It’s been many years, but this is something that has really stuck with me and fueled my desire to live my best life and continue to stay active. In 1989, I had an amazing opportunity to ride my bike in the beautiful countryside of Italy. I had the desire to become a better cyclist and better racer. Not to mention, this would be an epic adventure at 17 years old. I would reside in the small town of Tradate. I was accompanied by four other Americans. Our coach was an amazing man by the name of Flavio Zappi who was an accomplished cyclist and racer. He is still coaching kids today and achieving amazing results. Some of these young twenty year old men are joining pro teams and competing in the large tours.
Coach Zappi owned a hotel which was called Hotel Zimel. Myself and the three other Americans shared a couple of small rooms. Coach Zappi's plan was to coach us. He also provided beds, fed us from a local restaurant, and had local cycling pros come by in the morning to help us put in our miles. We raced for two teams. Team Hotel Zimel in Italy and Team Societa Sport in Switzerland. An amazing experience that I will cherish for a lifetime.
There was one experience that I like to reflect on during my time in Italy. One Sunday, I went out early on a ride from the hotel alone. The only thing I really remember from the ride was heading back to the hotel. I’m 10 miles from the hotel, the roads are super quiet, and I am enjoying the smells, the countryside and everything that comes along with riding in Italy. I’m in a zone. I’m blown away by the experience of riding these roads. I see coming at me every police car and fire truck in the city. Lights are flashing, sirens are blaring, and I see something trailing behind this crazy mass of sound and excitement. I pull over in the grass and watch this parade pass me. Behind the fire trucks, police cars and other sponsored vehicles is a large mass of cyclists riding at high speed. These guys were intense, seriously fast, and on their game. What a rush! This gave me the kick I needed to get back to the hotel in lightning speed.
When I arrived at the hotel, in my excitement, I told Coach Zappi the whole story. He notified me that this is a regular occurrence on the weekends. This group consisted of Italian Cyclists between the ages of 60-80 years old. I was surprised and my mind was blown! Honestly these guys would have intimidated me to ride with them at 17 years old.
I say all this because it stuck with me. It was burned into my mind and has served me well through the years. The experience gave me a new perspective on life and I realize now, it was life changing. In America, during the 80’s and 90’s, our drive & focus was to work as hard as possible, save, and race to the end of our workdays so we could stop and retire. Retirement meant becoming a fixture at a local watering hole or just sitting on the front porch until the sun went down.
At the same time, In Italy, these guys weren’t slowing down. They had a passion, a love, and an energy for a life that they savored! Their view of aging didn’t slow them down, they became wiser and more active. I feel certain they enjoyed a glass of wine and some fresh olives frequently. They also kept up with their passion of racing and being physically active.
As we age and count the years, we need to embrace our time, our family and our ability to seek out adventure. I understand times are changing and the mindset of Americans has also changed, but I wanted to share my experience with you with the hopes it creates action and adventure in your life.
My dad is 82 years old and pretty active. I’m continually reminded by him that his age is a state of mind. He’s an old marine that has just retired but getting him to slow down a bit has been a struggle.
Like me and the 60 – 80 year old cyclists, everyone needs a coach. If you are in a place in your life where you want to take more adventures and really savor life, I can help you get there. My work helps clients connect to their vision and build steps to achieve their dreams. My “Jumpstart Program” is rich with coaching, direction, clarity, encouragement & accountability. Contact me today and let’s take action.
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