Mental attitude when riding.

vortice

You are a third of you way round a planned route. You know the next 45 minutes is a relatively easy but steady climb before the route levels off and you aren't feeling the love today. Consequently you can feel all the niggles that you don't normally even notice... Slightly sore knee, an ache in your back and the usually comfortable seat doesn't feel comfortable today. The wind is against you and the bike just doesn't feel right.

What do you usually do?

1. Try and push on and put the negativity to the back of your mind. - you've done this route before and you want to beat your best time.

2. Slow down and take it easy, perhaps have a break half way round - try to make the ride more enjoyable?

3. Turn round and go back home and save your energy for a day when you are more in the mood.

What's your mental thought process in whichever answer you give? Concentrate on technique? Look way ahead? Look down at the road immediately in front of you? Take you mind completely off cycling and think of something else? What gets you through the block?

Cheers

John

typekitty

Keep pushing, knowing that the mind is always out to trick you into the easy way out. Niggles smooth themselves out and you'll feel 100% satisfaction getting to the end.

'You've done enough.'

B****cks.

vortice

typekitty wrote:

Keep pushing, knowing that the mind is always out to trick you into the easy way out. Niggles smooth themselves out and you'll feel 100% satisfaction getting to the end.

'You've done enough.'

B****cks.

And what do you do? Count pedal strokes? Look well ahead? Distract yourself or enjoy the battle?

cyclingsheep

That's a great question. Myself I tend to just push through. I know I'll be home soon enough and into a long hot shower. Last year I did Etape Act2 and put in a lot of training and the feeling I had as I approached the last climb knowing I was going to finish was a strong sense of relief and accomplishment, that is what I now use to get me through the rough days.

typekitty

Vortice wrote:

typekitty wrote:

Keep pushing, knowing that the mind is always out to trick you into the easy way out. Niggles smooth themselves out and you'll feel 100% satisfaction getting to the end.

'You've done enough.'

B****cks.

And what do you do? Count pedal strokes? Look well ahead? Distract yourself or enjoy the battle?

Whatever works at the time. Counting helps, pretending I'm about to overtake someone on the alps, crowds on the road, summit flags in sight... etc

The promise of a meal and a warm shower is usually the most powerful.

vortice

cyclingsheep wrote:

That's a great question. Myself I tend to just tend to push through. I know I'll be home soon enough and into a long hot shower. Last year I did Etape Act2 and put in a lot of training and the feeling I had as I approached the last climb knowing I was going to finish was a strong sense of relief and accomplishment, that is what I now use to get me through the rough days.

So when you are having a tough day, does that mean that you aren't enjoying the ride and its the sense of achievement that spurs you on?

chrisaonabike

I think mental tricks are pointless, for me, anyway. It's about executing a plan, yet staying flexible enough to know when the plan needs to change, and honest enough not to change the plan when it doesn't really need to change.

Yesterday for instance, my first time back on the bike for a fortnight. Wind was a gale, I could have killed myself and done the original planned 22 miles instead of the 15 I settled for. But I'm overtired, I've managed to get a bit of tennis elbow (heaven knows how), so leaning on the bars was hurting, and I know that if I overdo it I tend to come down with a cold which will keep me off the bike for another two weeks.

So I stopped after 15 instead of doing more.

Whereas a few weeks ago I pushed on from 54 to what turned out to be almost 70, simply to get over the 100k, even though I was pretty tired at 54 yet felt Ok.

You have to keep pushing, yet be sensible enough to know what will be counterproductive.

vortice

ChrisAOnABike wrote:

I think mental tricks are pointless. It's about executing a plan, yet staying flexible enough to know when the plan needs to change.

Yesterday for instance, my first time back on the bike for a fortnight. Wind was a gale, I could have killed myself and done the original planned 22 miles instead of the 15 I settled for. But I'm overtired, I've managed to get a bit of tennis elbow (heaven knows how), so leaning on the bars was hurting, and I know that if I overdo it I tend to come down with a cold which will keep me off the bike for another two weeks.

So I stopped after 15 instead of doing more.

Whereas a few weeks ago I pushed on from 54 to what turned out to be almost 70, simply to get over the 100k, even though I was pretty tired at 54 yet felt Ok.

You have to keep pushing, yet be sensible enough to know what will be counterproductive.

I agree with you Chris. If I think there is a good chance that pushing too hard will keep me off the bike for a while thorough injury or tiredness I tend to cut short my ride or at least back off, but sometimes it's just a little mental block that you know you can push through.

chrisaonabike

Vortice wrote:

If I think there is a good chance that pushing too hard will keep me off the bike for a while thorough injury or tiredness I tend to cut short my ride or at least back off, but sometimes it's just a little mental block that you know you can push through.

Yes, absolutely. It's a judgement call, and I know I don't always get it right.

But I seem to be just unable to do the mental tricks to provide, as it were, fake motivation. Now if there's someone up ahead that I absolutely have to catch up, now that's a different matter

nunowoolmez

I just stop in a frustrated rage, grab a leafy branch from a tree & start whacking my bike with it whilst shouting mindless expletives. Like Basil Fawlty ;-)

On a serious note, just ride thru it & think of the worst time you've had on a bike & chances are this really doesn't come close. Stop for a munch or even a tea or coffee & then it will all be alright when you saddle up again.

Bwgan

Strangely, Strava pushes me on! Don't know why, just does.

pipipi

Firstly, to be doing any riding in January takes mental effort, so well done for getting out!

Second. You know your body and training schedule better than anyone and if you are tired from a big night out or working hard, or the beginnings of an injury then you are better off calling it a shorter session.

Personally I find myself odd sometimes. I can riding along okay, feeling a bit tired, then I see someone up ahead and I seem to find some more energy and increase my effort. :twisted:

And I know that you need to focus on a bike, but sometimes to completely distract myself from some pain, I imagine some rather, ahem, sexy situations, :shock: and that can often break the groove I am in. Then I need to calm down again :oops:

vortice

pipipi wrote:

Firstly, to be doing any riding in January takes mental effort, so well done for getting out!

Second. You know your body and training schedule better than anyone and if you are tired from a big night out or working hard, or the beginnings of an injury then you are better off calling it a shorter session.

Personally I find myself odd sometimes. I can riding along okay, feeling a bit tired, then I see someone up ahead and I seem to find some more energy and increase my effort. :twisted:

And I know that you need to focus on a bike, but sometimes to completely distract myself from some pain, I imagine some rather, ahem, sexy situations, :shock: and that can often break the groove I am in. Then I need to calm down again :oops:

If you knew where I was riding you'd know that weather isn't an issue, for me at least! As for sexual distractions, I hadn't thought of that one!

I only ask this question because you can see what people do but you can't see how they deal with it mentally!

vortice

Bwgan wrote:

Strangely, Strava pushes me on! Don't know why, just does.

Same here. Always interested to see any progress or otherwise compared to previous rides. Also nice to see the cumulative mileage increasing!

upton

Was facing a large headwind yesterday, and i had limited time to go out for a ride.
So yes, instead of completing my loop, i turned around after about 8 miles of hell and enjoyed a lovely fast ride back, much more fun!
Made a mission of catching up with another cyclist that was a fair way ahead which spurred me on and added to a bit of achievement to a rather pathetic ride!
If i had unlimited time i would have just battled through, but i did enjoy the lovely tailwind i got when i retreated!

wavefront

I'm fairly new to the road side of things, but my longer rides are getting longer, and the hills are becoming less of an issue. I will agree to many above, that first off, listen to your body - no point injuring yourself by overdoing it. I tend to know when it's lack of motivation, or if my legs are being a little lazy, therefore I push on, or indeed, if my body is saying, really, rest up please!

Once you'be made that distinction, and you want to push on, I think about the aim of the ride, and what I wanted to achieve by it - distance, a certain hill, time, etc etc - I'm pretty goal driven so it works for me. I'll play little games - whether it's to use a certain gear, or go through 10 secs on the drops, 10 on the hoods, 10 on the bars, or if the road is empty a little slalom with the white lines (I only really do this on a steep climb that I do and all traffic is very visible for a long distance). If it gets really bad, I'll stop have a stretch, take in a view, smile and carry on.

marcusjb

Just keep pedalling.

Mental fortitude is several times more important than fitness levels.

philbar72

For me, I just push through and if I can take a diversion that actually adds a couple of miles on the end then I’ll usually go down it. The realisation that a headwind is to be ridden into and savoured is a good feeling. I just wish I was better at the climbs I go on! I'm much better on the flatlands, the shower at the end is always a good thing!

Pituophis

As someone relatively new to road bikes (and late 40's) if I am struggling a bit I do allow myself to ease off on the pace a little rather than giving up and going home. It's surprising how often I find that I have picked it back up again without realising, a few miles further on
I find riding in the wind a real trial, but last night just eased the pace down when it was into my face, but then really stuck the effort in when it was behind me. I managed to push it over the 20 mile mark before I got fed up of the buffeting, so it works for me (I know that's nothing for the big lads & lasses )

MartAstur

Good question! I would ease off a little and focus on something like cadence rather than speed, at least then I know my effort would be beneficial even though I may not have pushed myself. Of course you need a cadence meter to do this properly so it's not the solution for everyone. If I had any pain or felt ill I would head home but if I just felt tired and off form I would always carry on otherwise I would head home on 50% of my rides. :roll:

meesterbond

Rule #5.

{well someone had to}

In reality I think it depends on whether there's actually a plan to the ride. If it's to complete intervals as part of a plan then I'll tend to push on, if it's purely for recovery or relaxation (an oft forgotten reason why a lot of us ride I think) then I may just turn round and head back or take a bit of a shortcut and avoid the exposed / hilly bits (although living in Essex there's not that many of the latter)

mwf28

If i am struggling or my mind is telling me to stop,give up i try and focus on my riding ,I imagine that my legs are the pistons in an engine ,i keep focusing on those two pistons up,down,up ,down!
While i am doing this i have a mental picture in my head of a crank with 2 pistons ,i have to admit that usually my body fails and i have stop or just slow it down .You do need to pace yourself and set limits when not feeling the love ,But if your 20 miles out you still got 20 to get home?

Gazspurs

I'm not sure about anyone else but my mental attitude generally starts the night before a big ride.

Being a little OCD anyway I have to prepare beforehand to get the best results when going out. The night before I'll always have pasta, pasta & meatballs, pasta & steak, pasta & chicken etc always with a couple of litres of water & never any alcohol. I always try to head out for 9:15 so up at half 7, I have porridge & a bagel with nutella on a strong coffee & a sports drink. get all my kit on & head out.

Preparing mentally helps you get in the zone so your cycle is enjoyable & your prepared positively for the hills, wind in your face.

Personally don't think I could ever just wake up & head out on the bike & achieve some serious miles without the above.

During the winter 50 milers the thought of a nice hot shower, followed by soup with a crusty bread roll gets me through!

During the summer rides..... that ice cold beer waiting for you in the fridge!

marylogic

If you are struggling to keep going I think it helps to ask yourself

"What would Jens Voigt do?"

If you can channel the spirit of Jens and make a virtue of suffering/ revel in the pain you reap the rewards later. Unless you are overtraining/injured in which case go home.

markos1963

If you race or TT then you tend to find the toughness to go on(or perhaps it's the other way around, if you have the toughness you should race?) I just think of other things(something important like Debbie Harry etc ) and wait for the pain to pass as it usually does.

Mikey23

This latest strava challenge has really helped me to dig in and find reserves I didn't think I had, and get out in all weathers and go to the gym when I can't. Quite surprised how my legs have coped grinding out the miles day after day and I have taken to changing to the smaller ring and spin them out ...

Muffintop

I'll gurn and bare it usually. It's best if I let my mind wander a wee bit though, if I think about being on the bike at all (short of ensuring I don't end up in a ditch) I'll jack it in.

Mx

maxima

if you cant beat your brain you need a coach shouting abuse from within the comfort of his car

thejimmymethod

marylogic wrote:

If you are struggling to keep going I think it helps to ask yourself

"What would Jens Voigt do?"

If you can channel the spirit of Jens and make a virtue of suffering/ revel in the pain you reap the rewards later. Unless you are overtraining/injured in which case go home.

This! "Shut up Legs" "Shut up body"

raymondo60

Do any of you find that your mental attitude actually changes quite a lot while you're actually riding? I've started many an early morning ride feeling a little stiff, unprepared, not quite 'up for it', but a few miles in, once the legs have warmed up and started spinning, I find myself saying 'Feel alright now' and plough on. In 100% of those situations I've carried on and had a decent ride. However, it IS important to acknowledge if you are genuinely not feeling 'right'; you may have a bug, or an injury that's bothering you. I'm sure if I ever felt unwell on a bike I would stop, or turn around etc; just been fortunate that, over the years, that's never happened.

chrisaonabike

Raymondo60 wrote:

Do any of you find that your mental attitude actually changes quite a lot while you're actually riding? I've started many an early morning ride feeling a little stiff, unprepared, not quite 'up for it', but a few miles in, once the legs have warmed up and started spinning, I find myself saying 'Feel alright now' and plough on. In 100% of those situations I've carried on and had a decent ride. However, it IS important to acknowledge if you are genuinely not feeling 'right'; you may have a bug, or an injury that's bothering you. I'm sure if I ever felt unwell on a bike I would stop, or turn around etc; just been fortunate that, over the years, that's never happened.

What he said.

And the other way round. I've felt totally up for it, then gone out, and it's just been a bit meh.

There's always the next time.