Column

While recently attending an educational summit in Boulder, Colorado, the question arose, “Are we developing a fear of perfection within our athletes by utilizing too much technology?” It’s a fair question. After all, technology has come a long way in a very short period of time. Heart rate monitors, GPS devices, power meters, software that tracks athlete fatigue levels, isolated and cumulative stress of training sessions, recovery time, number of steps per day, hour, minute, or even seconds, vertical oscillation, swim cadence, time of arm recovery, oxygen saturation levels, muscle mapping, etc. The list of metrics is endless, all with a common goal: to optimize athlete performance.

Endurance (and most other) athletes are either driven or haunted by three common fears: fear of commitment, fear of disappointment, and the fear of the unknown (failure, success, and perfection). Is the advent and growing presence of technology in the endurance world adding to these fears by predicting the level at which athletes are expected to perform based on an algorithm that is calculated on a single session or performance (IE: functional threshold)?  If so, what effect is it having on their psychology? Or, does it provide them with the push they need to dig deep in search of a predicted number, as applied? If an athlete has a “bad” day, and is unable to hit their prescribed numbers calculated by said algorithm on any one (or more) of these fancy metrics, have we set them up for failure (psychologically) by relying on technology to predict human performance? And, what long term effect does this have on an athlete’s confidence level? These are all valid questions.

Many say technology is helping athletes understand and believe in a potential they may have never known they had in the first place. As a coach, that is part of my job: to tap into or find the intrinsic motivation that helps an athlete believe they can achieve beyond what they thought was possible.

Effective coaching is made up of two basic skills regardless of sport. The best coaches possess the ability to create and implement a perfect marriage of sorts, of art and science into an athlete’s training plan. All the metrics in the world will not help a coach or athlete if the implementation and practical application in a training plan is mishandled, mismatched, or misunderstood by athlete or coach.

Technology allows us a deeper understanding of application and physiological adaptation and can serve as a predictor of current and future performance. Numbers rarely, if ever, lie.

Endurance athletes are a strange lot. Admittedly, we are “not right.” Many even take pride in it. Often driven by a hundred forms of insecurity stemming from some deep seeded childhood fear, we search for validation through various forms of extreme exercise that often place unthinkable demands on one’s mind and body. Ask any seasoned endurance athlete how many times they’ve been told they were “crazy” or insane and chances are they will tell you, “too many to count.”

For the endurance athlete, good, bad, or indifferent, technology can serve as a useful tool in helping us reach new heights, achieve new goals, and tap into our innermost desire to be the best we can be.

I’ve no doubt that the growing presence of technology and science in the endurance world is imperative to maximizing performance. However, I caution against losing the human element and place a high value on learning what racing/training intensities “feel” like, as we continue to dig into the numbers. But, we can talk more about that next month. After all, what fun would it be, if it were easy?

Summer Break is over and all the kids are heading back to school. While most of our kids are within the spectrum of normal intelligence, once in while a child is born with sheer brilliance; they just see certain subjects from a whole different perspective. Mary Adler (McKenna Grace) was that child. 

Mary’s mother (mom would indicate something different) was a gifted mathematician.  Sheltered her whole life by a mother who herself was gifted, Diane Adler really didn’t get much of an opportunity to truly experience life.

Pregnant and single, she confides in her brother Frank (Chris Evans), who sees her through the birth of Mary. Depressed and confused Diane puts Baby Mary to bed one night and goes into the bathroom and kills herself. Now before you start thinking this is some “downer” movie, let me assure you it’s not. This beautiful film starts with six year old Mary living with her uncle Frank in a loving though not affluent neighborhood in Florida. Frank loves boats and makes his living repairing them in this coastal community. He’s not rich, but he and Mary are happy. 

Frank has been home schooling Mary, but at six years old this former university professor has to admit that she needs to go to a “real” school. He knows she needs friends her age and to live a life as close to normal as a budding genius can—a gift her gifted mother never received.

Things are a little dicey at first but Mary settles in at school until the Principal takes it into her own hands to contact Evelyn Adler (Lindsay Duncan), Mary’s Grandmother. Well, the proverbial “you know what,” hits the fan and Evelyn shows up to do what she feels is right for Mary—as she did with Diane, Mary’s mother.

The amazing Octavia Spencer plays Roberta, Frank’s landlord, neighbor and best friend. She just happens to be Mary’s best friend as well. Roberta loves, protects and fiercely defends the little family. Every Saturday night Mary has a sleepover at Roberta’s. They dance and sing and they do girl things and act silly. For a gifted child, Mary has a fairly normal life.

Bonnie (Jenny Slate) is Mary’s teacher and has a relationship with Frank; you had to see that one coming (Chris Evans is pretty hot!).  She’s okay but not really pivotal to the plot. Oh, yes, there is a plot but I don’t want to spoil it.

Mary is too smart to not see the battle brewing around her that actually started with her mother and before that, her grandmother. She seems to understand intellectually, but is still emotionally devastated. 

I don’t know what it’s like to have a truly “gifted” child, so I can only speculate. I do know that if a child is blessed with brilliance at six, they are still going to be smart at 16 or 26. I believe we have to protect them with as much normalcy as they desire. The problems of this world will still be there for them to solve, when and if they are ready.  Life is meant to be lived, not spent in a room with a board and a marker pen. That is a decision to be made only by the person in the room.

I truly enjoyed Gifted. It was a compelling and intimate story. If you have experienced this dilemma and don’t agree (or do) with me, let me know. I look forward to your comments at chastings@rockcliff.com.

If the rowdy wine-tasting crowds in Napa, Sonoma, or Santa Barbara have you singing the blues, consider California’s OTHER wine production area, just south of the border in Mexico’s Baja California. Valle de Guadalupe is a wonderful and largely undiscovered wine region hosting more than 100 wineries, located just an hour and a half from San Diego, near the Mexican city of Ensenada.

Why Mexico? Why not? While Mexico is known internationally for its fine tequilas, wine production is an up and coming industry and the local wineries in the Baja region are producing some noteworthy wines. Valle de Guadalupe is rustic and rugged, replete with diamond-in-the rough wineries. Come down for the day or make a weekend of it. The many local hotels will welcome you with traditional Mexican hospitality.

If you decide to stay, choose from the refined La Villa del Valle, featuring a swimming pool, spa, horseback riding, and winery right on the property, or try the minimalist and ultra-modern Encuentro Guadalupe with panoramic views of the valley from their hillside Eco-lodges. Check out Cuatro Cuatros and their glamping tents—glamorous camping taken to the highest level of fabulous, or stay just outside the valley at the Hotel Las Rosas where you fall asleep to the sound of the Pacific Ocean crashing on the rocks and wake up to the scent of salty sea air. You can’t go wrong.

Valle de Guadalupe is nowhere near as polished as Napa or other wine regions north of the border. Pitted dirt roads abound and street signs are hard to find.  You may want to consider hiring an English-speaking guide to ensure easy passage through the valley. Knowledge of the Spanish language is a definite plus but the friendly locals are happy to try out their English and assist you in any way. As some wineries offer tastings by appointment only, a guide with knowledge of the area can set your tour up in advance and avoid any scheduling disappointments.

You’ll find that not only wine is crafted in these verdant hills. Look out for spicy, tasty olive oils, artisan-crafted local cheeses, and tangy, sweet orange marmalade. If you’re in the mood for a snack or a meal, options abound. Everything from food trucks with traditional tacos to casual cafes offering burgers and fries, to an upscale Michelin-starred restaurant is at your fingertips. You’ll find delicious and creative fare featuring both meat and seafood. Paired with a selection of local wines, you’ll be in heaven.

So how did vineyards come to be planted in Baja California? Mexico actually has been producing wine since the 1500s when the Spaniards brought their vines over from Spain. Most of what was made was bulk wine for local consumption and quantity was valued over quality. It is only in the past two decades that Mexico has started to dramatically improve the quality of their wines and market them on an international level. Valle de Guadalupe is the center of Mexican wine production and is considered the “Napa Valley” of Mexico.

The hot climate of Baja California offers perfect growing conditions for red grapes from Spain, France, and Italy such as tempranillo, sangiovese, syrah, and cabernet sauvignon. Some white varieties are also cultivated, including palomino, viognier, sauvignon blanc, and chardonnay. Over the years, “Flying Winemakers” from other wine-producing regions of the world have visited the valley, sharing their expertise and winemaking skill with local producers. The result is a grand variety of carefully crafted wines offering elegance and rusticity, reflecting all that is Mexico.

Most of the winemaking families live on their properties. These are small-scale businesses where the very heart and soul of the family goes into each bottle. J.C. Bravo Vinicola is a small, family-run business. The grandfather planted the vines, the father is the winemaker, and the wife and children work full-time in the family business.

Production is small at J.C. Bravo Vinicola, but the wines are crafted with love. All of the grapes are harvested by hand, and only by women, as men are considered “too rough” with the grapes. They make a single white wine—a simple, crisp Palomino, and two red wines: a 100% carignan, and a nebbiolo-malbec blend. The reds are rich and velvety and truly worthy of the many awards they have garnered.

Baron Balché is named for the Mayan word meaning “ceremonial drink.” The Rios family bought their property in 1997 and prides itself in the creation of wines steeped in tradition with an eye on environmental conservation and respect for the nobility of the land. Winemaker Oscar Castillo has created an incredible portfolio ranging from basic, easy-drinking reds and whites to world-class premium wines. His understanding of each variety and how to best showcase its strengths has propelled this winery to well-deserved acclaim and distinction.

Be assured that you won’t want to leave this wine-lover’s paradise but do give it some advance thought. Getting back across the Mexican border can take time. Be sure your tank is full of gas and consider using a Border Wait Time app to plan your return. Keep in mind that only two bottles of wine per person are allowed over the border without making a customs’ declaration. Though it seems inconvenient, consider this regulation a blessing in disguise. Now you have a great excuse to plan yet another visit to beautiful Valle De Guadelupe.

The 37th annual Kings X Trivia Tournament was held July 23 at Magoos Restaurant in Pleasant Hill and a rollicking time was had by all. Darrel Garrison’s team beat John Prokop’s team by 2 points in the nail-biter finish. Rich Berkery, who did a masterful job in pulling the whole thing off, was also the moderator and did a great job as the host. No sense in letting all his material go to waste, so with Rich’s permission, here are some of his questions.

1. From the famous novel “To Kill a Mockingbird,” what was Boo Radley’s first name?

2. What Major Leaguer hit the most home runs in the decade of the 1950s?

3. 1956 was the first year that songs were listed as the top song of the year. What was
the first song in a foreign language to make number one?

4. What was the first animated television series? It lasted from 1950. until the 60’s.

5. In the movie “Who Killed Roger Rabbit,” all of the cartoon characters were in color
except for one. Who was the only cartoon character in black and white?

6. In the classic Abbot and Costello routine “Who’s on First,” what