I was third rider off the nose as our bikes snaked down A-1-A. In the face of a headwind, it was tough to keep the speed above 20mph. Mike had been on the nose for four minutes, fought through a couple of gusts that literally moved my front wheel 6 inches off the line. We were cresting a short incline, picking up speed. I knew Mike was about spent.

Two bikes ahead, I saw his taillight move left and I knew that he was done. Four minutes ago, we had popped out from behind the protection of a row of condo towers and smacked straight into the wind. But Mike is a steady rider, maintains a solid cadence.

Moving up the pace line requires focused concentration. Each cyclist is 12-24 inches off the wheel in front, tucked into a protective draft, maintaining spacing, watching for hazards, checking speed, searching for traffic, pedaling a stiff heart rate, controlled breathing, feeling the burn of lactic buildup.

“Good job, Mike!”
“Thanks, Mike!”
“Great pull!”
“Good speed!”

As Mike dropped to the back of the pace line, each cyclist he passed had a word of appreciation, encouragement and inspiration. I know Mike was dog tired. He had beaten the wind for the past five minutes and was seeking protection on the end of the pack. But, I saw him sit taller and his cadence increase. His body was beat, but his spirit was up.

Are your team members getting too much appreciation from each other? As your team winds its way through the day, what does appreciation sound like? Does your team have a protocol, an established time and place where they can genuinely thank each other for support and contribution? Does your team practice thanking each other?

Merry Christmas. -TF