"I couldn't ride motorcycles; I'm not an adrenaline junkie."Motocross racers are often seen as hard-partying, teenaged daredevils who share their time between hospital visits and doing backflips off of massive rampsAdrenaline is a part of racing. Of that there is no question. Whether it's motorcycles, sprint cars, stock cars, open wheels, drag cars, rally cars, or trophy trucks -- they all share that familiar sensation at some point or another.But does the search for adrenaline drive most racers? There are much easier ways to get an adrenaline rush and cheaper too. Racers must be comfortable with adrenaline so that they can control their panic, but they needn't have a love affair with the chemical.What racers really get from their sport is a pristine, absolute focus that can't be found anywhere else. On the racetrack, everything else disappears. Buddhist monks are likely the most capable of understanding the mentality, although their Zen is induced by meditation, instead of a powerful motor and the sweet scent of oxygenated racing fuel.Motocross racers' eyes are focused on the rapidly changing conditions, and their ears are tuned to the sound of the motor, shifting not by a gauge but by the sensation of torque. Brakes, clutch, throttle, and gears are manipulated with careful precision by hands and feet, all having to simultaneously hold on to the bouncing machine while the rider transfers his or her weight around like a mix between a horse jockey and a bull rider.The brain is working at full capacity to interpret all this information, simultaneously reacting to the senses, planning out the next lines, and making strategic decisions for offense and defense. It is only through this overwhelming need that this meditative state can be achieved. If the mind wanders even the slightest amount, a crash is in the near future.There's a trendy type of meditation known as mindfulness, and a very simplified definition of it is "living in the present." This means there is no worry of what happened in the past or what could happen in the future, only what is happening at this exact second. By necessity, every motocross racer is an unwitting participant of mindfulness meditation.When racers make mistakes, the worst thing they could do is dwell on that mistake. It inevitably leads to more mistakes. Likewise, if they are doing particularly well, the worst thing they could do is think about winning and how great it will be to win. again Even the smallest distraction could cost them dearly, so they must focus on the here and now above all else.Unlike a team sport, racing is all about the individual. When you win, nobody can say you were carried to victory. Conversely, when you lose, you can't blame anyone else for the loss (aside from mechanical failures, of course).It's this independent streak, where you are truly the navigator of your own destiny. You can go as fast as you want, as slow as you want, take as many risks, or be as cautious as you wish, and nobody can tell you otherwise. Sure, people can cheer you on, push you to succeed, and write messages on your pit board, but ultimately you are the one with the hand on the throttle.Unique to motocross racing is a particular type of commitment -- one not found anywhere else in normal life.When you approach a new obstacle or jump that you've never attempted and decide to try it, there's a special process that you have to go through. Every motocross rider knows it well, and even if they are incredible talents, they had to come up to intimidating jumps at some point in their career. This is the most adrenaline-fueled moment for a rider, but it doesn't usually happen regularly.Once the decision has been made to go for it, there is no turning back. There's no easing into it, no half measures, and no hesitation. Anything short of full commitment will generally result in a crash or a very unpleasant situation at best.Riding up to a new jump is an intense feeling like nothing else in life. Your hands might be shaking. Your mind might be racing, but you know you have to hold the throttle open no matter what. It's just absolute commitment, laying it all on the line.And when you land on the other side, the feeling of relief, accomplishment, pride, and confidence is incredible. You can see and feel your progression as a rider, and for the rest of the day you go over that one moment in your head constantly. You talk about it with your riding buddies, watch the video your friend took on his phone, and think about it before you fall asleep.It's a magical feeling, and it has less to do with adrenaline and more to do with the fact that you did it. You earned that jump by practicing and training, and then you made the commitment. Nobody else could do that for you -- it's all yours.When someone first tries to ride a motocross bike, it feels impossible. It's like trying to play the drums, except these particular drums can throw you off at high speed if you're not careful. But then the basics come around, and instead of worrying about how to turn without falling over, you are wondering how the rider ahead of you just passed you on the outside of a corner with his bars dragging through the dirt.Eventually, you figure out how to do all these little things on the bike. That allows you to string together enough sections to actually ride the track. Then, you learn how to battle and all the little techniques involved in attacking and defending. You figure out how to start and train your body so you can last an entire race without getting tired.Finally, you put everything you learned together and line up on the gate, more nervous than you thought possible. In the most magnificent starting procedure in all of motorsports, you charge toward the first corner along with up to 39 other racers who all want the same spot on the track. The start is entirely reactive and instinctual; you don't have even a split second to think. Then the race goes by in a sort of surreal blur, and you feel a sense of magic and excitement as you leave the track with a dirt-filled grin.Adrenaline? Ha. If you just want adrenaline, go watch a scary movie. You have to work for your excitement here -- this is motocross.