What are you measuring, and why?

Spring here in Central Ohio means the “official” start of outdoor riding season. It also means that some days are in the 70s and others, like last Saturday, where it’s in the mid-’30s when you start. If you know a “recreationally serious” cyclist, you’ll find that they love data.

One of the most popular apps for tracking data and performance is Strava. And it keeps track of a million different data points. Ok, not exactly, but it feels like it. It also keeps track of everyone else’s performance, and, as such, there are “segments” along every route where you can compare yourself to everyone else – in all kinds of categories, Overall, Men, Women, Age groups, Cycling Clubs, and people you follow. You get the idea.

One of the most “coveted” awards on Strava is a KOM or QOM (King of the Mountain or Queen of the Mountain). To be clear, many of these segments don’t involve any mountains. However, it’s a big deal if you become one. And last Saturday, I earned a QOM. Now, what this doesn’t show you that I was riding in a group (which will always make you faster), and we had a fantastic tailwind.

In track, when there is a tailwind, the time always has an *asterisk* next to it and is forever known as “Wind-Aided.” But, alas, no such indicators exist on Strava. It always surprises me when people are impressed when you get a KOM/QOM. I know most of the women on that list, and many are better cyclists than me – and that’s OK. I’m far more interested in the PR (Personal Record) component of Strava. After all, the best measurement of success is #mevsme. And the same is true with your practice and personal goals.

Measuring data has become very sexy and popular in dentistry. There are a million data points in various third-party applications. Some of them are very valuable. Some of them are not. But, if the only reading you are measuring is to see how you “stack up” against others, you’re probably missing the most useful data point: “How do I stack up against myself?”

The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.

The Best 60 Seconds of Advice I Heard This Week
The real superpower is the ability to turn your suffering into your strength.“I shift the narrative of being victimized or making a mistake or anything else. I refuse to be haunted by that memory, that way. This is what I talk to my family about, from their perspectives…We just endured. That’s real love. It’s suffering, but that feeds the seeds of what love is.”- Jeremy Renner, discussing his near-death experience on New Year’s Day 2023 with Diane Sawyer.

What happens when your dream changes at age 15?

Muffy Davis began skiing at age three. She dedicated much of her time to training for the Olympic Games and was a top-ranked junior ski racer as a teen. At 15, her dreams of competing alongside the world’s best skiers stopped when she lost control on a ski run at Bald Mountain, leaving her paralyzed from the chest down.

She now has seven Paralympic medals under her belt, including three record-setting gold medals in hand cycling; Muffy is an accomplished public speaker, community leader, mother, and athlete who continues to push herself to new heights in pursuit of her lifelong passions.

Muffy is speaking at our upcoming workshop, “You Can Conquer It,” and you don’t want to miss what she has to say.

It’s Spring. Make something that tastes like it.

Lemon. Pistachio. A recipe that doesn’t need hours and hours or a million ingredients. This Pistachio Lemon Loaf is what you’ve been looking for.