In search of Gold

Finding the Golden Ratio between time on and time off the bike. What is more important?As most cyclist will tell you, being competitive takes a lot more than just hours on the bike. You can only get so far by with base miles in the winter and sets of hill intervals in the spring. You can put in miles and miles of tempo work or ride technical trails over and over to improve technique, but without the Golden Ratio, your efforts are almost worthless.I use the word almost because for me, time on the bike is nearly always golden. Even when it's unproductive or not part of some fancy training plan. It's time on the bike. And that's just one things in my life that I really enjoy. But what I'm really referring to is that the amount of effort and thought that goes into ride or time spent on the bike can often times overshadow the importance of thought and planning that need to take place off the bike. Recovery time, personal time, family time, work etc... For many of us the list goes on and on. And at times for me, I often wonder if it's actually possible to find a balance. To find that Golden Ratio when everything falls into place and your find yourself feeling positive, fresh, well rested, lean and fit. When every time you step on the pedals your bike actually moves from under you and it you feels good. I know I've had many moments like that but it seems like I've had even more that are not quite that good.With that in mind, I'm constantly looking at my schedule. I'm addressing what's happening in my life at the moment, looking at the future and knowing what's been achieved in the past. Taking inventory helps but for the most part none of us can predict the unpredictable. The random event that comes up in place of a training ride or even a rest day. Though some of us are not the most structured or organized (referring to myself) individuals, we become rocket scientist when it comes to managing our time around our training schedules or just time on the bike in general.So what's the best way to actually manage it all? For this I've decided to ask a local superstar and pro mountain bike race Dave Welsh. I've known Dave for a number of years now and have watched him make his way through the ranks rather quickly in the mtb scene. Dave is currently invested in law school at the UofU, and has been for the past few years; yet he still manages to come out strong early in the season and keep a hold on that speed throughout the year. Here's his take on finding the Gold:"To me, balance is the critical word when it comes to “the golden ratio.”  I like Steven Covey’s visual depiction of a jar (representing our lives) that we fill with large rocks, small rocks, and sand. If you put the sand and small rocks in first, the large rocks will never fit. However, if you identify the proverbial “big rocks” that represent your main priorities and put these things first, the other aspects of life will fall into place. In contrast, we are often guilty of focusing on little things that have no relation to what we really value. For example, my knowledge of the weights and features of dozens of bike parts unfortunately has not made me any faster as a racer.A couple of years ago, I moved up from the Expert to the Pro category in the Intermountain Cup Series. I quickly learned that a couple weekly mountain bike rides with my buddies wouldn’t get me onto the podium at this level. Similarly, when I started law school, I had many friends who congratulated me but suggested that my racing was doomed.Moments like these have helped me to consider the physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of life that are important. More specifically, I discovered the corresponding “big rocks” of cycling, school, church, and my relationship with my wife, family, and friends as the things that I really care about. The good news is that while we often think that our priorities pull us in different directions, there are many ways in which we can integrate our passions.For example, I enjoy training with my wife and socializing on group rides. I find that after a long day in the classroom I am ready for a ride and that after a long ride I’m ready to sit down and read my law books. Similarly, following a hard Saturday race, a peaceful church meeting is great for mental and physical recovery. Another benefit is that success in one area moderates challenges and setbacks in other aspects of life. One bad race result won’t crush you when there are other areas of life that you care about.However, success in anything that is important requires some sacrifices that you can’t just gloss over. On a Friday night, I am likely to be the least-cool student at the University of Utah as you’ll likely find me in bed before 10 pm. Trips out to dinner or to the movies are sometimes replaced by afternoons on the trainer or evenings laying around the house too tired to go out. Yet by figuring out what I value, I can trade a night on the town for a day in the saddle with no regrets."To each his own of what we all go through on a daily basis to manage our lifestyle and get everything on our to-do lists done. For me, I feel as though I've always had sort of a relaxed approach about cycling. Mainly because I ride for the enjoyment. The enjoyment of exploring new trials or riding old classics. The enjoyment of pedaling with your best friends or family members. The enjoyment of competition.Over the years and throughout my professional career I've only commissioned a coach once. From that and other lessons I've learned through different methods of training, I've gained a fair amount of knowledge and personal experience to guide myself. I'll admit that I'm not always a whip cracker and as structured as I could be, but that's what keeps it fresh and makes cycling a positive experience. I'm a firm believer that a well thought out program, backed up by a bit of testing and science can truly help accelerate your fitness and competitive edge to the top of the podium. But can also be very stressful. To be able to relax on and off the bike and to let go of the stress or anxiety you feel if you don't get your ride in. That's where I find my Golden Ratio. When I've found the balance between life and cycling and I'm not overly consumed by one thing. Sometimes it tough to find it and even tougher to hang on, but it is a possibility.Take notes and keep a training journal; casually track your daily activities and stress levels. Think about the food you eat and how you feel while your training/riding. Ask other cyclists what's working for them but don't get hung up on making a comparison between what they may be doing and what you're not doing. We're all different but have the same amount of potential to succeed. What works for you will probably be different that what works for others. And most importantly, take it easy and never give up on yourself. You'll find that it's just as easy to turn into your own worst enemy and fail as it is to succeed and work out the kinks.Check back with KDAY Racing as we roll through the 2010 season. We'll be asking other local athletes how they find a the balance and what works best for their needs on and off the bike.