Drivers Meeting Social Network - Mike Kalman's article

Prepare for Success

Published on 1/31/2009, 8:06 PM Last Update: 3 year(s) ago by Mike Kalman

Category: All Articles » Driving » Instructing

(I wrote this article a couple of years ago)

Prepare for Success

As I write this in early March, I, like you am very much anticipating a new driving season ahead of us after a long cold winter dreaming of this time. But are you really ready for it? I don’t mean the car, though we all know this too is important, I mean YOU, physically and mentally. Physically, because although advanced driving is so much fun we can’t get enough of it, it is as demanding on our bodies as training is for elite athletes. Surprised? Consider this:

NASCAR did a study with Dr. Sanjay Gupta of CNN back in October at the Richard Petty driving experience. Dr. Gupta discovered that the physical and mental demands of performance driving was like nothing he had ever seen before, he was amazed at the incredible strain that driving puts on the body and the tremendous effects from the heat, heart rate, g-forces and mental work.

While most of us have resting heart rates of around 70 beats per minute and during aerobic workouts we peak at about 160 bpm, many race drivers experience heart rates up to 200bpm. (And can lose up to 8 lbs due to fluid loss during a race similar to a runner’s loss during a marathon) There is no time out driving, a driver needs to be completely focused all the time, have superior concentration, make split-second decisions and have very, very good hand eye coordination. The strength and stamina required is why many of the race drivers today follow intense workout programs and careful nutritional diets. Now of course we are not racing and not driving at the speeds that F1 or NASCAR race drivers do, but we do absolutely subject ourselves in a relative way to high physical and mental strains.

I tested this for myself at a Buckeye Chapter event a couple of years ago at Mid-Ohio. I wore a heart rate monitor device that allowed me to graph my heart rate relative to the track. I was amazed at how my heart rate went up and down (and mostly up) and actually peaked at 159 bpm through Thunder Alley! Why was I amazed? Because I’ve run marathons at this heart rate and couldn’t believe my heart could be working at the same level sitting in a car!

So, the next time you hear at a driving school to make sure you drink plenty of fluids, pay heed and look after your ‘elite athlete body’.

Let’s also be mentally prepared for whatever the conditions are. It so happens that at times we encounter less than perfect weather conditions at our driving school events. Rain and cold can be unpleasant and may deter some from attending, but in fact, these conditions offer us an excellent environment to hone our skills, and, at slower and safer speeds. This is as true for a driving school first timer as it is for a seasoned race driver. Being properly prepared will help turn such an event into a successful one. Make sure, whether it is April, June or September, and whatever the forecast, to be prepared. Bring clothes that are comfortable, and just in case, extra footwear for the wet, extra outer wear clothing for wet and cold conditions, an umbrella, etc., and I guarantee you will turn a negative into a huge positive.

So here’s to the new season before us and I wish you great success, remember, be prepared.