Choose A Line With Pierre Jordaan

Running is simple. But running isn’t always easy.

- Pierre Jordaan

Well, maybe running on tar is. One foot in front of the other and repeat. We’re all pretty good at that already. You could say we are able to do so without having to thinking about it. Unconsciously competent is just a fancy way of putting it. More about that later.

Sure, some are faster than others, but pretty much anyone can run on a flat surface.

Enter trail running, where every stick is a snake until proven otherwise.

We artfully jump, lunge, and sidestep until, suddenly – and here the fun really begins, we slide into an uncontrollable downhill free-fall. Much like a mountain goat, if we were half that graceful and skillful.

I’ve seen fast roadies and trail runners alike being brought to a standstill on some of the more technically demanding trails.

Either way, it’s clear not all of us are unconsciously competent at the art of picking the best line to move along the trail.

So, what is this unconscious stuff?

Abraham Maslow, creator of the Hierarchy of Needs pyramid, also proposed a model describing the four stages of learning a new skill. I find this to be a great guide whenever I am trying to improve on a specific skill. It’s like a manual to becoming aware of where exactly I am in my learning process.

• Unconscious incompetence (Ignorance)

You actually don’t know what you are doing, and you aren’t even aware of it. How long you stay at this level usually depends on your willingness to learn and how much you want to improve.