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June 29, 2004
Drafting
Today I learned a lesson in cycling about drafting. My friend Dan who is an avid bike racer said that he would leave work at the same time as me to show me a nice biking trail. We started out riding down along the river against a headwind. He must have seen me struggling to keep my speed up, so he passed me and I fell in behind him.
I had heard about drafting by reading Lance Armstrong’s two books, but had never experienced it for myself. Today with the headwind I could feel the difference. When I was riding directly behind Dan with our wheels about a foot apart, there was much less resistance. When I pulled out to one side I felt the resistance increase by about 30 percent. It felt like a lot. Moving back in line with Dan, the resistance diminished again.
I took my turn at the front after a while and I did my best to keep a fast steady pace so Dan could draft behind me. Sometimes it’s nice to draft behind someone else for a while so we have the energy to ride harder later.
I don’t know enough about cycling to know the rest of the secrets involved in that sport, but I do know that drafting works. In life we can draft behind people we love and trust. I remember having my dad help me with things that I didn’t have the courage or strength to do myself. But with his attitude and experience he handled it easily. I learned some valuable lessons from my dad, including how to put my fears aside to get something done.
One time my mom went to my younger brother’s apartment, which was totally trashed. When my mom told him she was coming over, he tried to stall. My mom went anyway and when she walked in, she said, “Well, let’s get to it.” She went to work and he fell in behind and started cleaning. When they were done cleaning the whole apartment, my brother wanted to invite everyone over for dinner. He was embarrassed about his apartment before but was stuck in a rut.
Sometimes life is not easy, but it’s nice to have friends and family who are willing to dig in and get to it. Sometimes we need to draft behind someone who can get the job done. Eventually we will have our turn in the lead and we need to learn how to be strong and fit for that role.
As a side note, Crosby Park and Hidden Falls park along the River are very nice parks. If you haven’t been there, it’s worth checking out. Crosby park is off Shepard road, and Hidden Falls park is off East River Road.
Posted by carl1236 at June 29, 2004 10:23 PM | Balance