the events will be shown by NBC (at least in the US) but definitely check online at Cycling CEO to look for live, online streaming.

Running concurrently during the Olympics are the Eneco Tour in Europe and the Tour of Utah in the US. The Eneco Tour marks the return of Alberto Contador to the peloton. I would expect that he will use this event to get his race legs under him in preparation for the Vuelta.

The Tour of Utah started as a domestic stage race and recently has increased its stature as a UCI World Tour event. The organizers have done a great job of creating stages which, combined with the dry heat, will create some challenging conditions for the riders. Although most of the teams will use this as a preparation for the Pro Cycling Challenge, I expect the domestic pro teams to put on a great show to prove they can compete.

August 18th gives us the start of the last grand tour, the Vuelta a Espana. Bjarne Riis, the Director of Team Saxo Bank/Tinkoff, has stated unequivocally that Contador must win this event. If Joaquim Rodriguez can ride with the same form he showed in the Giro and Chris Froome isn't burned out by having completed the Tour and the Olympics, we should be treated to some great battles in the mountains!

In the US, we will be treated to the second running of the US Pro Cycling Challenge on August 20-26. I am sure we will see some good racing but how good remains to be seen. As a cycling fan, it is great to see professional cycling in the US. As a competitive cyclist, I hope that it is more competitive this year than last year (I thought some of the stages were downright boring to watch!).

As always, if you have questions, comments, thoughts, etc., please leave them below or send me an email. And, if you like what you see here, head on over to the Cycling CEO website to see more exciting information.

5 Steps To Success

As I write this article, I am watching today's stage as Brad Wiggins closes in on his goal of winning the Tour. Wiggins' single-minded focus to winning the Tour and how he has prepared himself can be boiled down into five simple steps, steps that are core to success, whether on the bike or in your business.

1. Set Intention. Wiggins decided he was going to win the 2012 Tour de France. One he declared what he wanted, his plans started falling into place. It all begins when you declare your intent and put a plan in place to achieve the goal.
2. Hire coaches. In addition to his Team Sky coaching staff, Wiggins went out and hired an Australian swim coach. Only he knows but but it obviously has worked! To excel in any area, you virtually always need a guide. Who is your team of mentors and coaches who can help you achieve success?
3. Clear Fears. Self-doubt, lack of faith, negativity. Negative thoughts such as these have a way of creeping into our heads. You've got coaches/mentors to help you prepare so rely on them to instill confidence and erase all the fears as they arose.
4. Take action. So you've set your intent, hired a coach/mentor and are feeling confident that you can do whatever you put your mind to doing. Now what? Take action! Nike's slogan says it well: "Just do it." If you don't do it, how are you going to succeed?
5. Persist. Expect that you will have setbacks along the way. But don't look at those setbacks as failures but as an opportunity to learn and grow. Rely on your coach/mentor to help you learn from your setback and to provide the encouragement to keep pushing you to success. Don't think that Wiggins just rode off the track, onto the road and into the yellow jersey. He had his setbacks along the way but persisted and kept his sites set on his goal.

Final Words

I hope you enjoyed this article. Please let me know how it’s working out for you on Twitter or by sending me an email. I love hearing about people implementing and getting results. And, if I can help you in any way, please let me know!

Motivational...Period!

What a great motivational clip! How far could you go if you were bind to your own limitations?

5 Training Tips to Increase Your Power

In my last article, I discussed the value of your power to weight ratio and how it can help improve your cycling results. We know how to reduce our weight through regular exercise, eating healthier, etc. However, where cyclists often struggle is how to improve the numerator - power - especially during the season.

Why do you care about increasing your power? Well, the more power you have, the harder and longer you can ride, whether it is hammering at the front of the peloton or pushing hard up your "favorite" hill. But improving power requires dedication, focus and work (sound familiar?).

Here are five tips you can use to improve your power:

1. Ride uphill -  Riding uphill is a great way to increase muscular endurance and strength.  The formula is simple: pedal a relatively large gear at a moderate cadence for an extended period of time. 
• One way is to progressively increase the climbing distance. If you don't live in the mountains where you climb for miles, then find a good mile plus hill and do four to six repeats with a good recovery between each effort. But make sure you are pushing a gear that is hard but in which you can maintain at least 70 rpm's.
• A second way is to find a short, steep climb and do high intensity intervals of about 60 seconds. Just like above, progressively add more intervals to your effort. 
2. Ride into the wind - Maybe you live in an area with relatively flat terrain so doing hills isn't realistic. This was an old favorite of mine when I lived in Colorado Springs to help vary my training. I would jump on my bike and head east, away from the foothills, and I was guaranteed, at least in the spring, to experience a lot of wind. It isn't just a matter of riding into the wind but doing it in a big ring gear, one that allows you to maintain a cadence of at least 80 rpm's. Find a loop or route that will allow you to ride into the wind for a time, then recover with a cross or tail wind, and repeat. Progressively increasing your time riding into the wind will progressively increase your power.
3. Ride a bigger gear - This is pretty straightforward. Get out of your comfort zone and push a slightly larger gear by adding a few two to three minute efforts during your training ride. The key here is that as you increase your gearing, you also want to maintain a consistent cadence. In other words, if you are riding a 53x19 gear and comfortably pedaling 90 rpm's, drop it down into your 53x18/17 gear but keep pedaling 90+ rpms.
4. Increase the distance - Long rides increase your aerobic and muscular endurance. But length is a relative term. If your typical long ride is two hours, adding an hour will have a significant impact. And, if you can get to four or five hours, you will notice the difference.
5. Block training - This can be an effective training method; however, if overdone, additional recovery time will be needed. The concept of block training is that you train hard for two or three days in a row followed by at least the same amount of recovery days (easy rides). The two or three day block could comprise of any variation of hard workouts mentioned above to really stress your body. But, again, I have to emphasize that the key here is to provide yourself ample recovery time. And, if after three days of recovery, your legs are still sore and/or tired, take an extra recovery day.

There are methods that I've used in the past and continue to use today to push myself so I know they work. Just one last piece of advice and that is to use a heart monitor and, if possible, a power meter in your training. They provide instant feedback on your effort. They also help you measure your progress over time.

Good luck and feel free to contact me if you have questions or if I can help you in any way.

Improve Your Cycling By Improving Your Power to Weight Ratio

How many of you use Strava to track your rides? Yes, it is great for comparing segments against other people but it is also a great tool for measuring your progress.

The image above is from my ride today. One particular segment of the ride, Ridge Park climb, is the subject of this article. The link to the segment can be found by clicking HERE. The Ridge Park climb is only 0.8 miles long at an average grade of 9.1%.

Anyone who is familiar with the Newport Coast area knows this is a short but tough climb taking you to the highest point in Orange County. After reviewing today's ride, I now have the third fastest time overall up Ridge Park. Not bad for a guy who is going to be 48 in October!

So why am I sharing this? It isn't to brag (although I am pretty pleased!) but to provide insight into how I trained 20+ years ago and how I am currently training. Given my size, I realized that the way to be competitive on the climbs was to improve my power to weight ratio. I wasn't suddenly going to shrink four or five inches and drop 40 lbs.

The secret is your power to weight ratio. To become a stronger rider, this means you have to address two areas: improving your power and reducing your weight. The latter can happen if you watch your diet and exercise regularly. I've lost 20 pounds since the beginning of the year
.
Improving power is a bit more challenging because it means having to improve your leg strength. This can be done via weight training in the off-season, strength exercises in the early season and lots of power road riding (hills, hard rides, etc.). It is best to find a coach who can help you build the power aspect of your program to gain maximum benefits.

Let me know how I can help you improve your cycling. Feel free to email me to discuss further. In the meantime, complete the form below if you want to get on my email list.

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You Can't Win the Race Without...

It has been an exciting three weeks of cycling with the Giro d'Italia and the Tour of California both taking place this month. After many days of hard racing, neither race was decided until the very end.

In the Tour of California, Robert Gesink won the Stage 7 finish atop Mt. Baldy as well as put himself in position to win the overall with only one day remaing. In the Giro d'Italia, it was settled on the last day, mano a mano between Ryder Hesjedal and Joaquim Rodriguez.

However, in both cases, neither Gesink nor Hesjedal would've been in the position to win the race if it weren't for teammates.

Often overlooked and under appreciated (unless you are the guy for whom they are working), the other six or seven guys on your team were there to get their team leader to the finish line. Whether it was Christian Van de Velde of Garmin pulling for kilometers up the Stelvio pass or someone dropping back into the caravan to get bottles from the team car, each rider had a role to play and a hand in their teammate's victory.

This same analogy can been seen in successful businesses. No one person can do it all. It takes a team, pulling together with a single purpose that delivers success. The sales rep may be the "team leader" but, if he is to be successful, he needs a strong supporting cast to aid him in his victory.

In business and in sport, it is proven time and again that you cannot win the race without the help of others to put you in the position to utilize your strengths when it is most important. Surround yourself with a strong team and you most certainly will taste success.

Thanks for reading this week. If you haven't done so already, please sign up to get email alerts, e-newsletter, etc. by clicking HERE.

 

2012 Amgen Tour of California Stage 7 Mt. Baldy

2012 Tour of California Stage 7 Finish Line area

Bombing Down GMR

Make Progress and Move Forward

How often in the course of a conversation with a business colleague or a cycling buddy, when asked how things are going, you respond "Nothing new" or "Same old, same old?" Have you ever given thought as to why the same response all of the time? Are you satisfied with your station in life? Are you satisfied with the status of your relationships?

Quite often, we offer these responses because our lives get into a routine or a rut. We go through each day wanting to just survive the day, being satisfied with the status quo. The problem with that type of thinking is that you keep yourself closed off to new opportunities to move forward and make progress. You are essentially proclaiming that you are happy with where you are and are not pushing yourself to progress to the next level.

You don't have to accept your station in life. If you want to take your business relationships and cycling relationships to the next level, you have to make an effort. You have to make the decision that you want to get better in business, that you want to progress your career, that you want to be a better cyclist. No, it doesn't have to be a progression to the CEO or being a professional cyclist. But you have to make a decision to want to make progress and put a plan in place that will push you to new levels.

You are the creator of your destiny. Nobody but you can determine in which direction and how far you progress in business, cycling and life.

Newton's first law of motion states "An object that is at rest will stay at rest unless an unbalanced force acts on it." Be the unbalanced force on your life, change the status quo and make progress!

Happy cycling!

Mark

Persistence and Success in Business and Sport

 

Last Saturday, I rode in the L’Etape du California. It was a grueling ride - 79 miles long, the last 25 being uphill. The ride involved over 11,600 feet of climbing with the last four miles having an average grade of 8.5%. It was a terrific event, well organized and supported, and challenging, so much so that nearly 50% of those who started the ride never made it to the finish.

What impressed me most, however, was the drive that I saw in other riders who refused to let a 14% grade two miles from the finish deter them from completing the ride. They persisted, drove on and made it, even if it meant having to stop, walk or zig-zag across the road. Their sheer determination to make it to the finish got me thinking about tenacity, perseverance and determination and the role each plays in achieving success.

When I was racing my bike (all those years ago), I was never the most natural climber or the fastest sprinter on the road. What I had, however, was the desire and determination to not let anyone or anything get in the way of me being successful. I refused to let others define my success and failure. To me, failing was nothing more than a learning lesson, a setback on the path to success. I was determined to be a successful cyclist and put in the hours in the gym, on the indoor trainer and on the road, persevering when I encountered setbacks and staying focused on achieving my goals.

In late 1990, I said good bye to the Army and to competitive cycling and was immediately hired by a company in Stamford, CT. I will never forget what the President said to me one day as to why he hired me over more qualified applicants. He said, “You’ve been successful in everything that you’ve done and I’ve no doubt that you will be successful here.”

In business, one sales representative might earn two or three times that of another in any given year. However, that doesn’t mean that the former is two or three times better of a sales representative than the latter. It is more likely that the higher earning representative went about his job in a consistent, persistent manner.

Napoleon Hill devoted an entire chapter in Think and Grow Rich to the subject of persistence. He said, “There may be no heroic connotation to the word persistence, but the quality is to the character of man, what carbon is to steel.”

Nobody is guaranteed success. But, you can, through persistence, heavily influence your likelihood of success. And, in the words of the late great coach Jim Valvano, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”

Persistence and Success in Business and Cycling

Last Saturday, I rode in the L’Etape du California. It was a grueling ride - 79 miles long, the last 25 being uphill. The ride involved over 11,600 feet of climbing with the last four miles at an average grade of 8.5%. It was a terrific event, well organized and supported, and challenging, so much that nearly 50% of those who started the ride never made it to the finish.

What impressed me most, however, was the drive that I saw in other riders who refused to let a 14% grade two miles from the finish deter them from completing the ride. They persisted, drove on and made it, even if it meant having to stop, walk or zig-zag across the road. Their sheer determination to make it to the finish got me thinking about tenacity, perseverance and determination and the role each plays in achieving success.

When I was racing my bike (all those years ago), I was never the most natural climber or the fastest sprinter on the road. What I had, however, was the desire and determination to not let anyone or anything get in the way of me being successful. I refused to let others define for me success and failure. To me failing was nothing more than a learning lesson, a setback on the path to success. I was determined to be a successful cyclist and put in the hours in the gym, on the indoor trainer and on the road, persevering when I encountered setbacks and staying focused on achieving my goals.

In late 1990, I said good bye to the Army and to competitive cycling and was immediately hired by a company in Stamford, CT. I will never forget what the President said to me one day as to why he hired me over more qualified applicants. He said, “You’ve been successful in everything that you’ve done and I’ve no doubt that you will be successful here.”

In business, one sales representative might earn two or three times that of another in any given year. However, that doesn’t mean that the former is two or three times better of a sales representative than the latter. It is more likely that the higher earning representative went about his job in a consistent, persistent manner.

Napoleon Hill devoted an entire chapter in Think and Grow Rich to the subject of persistence. He said, “There may be no heroic connotation to the word persistence, but the quality is to the character of man, what carbon is to steel.”

Nobody is guaranteed success. But, you can, through persistence, heavily influence your likelihood of success. And, in the words of the late great coach Jim Valvano, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.”

Fluid Replacement During Cycling

 

This was my ride for today. I joined my buddy, Les Murray, to do the L'Etape preview ride today. It turned out to be a beautiful day for a bike ride. It was a sunny day, light winds, with the temperature at the start about 60, rising to 87 degrees at the finish. The first half of the ride was challenging with the first 33 miles being uphill topping out at Mt. Baldy (considered an hors category climb).

Throughout the ride, I had to keep reminding myself to drink fluids. The combination my rising body temperature and sweating due to the climbing combined with the increasing air temperature made it critical that I replace fluids. Additionally, Southern California is a dry climate and, with the low humidity, it was easy to forget that I was sweating. The wind can also play a factor in sweat evaporation, making it easy to forget that you are sweating.

I drank six large waterbottles of Gatorade and water. I finished strong and hydrated. However, I can say that wasn't the case with other riders. I heard guys say they were toast and we still had 10 to 15 miles left to ride. Others had leg cramps, symptomatic of low sodium due to excess sweating and not enough electolyte replacement.

Folks, summer is coming and, along with it, warm weather. Today's post is a reminder to not make a mistake and forget to drink, else you run the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion or worse. Drink every 10 to 15 minutes and don't be afraid to stop and refill on your ride. Nobody will think lesser of you!

Be safe and keep the rubberside down!

Commitment To Focus, Dedication and Discipline

"No horse gets anywhere until he is harnessed. No stream or gas drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined."  - Harry Emerson Fosdick

I have been listening Bob Proctor's Freedom Series on my training rides (not necessarily a great idea!) when Bob read Fosdick's quote. I stopped, scrolled back and listened to it a couple of times. To me, this is one of the best success formulas I've heard. To me, this is what it means:

Focus - the ability to stay on task and not let yourself get distracted and off-track. In business, sometimes it is easier to do emails as opposed to picking up the phone to call a prospect or a challenging customer. On the bike, it is the ability to stay focused on doing what it takes to achieve your goal. You have to commit to the goal and stay focused on doing what it takes to achieve that goal.

Dedication - commit yourself to putting in that extra phone call, to making the extra effort that your colleagues may not be willing to do. When riding, it is dedicating time required to achieve the goal, whether it is a personal one or even a team goal. If you choose to do, then commit the time to doing it right.

Discipline - in business and in sport, I see as the one of the most difficult tasks. It takes a serious commitment to get and stay disciplined. On New Years, many people set goals to lose weight or go to the gym. However, what they lack is the commitment to stay disciplined to those "resolutions" and, after a month or so, fall back into the ways of old. If you want to success ,you must dedicate yourself to achieving that goal and doing what it takes, day in and day out, to achieve that goal. In business, this is even more true if you work in a home or remote office. You have nobody but yourself to hold you accountable.

In 1988, I had multiple short, medium, long term and dream goals. Three of those goals were to be a National Champion, make the US National Team and the Olympic team (my dream goal), there were days when my wife thought I was crazy. I would go out on training rides all types of weather, one day even trying to ride when there was over four inches of freshly fallen snow on the ground! I committed myself to staying focused on my goals, dedicated myself to doing the work necessary to achieve those goals and was disciplined to doing my work every day to get better. All of this commitment resulted in me nearly achieving ALL of the goals that I had set at the beginning of the season!

When you commit, you focus. You focus your energy, your effort, your actions on the very thing to which you have committed. You are willing to take action without any distractions, action that delivers the results you want.

Positioning

Last Saturday morning, as the group I was riding with was heading uphill, I came up behind a rider on his time trial bike. This isn't unusual in Southern California as there are a number of triathletes and cyclists who ride these aero steeds. I caught a quick glance as I passed him, made a mental note about his poor position and moved on. The note didn't come to mind again until today when I watched Cadel Evans in the final time trial stage of the 2012 Tirreno Adriatico stage race in Italy.
Now, Cadel is an awesome rider but what I saw today was surprising. Here is a seasoned professional who pays close attention to detail with what appeared to be poor positioning on his time trail bike. If you look at the photo, you will see that he is sitting more upright and his front area is wide open and creating a lot of wind resistance. When these aero bars were introduced in 1988 by Scott, they were designed to mirror the position of a downhill skier, arms out front with a narrow frontal area for aerodynamic purpose.
Which brings me back to Saturday's ride. Because many riders have a road bike and an aero bike, they will often set both bikes up with the same position. However, in doing so, your aero position becomes extremely inefficient. It was clear that this rider had tried to set up his position to match his road bike position, something that I was able to see easily when riding from behind.
My message - there is no one size fits all. In business, we cannot expect that a sales strategy that has led to a successful sale is going to work time and again. What worked last year that led to record revenues may not work this year due to economic changes, customer buying cycles, etc.
If you want to be the most efficient, it is important to have the proper situation or setup. Whether it is in business, sport or life, we need to be adaptable yet attentive to making minor changes that will lead to our success.

Word of the day - Crap!!

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This wasn't exactly what I wanted to write about for my first blog post. But, sometimes you have to take what you are given and go with it. I'll have to save the topic of my first post for another day.

Since it was a sunny but cool day (by Southern California standards) I decided to ride up to the Top of the World in Laguna Beach. The climb itself from the Pacific Coast Highway is just over one mile long but oh what a mile! The hill has an average grade in excess of 10% with the last part of the climb jumping to over 20%! This is a ride I've done numerous times so I knew what to expect. What I didn't expect was the unexpected.

As I turned onto Thalia Street to start the climb, I got out of the saddle and stepped on the pedals. Suddenly, I heard a snap and the sound of my chain hitting the spokes of my real wheel. My first thought was "What the h***??" followed by CRAP!

After frantically popping my feet out of my pedals before I fell over, I looked down to see my chain wrapped around the front chainrings. My first thought was a broken chain, something that is not unheard of.

Upon further inspection, what I saw was that the metal arm on rear derailleur had literally snapped in half with the only thing keeping it together being the internal spring. My day was done before it had hardly begun! Who would've thought that a Shimano derailleur would snap off? Not me but it did. I even took pictures to prove it!

What is the lesson you ask? Preventative maintenance checks cannot be overlooked. For the past week, I had noticed a clicking noise that I attributed to a worn chain being used on a new cassette. During each ride I would remind myself to check it out only to leave it for another day.

Could I have predicted this? Probably not but had I taken a closer look, I might have realized that in fact the chain was ok so perhaps there was a derailleur problem. Here is my advice:

• Listen for any unusual noises coming from your bike. If properly maintained, the only noise you should be hearing, other than the wind past your ears, is the occasional light noise from hub when you are free wheeling.
• After each ride, take a couple of minutes to look your bike over. If you did hear some odd noises, try to isolate the area from where you think it is originating.
• When all else fails, take your bike to a qualified mechanic and explain to them what you are hearing. Your safety isn't worth not doing it.

Happy cycling!