Setting The Pace

09 Jul 2013 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , ,

The Tortoise & The HareAfter watching Chris Froome and Team Sky  showing the rest of the teams how to take the lead in the Tour de France, it started me thinking about just how they make it all look so controlled and simple. Ok, they are a really amazing set of riders, but they also have a brilliant tactician at the helm.

Sir Dave Brailsford became the team principal at Team Sky three years ago, after taking British cycling to heights never dreamt of a few years before. By all accounts, he is a driven, focussed and demanding man, but he is also highly principled and has spoken out vehemently against doping, which has been rife in the sport for years, as evidenced by the Lance Armstrong debacle.

His team of professional riders are perfectly prepared for each and every stage, with Brailsford’s backroom staff leaving nothing to chance in terms of everything from food to equipment, training to recognisance of the route for that day.

Having managed Bradley Wiggins’ amazing victory in the lasts years Tour, he is doing another brilliant job of setting up another win, this time with the hugely talented Chris Froome.

What wins on the road, also wins in life, knowing the route, the highs and the lows of the road to come, and setting a steady, constant and unwavering pace. Taking your time to plan ahead, being constant and steady in your quest for a goal, and working as a team will give you the best chance of success in anything you do.

Remember the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. The Hare raced off into the distance, at the start of the race. The Tortoise set off at a slower, but steady pace. In the event, the Hare went too fast and had to stop to rest. By the time he was ready to continue, the Tortoise had caught and passed him, and went on to win the race.

So let’s all take a leaf out of Dave Brailsford’s and the Tortoise’s training manual. Be prepared, do the right things, be steady and be a winner. Trying to rush things through, to force the pace, is a recipe for disaster, so slow things down, take your time and be there at the end.

What A Role Model

01 Aug 2012 Leave a comment

by Anupadin in Buddhism Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Wiggo - Olympic GoldHuge, huge congratulations to Great Britain’s Bradley Wiggins for winning the gold medal in the Men’s Time Trial today at the London Olympics. His winning margin of over 40 seconds over Tony Martin, the German World Champion was nothing short of amazing.

Whilst all the excitement and focus will be on the medal winning performance, following on only ten days after his historic win in the Tour De France, it should not be forgotten that Bradley has put in a huge amount of training and personal sacrifice to make this all possible. Not that you would know it when you listen to interviews. A more down to earth fellow, it would be difficult to find.

Making the causes to bring the effects we wish to see is at the centre of Nichiren Buddhism and our routine of daily practice, although nothing like the physical effort of Mr Wiggins, is just as important if we are to progress along the path to enlightenment.

So enjoy the accolades Bradley, your efforts and sacrifices have paid off handsomely and you deserve all the plaudits you will receive. If there is a role model for us and others to try to emulate, Wiggo will be a very hard act to better. Congratulations are also due to Chris Froome, always the bridesmaid, never the bride, but a huge talent for the future, your time will come.