From: Heidi Smith
Sent: Saturday, June 01, 2002 1:49 PM
To: Laurie Durgin; Ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] Endurance personality types??
If I were to generalize for endurance, I'd say that the Type A's get pulled a lot more often, unless they have a pretty good handle on themselves. While out-and-out timidity doesn't make it easy to be a Top Tenner, I'd say strategists can beat aggressors more often than not. But no, the timid aren't necessarily last, either. There are definitely some "Ferdinand the Bull" types who just enjoy smelling the roses along the way and usually end up back there.... I'd separate out "gutsy" from "daredevil"--the former helps, the latter gets folks into wrecks.
Heidi
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I beg to differ with your assessment, there Heidi. I find that Type A's do exceptionally well in this sport. They plan everything out, to the extreme detail, don't leave anything to chance, and are so well organized I have a difficult time even watching them get ready for a ride. These riders have enough energy to light up Manhattan. Most of them have little time to sit down and have a beer, at least the day before the ride. Like that lady at Leatherwood, Miss "Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go right now," whom I'd definitely classify as Type A; she top tenned in the 50.
It's one of the reasons why I suck at the sport like I do. I think I'm a type C, but I'm definitely not an A. When I plan and try to organize for a ride, which we all most do half way well or we will end up forgetting something like the saddle or the horse, it's a scene out of Laural & Hardy. Fortunately, for me, the wife is now involved, and I don't think there is an air traffic controller on this planet who is not a Type A. So, she does all the planning, all the organizing, and I just show up. Things are going much better lately. lol.
cya,
Howard (who had to fake being a Type A when he was an air traffic controller in the Air Force)
