Assuagement

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go" T. S. Eliot

On Monday of this week I received a heart dropping email from the organizers of the 2009 World 24hr Solo Championships stating that due to a grandfather clause of past participants, and despite my qualification, that I possibly may not be granted a spot in this year’s competition. Last year was a record-breaking year for attendance and they anticipate this year to be even more packed.

Hi Tim,

Later this afternoon we will be announcing the 11th annual World Solo 24 Hours of Adrenalin Championships. The event will be returning to Canmore, Alberta this coming July 24 - 26, 2009. Thanks for sharing your interest in the event. The 2008 event was the largest International field in the history of the championships and with this years team event selling out in 18 hours a year in advance it's looking to be another banner year.

I see a Tim Finkel in our database from 2003, our last year at Hardwood. Is that you? DOB: MAR/3/1979 in Michigan.

Tim, it's going to be extremely difficult to get a entry for this event, however winning the HAN certainly boosts well.

I suggest that you submit a race resume as soon as possible.

Thanks,

Stuart


As I read this my mind raced, followed by a complete loss of words or reaction. This is was what I set out to do…where would I go from here? I never considered any other goals for this season.

Yesterday I opted to scale back my training plans for the day to stay late at work and compile a convincing cover letter and race resume for the organization in the hopes that I will be granted a spot.

Today, ironically during my 3rd Hour Bike Mechanics class I received the following email from Stuart:

Morning Tim,

Thank you for providing a cover letter and race resume. Based on the information provided I'm happy to grant you a slot for the 2009 World Solo 24 Hours of Adrenalin Championships. Please note that qualifying is going to change within the next 10 days so this is only guaranteed if you register with this period. I have activated your old profile on our web site, please log in and update all your information today please.

Thanks again for your interest and look forward to meeting you,

Stuart



As I read it I burst out loud with excitement and may have even jumped off the ground a little bit. My students looked at me in confused wonderment. Following this reaction, I made them all drop everything they where working on at the moment and turn their attention to the big screen which projected my computer monitor. As I read my acceptance letter with proud proclamation, the students and other staff in the room applauded.

Due to the urgency of the matter, I performed a bit of personal business on company time and quickly registered during my 6th hour prep time today. I can now for the first time proudly say there is no turning back…I am in. 196 more days…how will I spend them?

I never considered that there would be difficulty getting into this race granted I qualified. The realization of this drastically altered my motivation and spirit; I was crushed. However, after having to go through the week long emotional roller coaster of realizing this dream may not come to fruition, and then actually having everything pan out in the end, I have come to value the fortunate situation I am now in more so than if there had been zero hiccups in the process. This small derailment has equated to even more burning passion and aspiration; it was a blessing.

Monkhood.

Monkhood (n): Live Simply. Eat clean and lean. Sleep well. Train Hard. Train Smart. Focus all mental and physical energy on the task at hand. Organize priorities. Abstain from alcohol and any other form of indulgences other than riding.

If 2008 taught me one thing it is the realization of the power of mental commitment and the results that can follow.

Recently, 24 hours of Adrenaline announced that the 2009 World Solo 24 Hour Mountain Bike Championships will be held at the Canmore Nordic Center in Alberta, Canada on July 25th.

201 days lay in front me. Come July 25th, I want to stand at the line, crowd roaring the countdown, with the assurance I spent those days making the most optimal preparation choices. All decisions must ultimately lead to one specific goal.

This past holiday season I spent my final days enjoying my family and friends and the love that surrounds me, their support will carry me through this journey. New Years Eve brought about a last supper of sorts, as I partook in one final indulgence before diving into the depths of dedication.

I have changed one perspective this season however. I viewed last season as a personal quest. I relied on myself for motivation and I admittedly developed a self-absorbed, narcissistic attitude. This time around I intend to realize how all of this fits into the big picture: family, friends, and future. I do not intend to go about this alone but rather with the community that surrounds me.

Training has always been a bit of a catch-22 for me. In essence, I put off doing everyday necessary tasks to go riding (organizing bills, finances, my basement, garage, files, etc.). However, if I negate riding to tend to these tasks, I get extreme anxiety from my time off the bike. Likewise, I receive anxiety while training when I think about the ancillary responsibilities I have put off to go ride. As a step toward monkhood, I have spent the past few days developing organizational systems for my belongings, and getting rid of as many material items that are not commonly utilized but take up space and mental energy. Live simply.

In Fight Club, Tyler Durden states that you don’t own your material possessions, they own you.

Monkhood. This race will receive all of me.

What is your destination? How are you going to get there? Who else is with me?

2008 Mileage in Review:

First off, if you were not racing the longest stage race in the world this past season, make sure you are registered this season. We are already 4 stages in, don’t delay, sign up today.

2008 brought about a Hermit-man inspired perfect palindrome total of 13531 miles.

I sat on the saddle for 845 hours.

I averaged about 37 miles a day.

I dedicated an average time slice of 2hours and 21minutes each day to my two-wheeler.

I may have even run a mile or two on foot as well…It’s hard to say.

Steed Overview:
LeMond Victiore: 4,301 miles



Trek Top-Fuel 9.9: 2,634 miles



Trek 69er: 2,956 miles



Kona Hei Hei SS Winter Beater: 1,240 miles



Trek STP SS Winter Beater: 474 miles



Fetish Cyclocross Bike: 257 miles



Nas-Track Bike: 95 miles



Cycle Ops Trainer: (And although some may argue these miles are irrelevant) 1,574


So what will 2009 yield? I can tell you this, the miles as well as the wheels will be getting bigger...stay tuned.

Beard Update:

Fell short 66 days...
Sometimes ideas are not the best when not clearly thought out...
Sometimes we just need a fresh start.

As Linus is to his blanket, so I have become to my new toy…

Every year I like to treat myself to a little present from me to me. After a year or so of lusting, wanting, yearning and wishing, I have finally bit the bullet and bought myself what seems to be the most intelligent instrument I have ever had my hands on, the illustrious icon of human revolution: the iPhone. In the 1950s, NASA started sending wavelengths to space in the hopes to communicate with intelligent extraterrestrial life; clearly the iPhone is the product of this allied attempt, as it seems to be some sort of advanced alien technology not derivative of human capability. I now walk around armed with more technology in my pocket than the astronauts equipped themselves with on their maiden voyage to the moon in 1969.



Yes folks it seems that I have fallen victim to the clever marketing tactics of the Apple Cooperation, as I am a Macbook user, own two iPods, and now the iPhone. What have I become, am I merely a lemming that has fallen in line with the masses? Perhaps…but I will tell you something, I have no words to describe how amazing this little device is. I have only owned it for about 72 hours and it has already changed my life in so many ways that I don’t know how I ever managed to function without it; it completes me. I will not ramble on about it’s virtual infinite possibilities and applications, but I will say this: if Steve Jobs offered me some tasty kool aid and asked me to lie down and take a nap, I may be so hypnotized by his ingenuity that I just may follow suit.

A Christmas Miracle: DVDs finally get Rad!

Looking for the perfect holiday gift this season for your velo-obsessed comrades? It is with great distinction and honor that I announce that recently, after what seemed like an eternity of waiting, the beloved BMX classic has finally hit the stores in DVD format! Yes folks we are talking about Hal Needham’s 1986 masterpiece, Rad. For the low price of $12.99 you could give the gift of cinematic excellence and unparalleled motivational inspiration during the off season. Want to kick off your racing season focused, ready to race, and with a radical soundtrack coursing through your head? Buy Rad, get Rad while on the trainer, and race Rad in 2009.

Wait…but that’s not all folks. What better to accompany your new Rad film than an official Rad Racing T-Shirt and other assorted merchandise? Get them while they last.


Have a Rad Christmas!

Can Timmy come out and play today?

The route was simple, dart out the back door, run through my neighbors backyard, squeeze through a set of pine trees trying not to get scraped, cruise along the west side of the house, and hop onto the porch from the side. As I would stand at my childhood best friend’s front door, heart rate elevated from the trip over and in elated anticipation to begin whatever adventure lay before us for that day, I would ring the door bell only to wait as his Yorkshire terrier yelped and piddled at the door while his mother answered the door, as I exclaimed, “Can Ryan come out and play”? This was an everyday ritual for me for a good ten years or so.

This past weekend I stopped by Alan Smith’s house while I was riding by and caught a glimpse of him in the window while he was riding the trainer. I stopped in to chat for awhile and catch up as he has been drowning in higher education responsibilities lately.

He shared with me about a recent project he did for school in which he promoted healthy active lifestyles to a 4th grade class in Flint. He posed the question to the class, “Do you regularly play outside?” to which the class answered “yes”. He went on to ask, “Do you plan on playing outside for the rest of your life”? The consensus response of the class was sadly that most of them will quit playing outside around the age of 17. To this Alan replied, “Really? I’m 33 years old and I still play outside everyday with all of my friends after school”.

The class was filled with undivided intrigue and with the help of two stationary trainers equipped with power output and some Gary Fisher Precaliber 24 inch mountain bikes donated by American Cycle and Fitness Alan hosted a trainer race for the rest of their time while pitching the idea of cycling for life.

A few days later, Alan received some thank you letters in the mail from the class.

“When I was riding that bike, I felt like I was making history”

“As I stepped off the bike, my legs felt like they weighed a million pounds”

After I left Alan’s house to ride into the cold night and meet up with the Hermit-man, Alan’s story resonated in my head and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

I’ve always loved the camaraderie training and racing has to offer but I guess I’ve never really broken it down into the simple and innocent idea of playing outside with my friends. I guess when I step back and look at my life, not much has changed from when I was ten years old to now. I still go to school for nine months out of the year, I still play outside with my friends everyday, and although the price tags have increased, I still play with toys.


In an age when it almost appears as if kids don’t even get to choose what activities they’re into anymore, (i.e. Media saturated in Guitar Hero, Rock Band, Wii generated experiences, MySpace, Facebook, MTV, etc.) I think the simple idea of “playing outside” could be the best gift you can give a kid this holiday season. As the products we use in our everyday lives become more and more disposable, we should make sure our experiences do not as well.

When recently interviewing my nephew over Thanksgiving I asked him if he remembers what I bought him for his birthday this year to which he replied no. However, when asked, “do you remember when we went mountain biking together?” he replied, “How can I forget”.

Are you going to go outside and play today? You should…it’s fun!