Personal Playbook

Just under 10 minutes left to play in Superbowl XLVII, and the 49er comeback is ON.  QB, Colin Kaepernick just ran for a Superbowl-record setting touchdown, and the teams are lining up on the field for the extra point.  The play call comes from the sidelines, and the 9ers go for 2, but throw the ball away after a quick blitz by the Ravens, seemingly squandering the opportunity to put a conservative point on the board.  Did coach Harbaugh make the right call? Should the team have kicked a field goal when they had an opportunity?

My guess is that the call came down to a formula decision.  10 minutes left to play, 2 points down, Ravens about to get control of the ball - these are some of the considerations that affected the decision.  Plug these into the playbook, and the play that comes out is a 2 point conversion.  By considering the different variables and situations before the play ever comes up, emotional decisions are eliminated, and success becomes a question of execution.

You can put this same principle to work on the race course by creating your own personal playbook to help you identify formula moves when they arrise.  A great tool to start with is “Boat Scenario”, which is a free application, which can be downloaded for free by clicking here.  Use the program to draw scenarios that you have encountered frequently on the race course, and then consider what the best move to escape the situation is.  Remember, tactics are only a means to exexute your overall strategy.

To help you get started I have posted an early version of the 29er HP Playbook in the public resources, and would be happy to discuss our plays with anyone who is interested in putting together their own playbook.  If you come up with some good scenarios, be sure to post them on our Google+ page!