Team of three
It's cold and it's raining
It’s cold, and it’s raining. Raining hard. The driving kind of rain that makes you wonder if it’s rain or hail. What’s more, is the wind is whipping into your face so hard you have difficulty breathing. Did I mention you’re cycling in your very first road race, and you’re getting ready to climb the tallest hill on the course?
How are you going to make it up the hill through the wind and rain? With your team, that’s how. A team of three good cyclists will beat one great cyclist to the top of the hill EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. How?
Drafting
Drafting occurs when a cyclist moves into an area of low pressure behind another cyclist. This reduces wind resistance and the amount of energy required to pedal. Throughout a race, every teammate experiences the benefits of drafting. Riders rotate positions as people in the back move their way to the front while leaders fall back and rest. In some cases, the amount of effort is reduced up to 30 %. Every rider goes farther and faster.
Success is bred in a team. Sometimes you are at the front pulling the team along. Sometimes you fall back and ride in the draft. We have a team at Blue Eagle. That’s why about 60 % of our members attend class EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
When life is easy, your big project at work is done, and kids are sleeping through the night, it might be easy waking up at 5:30 AM to hit the gym. But what happens when life isn’t easy. Do you still go to bed early so you can wake up on time for CrossFit when your project at work is stalling, your kid is sick, or it’s raining outside? If not, you need a team. A team of three: yourself, your coach, and a fellow athlete.
You need teammates
You need a coach and some friends with the same mindset as you. The “friends” part may be different from the friends you already have. You may need teammates who expect to see you in class or people who know you can give your best effort. Many people join Blue Eagle for these reasons.
Once you have found your team, things will become easier. You still have to put in time and effort, but you will have the benefit of DRAFT. Your team will pull you on the days you’re not quite feeling it. And on days when you hit personal records and accomplish new goals, you will pull others along with you, too. Don’t try to go it alone. The view at the top is always best shared.