We have Yoda on our team.....

.....and his name is Nathan. Talking to him via e-mail about training and training philosophies/schedules/ideas, etc., Nathan has that brilliantly simplistic edge that all those great riders have:

"There is no good and bad.....there is only trained and untrained".

"The key to racing: Fitness and Patience".

I love it. I mean, why overcomplicate things through overanalysis and what I like to call "train-worry". Overanalysis of racing, races, strategy, tactics, courses, etc. Overworry about training, scheduling, plans, routines, even rituals. Trained, Untrained - Fitness and Patience. Can a guy with no teammates win the Snelling Road Race in the Masters 35+ 4/5 category? Of course.....but why? Fitness and patience......the guy had 'em both.....along with a few grains of intelligence.

1981 - Greg LeMond - Nevada City Classic. Rode to the course from Carson City on his Gitane bicycle. First lap of the Pro/1/2 event, he decides just to attack on the hill to see what would happen - just for sh*ts and giggles. What happened?? Got away, lapped the field, kept lapping the field(well certain riders of the split up field) and won the race. Fitness - yes. Patience? Well, maybe not in droves.......but he was patient enough to try the attacks again later in the race if the first one didn't work(his words).

Nathan - dude, you're Yoda. I love it!