The mountains of the Tour de France

Practice so you are prepared for the moment

Lance Armstrong did not win the Tour this year, but it will be a long time before any fan forgets the triumph Lance has had during the mountain stages in the years he won. If you never had the chance to see it, just read the stories recapping those stages. They say it all. As his competitors would struggle just to stay in the race, Lance would dominate the inclines and build leads that were insurmountable.

In 2007, I ran the Rose Bowl Half Marathon with my friend Drew. The goal was simple, to run a 9:20 pace and try to come close to a two hour race time. It’s important to note that I run with Drew because he’s faster than me. Up until the day of that race I was lucky to hang with him let alone finish near him. As we reached the three mile mark I wasn’t feeling the same pace as him and let him move ahead, so far at one point I could no longer see him. Eventually, I found my groove and settled down, gaining speed as the course difficulty increased. I caught up to Drew around mile 11. It was then as we ascended on the steepest hill that day, I found my legs had a little something extra to give and I sped off from him.

It’s not just limited to racing, there is some feeling about performing your best at the hardest time. It’s like the five run come back instead of the blowout victory. It’s like the all nighters versus studying the entire semester. It’s the adrenaline in our blood that makes us surge. Not all succeed in these moments. I’d even argue most crumble under the pressure. The key is that when we practice we push ourselves. We surround ourselves with those who challenge us; those who make us question what we are doing. We do this, because when the time comes to thrive we may need to rely solely on ourselves. You have to admit the shame it would be if your moment arrived, but you were not ready for it. Are you ready to work your hardest when the time is tough?