It started with a message. A touch from a contact reaching out to gauge interest in participating in an event. In this case, Para Road Nationals in Knoxville, TN - my involvement as the pilot to a tandem and beyond that very little information available.
My initial response - excitement. Excited to have a stoker reach out to me to have me play the important role of pilot for her big event of 2019. My initial response - fear - am I in good enough shape to support her goals? Will I be able to perform to the level I expect of myself and my commitment to her? Am I capable of this? My initial response - logistics. Can I take the time away from family, life, jobs, and responsibilities to pursue this opportunity? My response - say “yes” - figure it out later - thanks to prior coaching in my life that mentality stands strong. So, I said yes.
I took time after saying yes to run a self evaluation. Where does my cycling fitness stand? What changes do I need to make to better focus on the outcomes of these races (yes, there are 4 that we will participate in)? What are my controllables that I can manage now to show up as prepared as possible? The good news at this point was being in a pretty good place with my cycling training. Thanks to a snowy winter, I had spent a lot of time in the Inspired Training Center Computrainer Studio and had gained fitness, power and refined skills.
I then made the connection with my stoker knowing she had an amazing coach working with her and gained access to her training data so I could monitor to ensure I was hitting similar landmarks as she was. This was a very valuable tool with us being in different states and minimal opportunity to train together prior to race week.
There were times during the past few months when I wondered if the trip was going to happen, if the races were going to publish information and whether I was still holding the position as pilot. There were times I questioned and still am questioning what I am getting myself into. There were times I questioned my why and if my why was strong enough for me to deliver at the event.
We were able to schedule a training camp in early June. We had three days in Colorado - learning the process of transporting and assembling/disassembling the tandem, getting ride ready and riding together in varying (ok windy) conditions to get used to each other and how the bike handles together. I was truly amazed at the things I learnedf from her as she assembled the bike by feel and dialed in the proper fit for me. This provided a great connection for us and a good confidence builder but also reinforced the fears knowing as I dropped her at the airport to return home that we were two weeks out from the event. This is real. We are doing it!
The last minute preparations were made. Packing lists checked and re-checked. Gathered necessary tools, supplies and equipment needed and made every preparation possible for the family while I was gone so as to not interrupt the routine too badly. A huge thank you to my family for supporting me in saying “yes.”
Now, I sit on the plane - headed to Nashville. We will meet in the airport a few hours apart, get our rental truck (the tandem transportation vehicle) and head to our AirBnb in Knoxville about 2 1/2 hours away. Then after a good night’s sleep, the race preparations will begin.
It’s go time. Enjoy the ride!
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