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Hedge is Not Ovulating...

Thursday, 09 October 2014 00:10

By Dan Hedgecock (danhedgecock.com)

I am currently “en fuego” — which literally translates to “fire” or “on fire” or “in fire” or something like that. America has appropriated the phrase to mean “something awesome” or “someone who is really hot”. Although potentially appropriate, this is not what I mean when I say I am en fuego. I have appropriated this phrase to mean something a little closer to the literal translation: I am en fuego = I am in heat. In heat like I’m “in heat” with motivation to train, not like “I’m ovulating”....

Passion, desire, motivation – these are what really make a champion (In combination with one in a million world class genetics and years of consistent training.). Training at an elite level is a semi-destructive, exhausting endeavor that consumes your life. Without the passion and desire to endure the tribulations of training, an athlete very quickly “burns out”. But it’s not simply a matter of “having” these things, because they can be finicky and elusive. Sometimes you are “en fuego” with passion to the point of bursting, and then later, and of a sudden, you’re just not. You just don’t care. A lot of people would consider this a psychological problem to be overcome, but I’ve realized it’s all just part of your cycle. Sometimes you’re en fuego and sometimes you’re not. You can’t force passion.

So the take-away here is that I am currently in heat and might actually string together some good racing next season as a result. But with all of that considered, this post isn’t just about me being back in heat after a long dry spell. It’s really about being healthy vs. being fast, expectations vs. reality, time constraints and making smart choices and a cry for help from my dad. READ MORE