Last week was an interesting mix of new things for me: I got the opportunity to coach a client in the Classic 24 at Daytona for the first time, I picked up a new car from Classic Mazda, and I ran my first marathon!
Coaching at Daytona for a historic event was such a fun and unique experience. So many of the iconic race cars from every decade were represented in what is just an incredible event of classic cars running around the clock. Of course, they don’t run these cars for 24 full hours: each of the six groups runs for one hour at a time for a full 24 hours.
Not only was it my first time at the event, but it was also the first time for one of my coaching clients. He had only practiced Daytona on a simulator up until then, so I helped him prepare further with video review and specific track notes in advance. Daytona can be a daunting place with its high banks and high speeds, and some of the historic cars are extremely quick, so you have to watch your mirrors while learning the circuit as well!
It was also particularly challenging because there were only two practice sessions per day for each class. Building on your experience only twice a day makes it even tougher to learn a new track. The video review and the coaching opportunities off the track become even more important.
Trading in the old for the new!
In addition to the eye candy on the track, I also got to upgrade my own car. I traded in my previous Mazda 6 for the newest turbo-charged edition. Classic Mazda provided true customer service: they met me at the race track, and we did the exchange right there in the paddock!
Before the week was over, I headed back home to Charlotte, where I had one final new experience to conquer. I competed in the Charlotte Marathon! I had done several half-marathons before, but never a full marathon. Despite the cold, challenging weather conditions, I had an absolute blast. I also gained a better appreciation for what a huge challenge a marathon truly is.
Sticking with the “new experience” theme, this week I’ll be headed to NOLA (New Orleans Motorsport Park) for the first time for a Michelin dealer event.