Motivation

noun- [moh-tuh-vey-shuhn]the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior;

What motivates individuals to do what they do? What motivates us as cyclists to rise early in the dark and cold of the morning, to rise before our families do, spend solitary moments dedicated to our sport, push our bodies to the breaking point, to the point of mental and physical exhaustion? The impetus behind all of us is probably as diverse as the readership of these words. Some of us are motivated by winning, some by pushing past their previous limits and striving for new goals, some are motivated by the brotherhood that is the team. Whatever your motivation may be, make sure it is yours singulary. Do what you will because you want to do it, not because you feel compelled to by others. Let the greatest motivating force be generated from within and not from without, because you must be able to set aside all other distractions to focus on the goals that you have set for yourself. Your motivation whatever it may be, gives a purpose to all of the hardwork that you put in to cycling, it leads you to make the right decisions at the right time, it forces you to evaluate what must be done and how it should be accomplished. Perhaps your motivation is still unknown to you, but deep inside there is a burning desire, a yearning to be on the bike that can't quite be understood yet it is a motivation nonetheless. A will stronger than your own that consumes your thoughts and wishes and desires, an unspoken need to be on the bike, with your face in the wind and the sun on your skin, blood pumping through your veins to fuel your muscles that push the pedals and propel you forward, the wheels spinning beneath you. Whatever your motivation is do not ignore it, infact nurture it, in time this motivation will reward you with all of the hard work and effort that you have given it, the reward may not be tangible, but the results will be just as great.

One Last Taste

Why?

So why do we ride our bikes? Why do we spend time away from our families? Why do we suffer when we should be having fun? We do it because we are chasing a dream. We do it because we know deep down that this is what the PRO's do. They suffer in silence just like we do. They put in the long lonely hours, just like we do. If going out and putting in the time and effort brings me a little bit closer to being PRO, then that is what I will do. If putting in all the hard work brings me just a small bit of glory, then it is all worth it.

If suffering on a long cold group ride together with my team helps me to better understand how each of us thinks, then I will do it. Teams are made of individuals that bring different things to the equation, and in doing so they make the team a better, stronger, more cohesive unit. Maybe someone is a talented bike handler that can passa long tips or techniques. Maybe someone is a great mechanic, or a tactician that understands the nature and nuances of the sport. Whatever it is every person on the team adds something special. Something that cannot be pinpointed, but would be missed if it were taken away. Perhaps the most important element that someone can add to a team is that of a motivator. And in a way we are all motivators of those around us. The rider becomes accountable to the team without words being spoken. None of us wants to let our teammates down in the crux of a race, and so we get on our trainers or rollers and put in the time and effort required.

DZ Nuts

You Asked For It

Chicago area cyclists finally have what they all have been asking for, a forum dedicated to anything cycling related in the area. The Chicago Cycling Forums were created by Waylon Janowiak and includes topics such as cyclocross, Super Week and the velodrome. Look for CCF to quickly become the hub of cycling information, as well as a networking site for area cyclists and racers alike. Great, now I have another site in which to waste even more time...I mean devote to researching cycling.