Alone in a French gondola
A bit of a click-bait title, but as I was writing this, that's what it kinda comes down to.
And realizing that it may never be enough, but sometimes, that's all there is and that's ok.
2024 was yet another groundbreaking year for Outlaw and our athletes:
2024 Race Highlights:
Bode Burke - 3rd place UCI Junior World Championships DH
Multiple top 15 places in UCI World Cup DH races
3 US National Champion jerseys and multiple podiums - US Gravity Nationals
5 first places and multiple Podiums - Monster Energy Pro Downhill Series
5 first places and multiple Podiums - Crankworx Whistler
Multiple podiums - IXS Cup & French Cup DH races
Complete domination at junior development levels
In addition to our athlete's results, the team side of things were also fantastic. This team is constantly changing and improving. I feel like we are hitting a stride that's going to send us over the tipping point as we continue on with a strong coaching staff who understand the mission and values of the team, and supporters and outsiders who get what we are doing and want to help.
Yet... it's not enough.
Don't get me wrong, I'm stoked. Life is good and the future is bright. But I should have done more.
I should have checked in more with injured athletes
I should have communicated with the team more often
I should have continued coach training
I should have sent more feedback
I should have posted more
I should have kept this blog alive
I've been coaching a long time, and unfortunately this "Shoulda Disease" never goes away and I always struggle with it at the end of the season when I finally have time to catch my breath and reflect on the year. I've always gone into a variety of 'funks' at the end of my seasons, both ski and bike seasons. I've come to realize that it's the heavy emotional, physical, and mental toll they take on me and the sudden and acute stoppage of those tolls. It seems like it would be a weight off the shoulders, but it's more like a smack (sometimes a punch) in the face.
It's never been a negative reason to cause this, but more of a, "man, I don't get to see my favorite people as often anymore" sort of thing. Plus the shoulder seasons are always tough when you can't ride as much and you can't ski yet either.
Real tough life I know :)
Back to the matter at hand.
I envy the race car driver, or more pertinent, the DH racer who is seeking that next 'perfect' lap. 1 single lap that can solve all the world's problems and carry them into fame and a life of luxury. Even though I know this will probably never happen in my chosen life path, it's still worthy of pursuing the 'perfect' season. I can define it and I can see it. But life always seems to make it nearly impossible to execute it.
I've been thinking a lot lately about my long-time sports idol Bode Miller. He is one of the greatest ski racers of all time. His mindset was very Zen and monk-like when it came to his performance. He only cared about how he did and if he put in a race run that he could be proud of. He once got 4th at World Champs and everyone else was disappointed because he was supposed to win. Yet he was beyond stoked because he knew he put down a run that was his greatest run of the season, but the other 3 were just better on that day.
This helps me to take a step back and consider my performance. Similar to working out, you don't see the immediate results until one day, 3 months later, you look in the mirror and your muscles are suddenly bigger, you can see your abs, and you feel like a million bucks. All those reps and sets and miles and sweat and tears and blood have 'suddenly' paid off. Some of those reps were 'pathetic'. Some of the weights were lighter than they should have been. Some of the miles were extremely slow, but you did them all and gave them the effort you had for that day.
You can look back and be proud of those struggle days when you did something and that was a win for the day.
So if you get stuck in the Shoulda's, use them as an opportunity to learn and improve. Be curious why it happened in the first place, set a goal to improve it, identify the skills needed to get there, develop a practice to learn those skills, and then take immediate action! This is known as the GSPA framework.
For me, it was writing this blog. I was getting stuck in my feelings and "Shoulda's." My goals are to educate athletes, I know I'm a decent writer so I took action to practice my skills to move towards my goals. Writing about these thoughts and emotions helped to process it all. And to be able to put it into (hopefully) something educational for my athletes to (hopefully) help them process their seasons in a way that is reflective and informative. Sometimes it's hard to look back on a season and know you should have done more, but if you don't, then you'll just be that much more likely to repeat those "Shoulda's" in the future.
Can we just take a moment and think about how weird the word should is? Shud. Shüd. Shood. Why the cuss is there an 'L' there?
Anyway.
I am proud of the season and proud of all of our Outlaws. 2025 is shaping up to be even bigger and better.
-Coach Boog
Multiple regional US podiums
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