Are you ready for 2022? Some may wonder why I ask this. Every year depending on your level of racer status, you need to be prepared in some shape or form. For some, it’s a simple scenario, i.e. bike, gear, truck, trailer, pit set-up. Another level may be all about being in shape where the body and mind are firing on all cylinders. Then, some are just ready to enjoy the fun that racing can deliver with no pressure or care about much. Lastly, is this a hobby or a sport for you?
Like anything in life, change is inevitable. For Motocross racing, change is constant. Schedules, bike size, four-stroke/two-stroke, age, mindset, and so on and so forth. In some ways, it’s what makes it attractive for most. The fact that no matter what you do, the sport is never really in your control all the way, and the chance of change or “wow” is going to happen. This goes for the 4-year-old and into the Pro ranks and the years of passion over a paycheck. It’s boring doing the same thing over and over again. Motocross is never like that. Being prepared for that is nearly impossible, but there are ways to corral the change. The old saying “you get out what you put in” rings more true in this sport than most because it’s not just “man.” It’s “man and machine” and the ability to work as one.
If you’re one of the lucky ones that get the opportunity to head south and get the jump on riding compared to others that wait till their local area gets good enough to cut laps, do you take it seriously? Is it a hobby or sports trip? For the hobbyist, it’s about getting out, enjoying laps, smiling while twisting that throttle, and jumping obstacles that make you feel free. These racers are the ones we all wish to be with a splash of seriousness within it. The serious comes after the gate drop. No matter how much you say, “I do this for fun.” If you get a result that makes you surprised, then you want it more. It’s that little addictive drug that racing delivers, and when you get that taste, you want more of it. No matter the age, no matter the class, no matter where you say you are, level-wise, off the track.
The more serious racer that takes this trip, how serious are you taking it? Are you training enough? Are you training too much? Is what you’re doing working? When you reach the level of “focused with goals and wanting to win” type racer, there is so much more to the entire package you have. You must, and I emphasize “must”, find the fun within the hard work, but the hard work also must have a purpose. If you’re trying to be great at this sport, it’s not as easy as it once was. The work ethic of our top athletes who make this their job is no joke. It takes the fun out of it sometimes. It’s strange how that does it, but it truly does. Especially for the serious racer who does work hard but doesn’t get results they thought the hard work would give them. The hard work must be put in and have a reason or goal in mind, but it also needs to be welcomed with a realistic viewpoint. It may not pay off, but if it does, the satisfying feeling you get is nothing you could achieve in this world. It’s magical.
Now, you may read this and scratch your head at what I write. I tend to venture into thoughts that get lost at times. But with my writing, I always try to find a purpose now. When I raced, I never did it with purpose, but as I got older, I realized I learned from how I raced that has now made me better today at the role I play. Being a hobby racer is fun, but it leads to a serious racer easily because if you get results from the fun, you want it more. Being a serious racer leads to a tougher trajectory to the top with less fun and harsher realities, but it can lead to more fun later in life.
The sport or hobby is a drug. It’s amazing in so many ways. What you put in will 100% deliver for you. It’s all on you to choose how you see the sport, and you make your path to becoming the person you grow into. Wherever you are right now, riding or not riding, or like me, dreaming of riding and can’t wait – do whatever possible to ensure you’re ready for it. Prepare for the drug that makes you smile and isn’t illegal. But, always know that what you do now within moto builds who you are for the future. Serious or fun, find what works for you. It will guide you in the rest of the days above the dirt!!