Synergy

"The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects. "

It's not often we truly feel the real meaning of synergy...in workouts or during a race, or in life. I am talking about when you are on the bike, and you can feel the bike beneath you accelerating with each leg stroke. Almost like the bike is moving forward with more power than you are generating from your legs. Each revolution is so smooth, and with just a little more power added on the downstroke, you can feel the bike jerk forward just a bit. Soon your legs are like pistons firing methodically, and you reach your maximum power, then your're able to keep firing through the burn.

Occasionally, I have raced open marathons when this occurs also. The final 10K, as I've negative split each consecutive mile. That final mile when you have to look down at your legs because you cant believe they are moving with such grace under maximum stress and power. Yet, your breathing is smooth as you approach the top of zone 5. I felt this way at the 1996 mens national marathon championships, the 1996 Taylor Wineglass marathon (I remember that quote)http://www.wineglassmarathon.com/marathonart.htm, and Kona in 2005.
I really cant remember any other race where real synergy has taken place for me.

In life, I have felt this. An occasional feeling of synergy with everything around me. It doesnt happen often, but if you go too long without feeling this, you can fall into a rut of depressed mood, poor training, and poor performance.

Yesterday morning I woke up to ride my morning spin of 45 minutes. Still dark, I looked out toward the mountain and noticed the faint light of the sunrise at its earliest moment, directly behind the mountain. 5 minutes later I found myself sipping a hot coffee, in my sweat pants, long shirt and wool socks, sitting on the roof of my home, just staring out at the sunrise. Thinking of where I was, where I am, and where I could go. Thinking of my wife Ann, who I adore beyond anything I can describe, and my pride in her development as an athlete. How privileged I am to be with her as she grows.

I sat up there for over 45 minutes, until the full burst of light expanded over the horizon. I didnt care about missing my morning ride. I didnt care about quitting my job of 7 years, and leaving my partnership. I didnt care about the unknowns in the decision to move to a new hospital.

I only cared about that moment. Synergy.