What Motivates You?

Motivation

You want to change your life. You want to do something big. How do you get the motivation? It's all mental. Change your mind, change your life!

Coming into the hot summer here in Phoenix, I really wanted to, not just maintain my fitness, but build it to new heights! I wanted to be the athlete I always wanted to be! Not having a regular job, I needed something to get me out of bed at 4:30am to ride, hike, or whatever through the hot summer months. It had to be something big, so big that it actually scared me and made me get out of bed before sunrise to get on the bike and put the miles in. I found it in the Arizona Endurance Series. I set my mind on doing the Coconino Stage Race!

250 Miles of bikepacking over 4 days fully self-supported. Photo from Arizona Endurance Series website.

I first found out about the AES events a few years ago and traveled down to Sonita to do the Kentucky Camp race. It was tough. This would be tougher. Have I ever bikepacked before? No. I've raced in circles for 24 hours solo, done Adventure Races up to 24 hours in length, and slept in technical canyons (on purpose) that took a total of 28 hours to complete, but could I complete this race?

Imlay Canyon in Zion National Park

The glimmer of hope was doing Ride the Rockies in 08' with Michelle: 435 miles and 23,000 feet of climbing over 7 days through the heart of the Rockies in Colorado. But we were sleeping in a tent and could use the shower truck after each stage. And that was a road ride!

2008 Ride the Rockies

I knew I could train my body, but it was my mind that needed training. I needed an intermediate goal. I found it with the 12 Hours at Night Mountain Bike Race. It was a 12 Hour race that would take place from 8pm to 8am in Prescott, AZ and I'd be doing it as a Duo team with one of my best friends, Mark O'Brien.

The thing about duo races is that I think they're harder the doing it solo. I've done both and the duo can be rough. Solo sounds crazy, but you just pick a pace you can sustain, take breaks when necessary, and stay mellow. Racing as a duo, I tend to ride harder, and rest less. You have just enough time between laps to check your bike, fill your water, and put down some calories before heading back to the exchange tent to wait for your lap to start. Towards the end of the race I would find myself crashing out on my cot for 15-20 minutes while Mark was doing his lap. But this is what the mental game needed. Get up when you're comfortable in bed and do another lap, and another, and another...

2011 12 Hours at Night

The race went better then either of us expected. We both felt strong throughout the race and had no trouble continuing through the usual rough 2-4am laps. And to top it off, we ended up on the podium - 2nd Place in Male Duo!

2011 12 Hours at Night - Male Duo Teams

Things are coming together, but more needs to be done. We all have areas for improvement no matter how small they are. This race showed me many things that are working well for me, but also a few areas that need improvement. Train your weaknesses they say, and that's what I'll be doing.

And we're off...

With the encouragement of my wife, Michelle, and friends, I find myself sitting here in front of my laptop creating this blog. 

Why you ask? Why do we need another blog of someone who wants to talk about themselves and every detail of their lives?

Well... I've actually been dragging my feet on doing this for the last year or so. The main reason I finally decided to get it going was to maybe help others out there. Sounds strange, huh? Let me explain.

Two and a half years ago, in January of 09' I found myself laid-off from my job as an Architect here in Metro Phoenix. I honestly did not really like this job, but it's what I went to college for, and the paychecks kept appearing every two weeks, so I kept at it the whole time feeling like I was a round peg being hammered into a square hole by the corporate types.

So now I was free, but it wasn't by choice, and that makes a big difference. Like many of the unemployed during this Great Recession, I went through all of the stages of grieving: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and then acceptance. But luckily I didn't identify myself and the image of myself with my job. It was all of the things I did outside of work that gave me my sense of self. But what about making money? 

Well, to make a long story short, I went back to guiding part-time, found myself back in school, became a certified EMT, and found myself working on an Ambulance for a year until I hurt myself at work and could no longer do the repetitive lifting of all day that was required for the job.

So now I'm free again, but without all the mental baggage of feeling unemployed! What do I want to do? Who do I want to become? Well, I've been away from Architecture for so long now that I cannot identify with working in the profession any longer. Not that there's any firms actually hiring. So, I'm moving on to being a Race Director/Outdoor Guide/Gardener and a much better person to my wife and friends. Stress is still there, but it's different. When the worst thing you think can happen, happens, and you make it through and find new meaning in the process, you realize what's really important in life and savor the moment.

So how will this help others? I've had numerous people tell my wife, Michelle and I how much they admire what I've done since being laid-off: going back to school, starting a new career, starting a new business putting on Adventure Races, and continuing to go on Adventures and race all over the Southwest. They sound inspired... by me? 

Well, I could not have done it without the support of my amazing wife and friends. So if this blog can help one other person out there overcome one of life's hardships, and get out of a rut, then it's all worth it.

So stay tuned and pass this blog on to someone who might want, or need the motivation to get out there themselves.