My name is fatmarc vanderbacon. I have been heckled a few times this year that "you're racing too seriously." I will admit that frankly, I do take my racing pretty seriously. I love to race. Especially cross, it makes me really happy. It is one of the passions of my life. I don't fault folks who approach cross differently, but I know how I care about it, and frankly how I want to approach it.When I ride my best, and leave it all out there regardless of result, I feel like I'm getting the most out of this. That's the enjoyment for me at this point.
Look, I get that I'm not the fastest kid on the block. That I'm not really in the race these days in terms of placing. I'm your team's mid pack masters racers. I'm racing for a top 30 most weekends, and apparently with the juniors top 50. At the end of the race, if I suffered the entire time, if I rode clean, if I battled in my group- I'm happy with that. Somewhere along the line I saw this:
The gift is the ability to go out and train. The ability to pin on a number. The ego to get my face kicked in and come back the next day to do it again. I feel honored to ride for the team I do, I am proud of my teammates and to be associated with them. I am proud of the community and friends I have because of this sport. I love this game. For me, frankly that's where I am. I just want to go out and race my best, as long as I fight, I battle, and I race smart, and leave it all out there... then I'm cool with that. Maybe I am too serious when I race, but I work really hard to be able to battle for 30th place. And frankly, I wouldn't want it any other way.
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| my brother Craig and I warm up last weekend |
Two years ago, I lost a brother. From that experience/coping/healing/having a mid life crisis I've grown and learned a lot. One of those things that I keep coming back to is this if I'm gonna do something, I have to give my best. Either that or don't do it. I also learned that I don't always need to be the biggest jackass at the party either. That however, will be the subject of another entire blog...
So yeah, I'll continue to take it seriously and have fun and smile afterwards. Thanks again for heckling. I do appreciate it. I just want to leave it all out there.. For me, anything else is well... wasting my gift...
thanks for reading.
respect
vanderbacon
7 comments:
i love you man
So much of this resonates for me. Never waste the gift.
Awesome! Well said!
Always be true to what is important to you. Proud of you buddy.
Love you!
Does this mean the beard is open for heckles?
xoxo
m
Oh, that annoys me to no end when someone acts like you shouldn't take racing seriously unless you have excellent results. It's as if they think the only people out there who should be driven and dedicated are the leaders.
Well I think you have found the same truth I have...
That in a race, although there can be only one winner, every other person who lined up came with the intention to do their best and to test themselves. If you line up and don't take it seriously, then why bother lining up?
You might be there to win. You might be there to beat your buddy. You might be there to get a better placing than last time. You might be there to improve your cross skills. All valid reasons to take it seriously. You'd do yourself a disservice if you didn't.
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