Post date: Sep 21, 2010 7:49:37 PM
I'm sitting here tidying up my computer and stumbled across a letter I had never read before, from the president of the racing club that I grew up and learned the sport in (attached). A few years back a man named Jonathan R. Dechau was out on a training ride and was struck from behind by a motorist. I didn't know him very well, only that he was one of the more helpful guys who took it upon themselves to set the newbies, like my 16 year-old-teamless-self, straight in the weekly training races. I had no idea at the time that he had won multiple state championships or top 20 finishes at nationals, or even that he was a neighbor in the small town with a population of 621 where my family spent the warmer half of the year, just that he was a friendly face who knew what he was doing and that it was something I wanted to learn. I deeply regret not having talked to him more and getting the chance to have learned far more training advice, racing strategy and life lessons. Even to have just joined on a single training ride with the person who I much later realized was the ghost rider I'd occasionaly see out on my training rides. The one who, by the time I'd turn around and start chasing, would already be just about to go around the next bend in the road, and once I turned that bend would be long gone.
The following year a memorial TT was created by the club in our hometown to keep his memory alive and help raise funds for his kids to go to college. The 70 or so club members from when I first started felt that Jon exemplified everything they wanted the club, its then 200 members, and themselves to embody. That never give up, lay it all on the line week-in-and-week-out, sprint for every town sign, lay it all on the line, ride for the win regardless of what and even if there is a prize list, attack-Attack-ATTACK, and have pride in the ride that you complete every time you clip into the pedals. That every pedal-stroke is an opportunity that can't be taken for granted. There's always more to work on tactically in the training races, but the real race against the unknown competitors are the true test. When there's a local race you sure better be there, but if there isn't you should seriously consider the 6 hour drive to fnd the nearest one because any day you can race is better than a day that you can't, for your love the sport and the opportunity to test yourself against a new crop of competitors. The notion that every hardship of a race is leveled across the entire field and should be used to your advantage, be it dirt roads, climbs, or just the weather.
So there you have it, what the first mentor on the bike I had meant to me. And its how you should approach racing. Once you mentally accept the challenges and view each one as an opportunity to separate yourself from the rest the physical part is easy (...or something)
Get out and ride.