The Tri Town Times: 4/11/22

Posted on 11 April 2022
By Antonio Gonzalez
Posted in the tri town times
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Image: the Boise Foothills

This week: Group rides starting back up; quote from Roman general Fabius on being prepared.

Hi all,

Here is your weekly Tri Town Times newsletter:

Events I'm looking forward to:

A few key events are on the horizon for our local athletes:

- Ironman Texas on April 23rd.

- Bengal Sprint Triathlon in Pocatello on April 23rd.

- Ironman World Championships in St. George on May 7th.

Training thoughts and updates:

The shop's Tuesday Threshold Group Ride will start up again next Tuesday, April 19th. A few key details for those who would like to attend:

- Riders of all abilities are invited.

- The group leaves at 6pm sharp.

- Neutral, easy rollout from the shop until we reach Seaman's Gulch (approx. 6 miles)

- This year's route is an 'extended Dump Loop' (see link above). Approximately 20 miles and 1,300ft of climbing.

Quote that struck a chord:

Seneca, quoting Roman general Fabius, once said that the only inexcusable thing a military commander can say is, "I did not think that could happen."

A common version we often hear is: "I did not think that could happen to me." But of course if it can happen to anyone, it can happen to you.

We love to tell heroic tales of overcoming impossible odds, against obstacles that could not have been foreseen. But the reality is that 99% of the time unforeseen obstacles are the stuff of fiction. Almost all drama and emergencies in our lives could have been expected, if not avoided entirely if we had simply prepared and acted as if it could happen.

A smooth and uneventful journey is an excellent testament to preparation and professionalism, while a calamitous and difficult journey requiring heroics is often an indication of a lack of experience and poor planning. A heroic struggle makes for a good story, but it's often a warning sign of poor preparation.

Peter Drucker, famous business consultant and author, once said that a well organized business appears boring, because any 'crisis' has been anticipated and covered by the operation's routine.

Roald Amundsen was the first man to reach the South Pole during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. He later described his journey as, "relatively uneventful and smooth." By contrast, his chief rivals Robert Scott and Ernest Shackleton, aptly lived up to the "heroic" name by scraping by one near-death experience after another. Scott ultimately paid for it with his life, and Shackleton spent almost two years stranded on the arctic ice flows.

As athletes we must contemplate, expect, and prepare for the variables that can, and eventually will happen. A storm can hit on race day. A nagging injury may flare up a week before your race. Your bike may stop shifting half way through your ride. In many ways the obstacle itself is not the problem, its whether or not you're physically and mentally prepared for it.

Ultimately, you are the commander of your life. When you say, "I did not think that could happen", you are saying that you are not in command of your own life.

Have a great week!

Antonio Gonzalez

Tri Town Bicycles

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