Wenzel Coaching September 2008 Newsletter

Invest in your goals!

Wenzel Coaching Newsletter

September 2008

Dear Kendra,

With the change of the seasons comes a time for reflection on the season just past. This month's newsletter is dedicated to processing the past as well as planning solidly for the future.

To help truly analyze your spring and summer racing or events, sports psychologist Dr. K.C. Wilder offers a questionnaire to fully write the "story" of your 2008 season. Then to plan for 2009, Coach MC Jenni helps you outline the real motivation behind your upcoming goals in order to better define them and train consciously.

This month we welcome Coach Nitish Nag of Berkeley, California, specializing in mountain bike racing, road racing and junior development. And as always we have the Resource of the Month, Quote of the Month and Client Successes!

We want your feedback! Please write to newsletter@wenzelcoaching.com or call 503-233-4346 with your comments, race stories and ideas.

~ Kendra Wenzel, Scott Saifer, and the Staff of Wenzel Coaching

In This Issue

Training with Mental Focus

New Coach Profile: Nitish Nag, Outdoor Idol

Quote of the Month

Resource of the Month: Consumer Product Recalls

Client Successes

Featured Article: A Positive Spin

Bay Area Women's Clinic

Training with Mental Focus
by Coach MC Jenni

Just as there's power in training your body, there's power in training your mind. Having clear intent for each and every ride in your training plan is an important part of becoming the rider you are aiming to be. You have your training plan for the month with well-crafted instructions tailored to your performance goals, but what about the motivation to get you out the door when obstacles arise? As we enter October and the ensuing winter month with shorter days, more darkness and colder temperatures, getting on your bike can be harder than when you have a race season looming right in front of you as motivation to train.

New Coach Profile: Nitish Nag, Outdoor Idol

Wenzel Coaching would like to introduce new Coach Nitish Nag of Berkeley, CA. Nitish has 10 years of bike racing experience and also has a background in martial arts and backcountry outdoorsmanship. He currently competes in the Pro MTB category and has worked with the NorCal High School Mountain Bike League. He has developed elite level national athletes as well as helping individuals reach goals regional races. Nitish works for UC Berkely in the Nutritional Science Laboratory as a researcher and has also been selected as an Outdoor Idol, one of the nation's top outdoor awards.

Learn More About Nitish

Quote of the Month

"You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them."

~Michael Jordan, Six-time NBA Champion

Resource of the Month: Consumer Product Recalls

Recently Look issued a recall on their Keo pedal as did Cervelo with a carbon fork. As consumers, sometimes we become comfortable with our equipment working well all the time. However, products can have unforseen problems that can be not only an inconvenience, but can be unsafe as well. The US Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC) provides recall information on all different types of products from childrens toys to sports equipment.

Check it out>>>

The websites found in the "Resource of the Month" are in no way associated with Wenzel Coaching and we are not responsible for any information they contain.

Client Successes

Sue Butler takes 1st at Star Crossed CX UCI, Elite Women

Kari Studley takes 1st at Copper Cross, Women A

Tim Butler takes 1st in the Brian Head NMBS Short Track and Super D, Expert Men 40+ and takes 1st at Star Crossed CX, Master Men 30+

Darrin Braun takes 1st at the Copper Harbor Classic MTB Race on a Single Speed, Open Men

Jens Hillen takes 1st at the Benicia Criterium, Men 35+ 1/2/3/ and upgrades to Cat 2

Toby Long takes 1st at the Dunnigan HIlls RR, Elite Cat 3,

Mac Carey takes 1st place in his age group and 2nd overall in the Warnerville TT and takes 3rd place at the Challenge Road race, Cat 4/5 35+

David Thornton takes 1st at the Wine Country Harvest Stage Race, Citizen 40-49 and takes 2nd at the Presque Isle Fall TT, Men 45-49

Anne-Marie Alderson takes 1st at the Crooked Creek Triathlon, Women 25-29

Karla Kingsley takes 1st at the Benicia Town Race Criterium and is upgraded to a Cat 1

Michelle Gross takes 1st BARR Women's Master A and 1st overall in the track omnium, Cat 4 Women

Richard Juntunen takes 2nd in the kilo at Masters Nationals, Men 30-34

Jeff Standish takes 2nd at Kruger's Kermesse and Pain on the Peak, Master Men A

Sue Butler takes 2nd overall in the NMBS Super D and 3rd in the Brian Head NMBS Super D, Elite Women

Coach Taitt Sato takes 2nd in the 2k Pursuit at US Masters Nationals, Women 35-39

Jeff Standish takes 2nd in the OBRA Championship Points Race, Men 40+

Anne Linton takes 2nd place in the TT and the crit at the Eugene Celebration Stage Race, Cat 4 Women

Steve Long takes 2nd at the Oregon State TT, Men 55-59

Meredith Obendorfer takes 2nd place at Dunnigan Hills, Cat 4 Women

Wenzel Coaching thanks you for your business!

A Positive Spin - What's Your Competitive Story?
by Sports Psychologist Dr. KC Wilder

Fall is the ideal time of year to reflect upon your 2008 cycling season. Exploring the patterns, trends and developments of your season will help you to actualize your potential for the 2009 cycling season. Reviewing this past season will help you to realize that your cycling season can be portrayed as a story. The stories from your 2008 season are intertwined with the drama and experiences of everyone who surrounds you, and becomes part of your cycling history.

Answer the questions in the Cycling History Questionnaire on the linked page to pull together your cycling story. Stories can reflect simple or more complex individual life experiences, are flexible, and are sought to create greater cohesion within the whole person. Your cycling is not a separate entity from you as a human being. The flow of events of the cycling season are intricately connected to your life experiences. You are the character in your own story, therefore your stories need to be rich, and deeply embedded in reality.