Regarding "SFR's Advanced Driving Techniques" Deitrich Schultz writes...
>Sounds cool! The first thing that comes to mind for
>me is a discussion of
>walking a course, reading the course, understanding
>lines. I always find
>this really hard.
And then Ben Martinez writes...
>I'm still
>thinking of those turns, so next time i'll be
>thinking a lot less and
>just going for it.
To aid in my "Advanced Autocross Research," Rich Urschel just lent me this
most amazing book that was really popular in the mid-70's called "The Inner
Game of Tennis." I'm only a little bit into it; I only read a few pages a
night so it'll really sink in.
What I'm getting so far is that there are two minds: the thinker (or talker)
and the doer, Self 1 and Self 2. You'll be better apt to reach your
potential when Self 1 and Self 2 come to an "understanding," says the
author, whose name eludes me at the moment.
What the author says, and what I agree with wholeheartedly, is that your
subconscience is actually very intelligent. There comes a point when you
realize you DO know how to drive an autocross course. You know what an apex
is, you know when to accelerate, you know when to break, and by "know" I
mean, it's embedded deep within the fleshy tablets of your brain. You don't
need to think about it anymore.
So, how do you "know" this is true? Just try it. Walk the course, but don't
study it. Kind of memorize where it goes, but keep your mind still. Remove
all thoughts of early apexing, braking, accelerating. Your subconsience is
actually a working tape recorder, turned to position "on" 24 hours a day.
Even by not studying the course, your subconscience is recording it. Turn
OFF the critic, the one that says, "Brake here, accelerate here, tap here,"
so you don't distract your subconscience. Trust that your subsconsience is
going to figure this out.
I'm currently on the part in the book that discusses judgement. This is
something I tend to do a lot, and so does everyone else. You come off a run,
and you say, "Oh, that sucked." Or, maybe you're just elated. "That was
fantastic!" you think. And then the rest of the time, you're trying to
remember what you did so you can repeat it, and now you're screwed.
This judgement comes from the ego-mind. Actually, your subconscience just
records information with no value, good or bad, whatsoever. So, last night,
as I noticed myself stressing about my runs, instead, I went to bed just
noticing what I did, i.e. where I apexed, where I braked, how the car felt
as it drifted - with NO VALUE associated it. I just accepted it for what it
was. I felt so relaxed, I fell asleep with a great sense of calm.
Well, I could just go on and on about this, but instead, I'll leave you with
a couple little stories. One is something Jim Ochi told me. He said that my
mom told him to try autocrossing without thinking, and suddenly, now, he's
kicking my butt. That jerk. I noticed the same think about James Creasy. He,
Rich Urschel, and I were just talking about this lack of thinking at the AAS
event at Mather on Saturday. Sunday, now JAMES is beating me. He's only been
autocrossing for two years!
But the real story I wanted to tell you was about Shauna Marinus. As you
know, she was the first woman to win an open class national title in her
RX-7, in 1999.
Before that, she had great success in her SS RX-7. Her first year, they
called her "the Fastest Mortal," as she finished second, and only tenths
behind the legendary John Ames.
The second year, it seemed like she was feeling a lot more pressure. Even
though she finished a very respectable fourth, it still seemed like a big
disappointment, as not only was she trying to win, but she was trying to be
the First Woman to Win.
She and Ren sold the car, moved to CM, and I think she broke some ribs, but
anyway, the NEXT year she got this really cool, ex-Craig Nagler RX-7, and
everytime I talked to her, she just seemed to be having so much fun. She was
training for a marathon, and was getting out in the world, seeing what was
out there, and just enjoying herself. Because she was involved in other
things, autocrossing seemed more like a day off. She took the time to really
enjoy it. I don't know how to describe it, but it was like she glowed. She
said that of course, she was going to try to win, but it just wasn't that
important to her anymore. She was just living in the moment, and really
appreciating the gifts life was bringing to her. They were always the best
conversations.
Well, as you know, that was the year she won. I saw the videotape, and I'd
have to say it was just one of those unbelievable moments in time.
So, there's something to be said for turning off that critic voice, and
allowing your subconscience, who really DOES know a lot more than your
critic will give it credit for, do its thing.
After all, it REALLY is just a bunch of turns.
Well, that's what I'm getting from this book, "The Inner Game of Tennis," so
far.
By the way, this is TOP SECRET information, not to leave SFR. I can handle
losing to my "teammates," but not to the whole country! :)
later,
Katie
Happiness is the best cosmetic.
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