Great endurance racers will tell you Leave your egos at the starting gates. One of the hardest things in any race, especially the Tour De France that you will never notice is one's ability to tame the ego. Lance is a self proclaimed data junkie when it comes to his training tactics. Even though the Tour is over 2300 miles and takes three weeks to ride, every hill, every mile and every rotation of his pedals are calculated ahead of time. But, what happens during the race if not disciplined in the off season can ruin the best of training tactics. Each day is considered a stage and at the end of the race it is not the number of stages one wins that determines a winner, but the clock. Sure every rider would like to wear the yellow jersey at least once, but at the end of the day, that is not what matters most. The Tour De France may be better known for its ability to crush the best of egos rather than the mammoth Pyrenees Mountains. Much greater than Lances gifted physical abilities is his ability to sacrifice his ego for greater goods. What can we learn from Lance when it comes to our workouts, losing weight, and keeping truly fit? 1. Our greatness does not come from exploiting our competitors, enemies or accomplishments. Greatness runs from within. 2. Our greatness does not come from what pant's size we are, benchpress records, or miles under ten minutes- greatness runs beside us. 3. Our greatness does not come from how much money or fame we accumulate, greatness runs in the process. 4. Our greatness is not a matter of what our car, bike, or house looks like greatness is only as big as our hearts. 5. Our greatness needs no explanation! Lance would say, Enjoy whatever you do, focus on that particular stage in your life, pay your dues with hard work and let your character speak for itself! |
