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| Even if it's getting dark. |
There may be other wildlife around, but these two animals are almost always out there, and they serve a purpose.
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| Just follow along with me here. |
The Rabbit
The rabbit is a person ahead of you - the one that you're chasing. This may be a different person at various stages of the race; if you pass your original rabbit (or they get so far away from you that it would be impossible to catch them), you can always select another as your target. The ideal rabbit will stay within a few metres up the trail, and push you to a pace that's uncomfortable but doesn't quite blow you up before you finish. Depending on the course and the differences in your strengths and weaknesses (hills/technical terrain/descending/water crossings), you may pass your rabbit only to have them pass you back, possibly multiple times over the span of the race. For those with either more competitive or puppy-like personalities, rabbits may also appear in training; I'm definitely guilty of finding someone suddenly up ahead of me on a road or trail during an everyday run and having it suddenly turn into a #SecretRace.
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| We won't discuss how often I actually catch my rabbit - the chase is the most important part. |
The Wolf
The wolf is a person behind you - that one you can hear over your shoulder, that may or may not be creeping closer.
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| Hopefully it's not an actual wolf, especially if you get caught out in the woods after dark in a blizzard.. |
Even if you're off the very front of the race, without a rabbit to chase - admittedly, a position about which I speak from absolutely zero experience - you'll have a whole pack of wolves chasing you down. For the rest of us, the wolf is that person that keeps you from falling into complacency even when there's no rabbit in sight. The sound of footsteps behind you, pulling you from your desire to slow down and ease your overworked legs and lungs. The person who keeps you pushing yourself, about whom you tell yourself "NO WAY - they're not getting past me!"
To be clear, I don't condone blocking anyone who is legitimately moving faster than you; I'm the first person to step to the side (where safe) to let faster racers by, especially on technical singletrack. I'm talking about that person who appears behind you as you let off the gas for a minute in the middle of a race, who is only creeping up because you've lost your focus.
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| Maybe you were distracted by something fuzzy.. |
The ideal wolf will stay just a couple of metres behind you - not so close that they're clipping your heels or throwing off your stride (those annoying behaviours are almost worthy of their own post; DON'T BE THAT GUY), but close enough that you can hear their steps, their breath, their urgency. They will keep your focus razor sharp; keep you digging for every last ounce of courage, and make you translate that through your legs into the speed to keep them at bay.
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| At the end of the day, a race is all about who crosses the line first. |
Sometimes it's not even a person driving you onward: for those at the very back of the pack - and I've been there myself - there's the constant threat of time cut-offs chasing you. That can be the most frightening wolf of all; the one of your own making, as you struggle to move quickly enough to avoid being pulled off course and seeing your potential achievement shredded before your eyes by the unfeeling ticking of a far-off clock.
Both of these animals serve to make you push yourself harder in a race than you would on your own. Both deserve your gratitude - without them, you might never know what you're really capable of. Some of us may be more motivated by one than another, but most people will have at least some urge to chase someone they see ahead and try to hold off being passed by someone behind them.
Which do you find pushes you harder? Do you prefer to chase, or to be chased?
A few years back at the Seaton Soaker with about 10k left in the race, I was eating a gel while taking a walk break up a hill. A young guy went past me and said something like "I guess its starting to get tough!". There was probably no malice behind his statement but it sure rubbed me the wrong way. I went into full wolf mode and he was now hasenpfeffer. Kept in touch with him for a few k, passed him before the creek crossing and then put the hammer down the rest of the way. Usually I take no pleasure in passing someone who is struggling late in a race. That person is often me. But that day was different. Embrace your inner wolf! Should have tracked that guy down after the race and thanked him for the inspiration, but I was too busy picking rabbit out of my teeth. :)
ReplyDeleteHa! I *love* this story - good for you, Neil! I'm pretty sure my inner wolf is actually a 6 week old puppy that just wants to lick people and have its belly rubbed.
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