Motivation

[sarah b.]

Hey guys,
I've been lurking for a while now, and your advice has helped me a lot already. The ride I've been training for, the MS150 from Houston to Austin, is coming up in less than two weeks, so I thought it was time to come out of hiding and ask a question or two. First of all, I know there are going to be parts of the ride where I want to give up, how do you all stay motivated to keep it going? Secondly, I've learned a lot from the organized rides thread in the tips and tricks category, but do you have any other advice for a new rider embarking on her first extended organized ride? Thank you in advance for all your help!
-sarah b.

[DeniseGoldberg]

I think one of the most important things is to make sure you keep eating and drinking all day long. Don't wait until you are hungry or thirsty - if you wait, it's already too late!

And don't get caught up in a race mentality. It doesn't matter how long it takes you to finish the ride. It matters that you are there and that you are enjoying yourself.

It's funny, I did an MS 2-day ride a number of years back. A woman who I worked with at the time asked if she could ride with me. I knew that she was a fast rider, and I'm not - so my response was that while I'd welcome the company but that I thought that she'd be happier riding at her own speed (I wasn't capable of speeding up to her speed...) - but that I'd be happy to share a room with her. Her response was that she'd be happy riding at my pace. I didn't believe her, but I accepted the company. We started out together, but I could tell she wasn't happy riding at my pace. Then she started talking with a couple of guys who were traveling at her speed, so I again told her that I didn't expect her to stay with me. She took off. But she was so pissed at me by the end of the day because I finished the ride a couple of hours faster than she did! I guess it's the old tortoise & hare story - she and her new riding buddies rode really fast, but when they stopped at the rest stops they stayed for a while. I rode at my usual (slower but constant) pace. I stopped at every rest stop, hit the porta-potty, filled up my water bottles, and grabbed some snacks. Then I got back on my bike and kept on riding....

Have fun on your ride!

[Jennifer Gallow]

I agree with that. It's easy to see riders pass you and try to keep up. Sometimes it's not even a conscious decision, you sort of unknowingly speed up, but keep an eye on your speedometer to make sure you stay on YOUR race pace. 150 miles is a LONG way ... don't burn out to ride with a faster group.

Besides, I've done centuries fast and I've done 'em slow ... this last one we took 8 hours to finish and had the best time ever. AND we felt good enough to go out and celebrate ... those fast rides leave me ready to hit the hot tub and straight to the couch. Not the most fun way to celebrate your accomplishment!

I stay motivated by setting little goals -- reach the next SAG by 9am, keep my heart rate at whatever number for the next five minutes, that sort of thing. I don't stop at all the SAGs but the stops can be motivating too. If you pull in behind someone, make a little goal to get out ahead of them ... it's a sense of accomplishment AND it keeps you from staying off the bike too long. (After a long day of riding it can get pretty tough to get back on!) Make small goals to eat and drink too -- finish one waterbottle each hour. That will make sure you're hydrated and give you a small win as well. PLUS, if you're riding with someone, use them for motivation. My BF and I always drag each other if one or the other is feeling strong and the other is weak. It will pass, and you can switch off, and feed off the excitement and adrenaline of your group.

Sarah B I'm excited for you. Enjoy your ride!

[sarah b.]

Thanks for all of the tips and encouragement! I'm really excited, but kind of nervous, all at the same time. I am determined to complete this ride, but I know it's going to be a challenge for me. I am learning how much of cycling is in my head and positive thinking, so I appreciate the help with motivating myself through the hard stretches and the reminder to pace myself.
-sarah b.

[fixedgeargirl]

Of course, there's always Red Bull.

Right, V.?

[Biking Chick]

Your participation in any organized event to raise awareness and funds for MS makes you a 'winner' before you even turn over one pedal stroke.

Ride for a cure - in support of everyone who's lives have been touched by MS - and when you *think* you can't ride one more mile ... ride that one mile for someone who can't.

[CorsairMac]

Thanks for all of the tips and encouragement! I'm really excited, but kind of nervous, all at the same time. I am determined to complete this ride, but I know it's going to be a challenge for me. I am learning how much of cycling is in my head and positive thinking, so I appreciate the help with motivating myself through the hard stretches and the reminder to pace myself.
-sarah b.

I know it's different for everyone but I found the little goals as someone posted previously make it easier to stay motivated and help make the time go past, and the little treats as rewards: If I make it to the base of the bridge, I'll take a drink as a reward; if I have a banana Now - I can Fly up that hill; little silly things like that. Or set something up that like: I'll drink every 15 mins and eat every 30. Then you get so busy keeping track of your time you lose track of the miles. Let us know how ya do!!...and what kept you motivated!

[KSH]

Hello! I am currently training for the MS 150 from Dallas to Oklahoma!

Hee-hee... I know I have a few people tell me thus far that they logged about 180 miles on their computers at the end of the "150" in the previous years. At least on the "Dallas" one they did!

As far as motivation... I can't imagine giving up... (assuming that the weather is GOOD! I will NOT ride in the rain)... because if you don't finish (even if it takes you many hours!)... then you have failed your committment to complete the race.

It's following through with a goal.

That is what will motivate me.... that... and the PRIDE I will have for having finished so many miles in 2 days... for a GOOD cause.

These poor people will MS live in discomfort daily... all year round... what is 2 days of discomfort for me?

Nothing.


Best of luck to you!

[Trek420]

sarah b. asks "I know there are going to be parts of the ride where I want to give up, how do you all stay motivated to keep it going?"

Good question, yet not an easy one to answer. Congratulations for commiting to a challenging event and a great cause. Great blog sarahb, I had to get out the kleenex.

First off I think it's important to plan and train to finish every mile. There's no shame in taking the sag wagon and no one will fault you for that but a few things will get you in bus for sure:

* Respect the miles, train for them
* Respect your equipment, maintain your bike, you should arrive there with a bike that's clean, lubed, ready to go
* Take care of your body, learn to eat and hydrate on the move

Even with all the training what I didn't expect on last years AIDS ride is the emotional intensity.

I had planned to do this ride for years (I crewed in '97 and ladies, always thank your crew members every chance you get on any ride because they are working harder than you, trust me) but kept chickening out because of some freakishly hard hills. I'd pepper riders with questions "I've done ___ hill, is ____ harder? how many hills are there? how steep, how..." till finally Salvatore (co-worker) stopped me with "you know what? each hill, I just thought of it as another angel and I thanked each hill"

When I arrived at the top of the "Evil Twins" heart rate monitor beeping wildly (how do I turn that off?) and stopped to gulp down gatorade and air, I heard a beep behind me and looked to find another rider. Wasn't his heart rate monitor, he was one of our Positive Peds stopping because the alarm was for time to take his meds. So here I am just trying to stay fed & hydrated, and this guy is riding too and if he misses a dose he dies. So never forget that there are people riding with you who are living with life changing conditions.

He grinned and said "I'm all about keeping going. If I'm feeling energetic I'm fast, if I'm tired I'll take it easy. But just keep going, it's all about getting there".

I have learned from the gals on this board to "ride your own ride", riders will pass you, let 'em, you'll pass others that's good too. But you never gain anything and may blow yourself out trying to pass or keep up with a particular rider. My Achilles heel is I don't like to be passed by anyone on a mountain or comfort bike ;-) "hey, I should be ahead of them" but ya know, sometimes they are just faster, let 'em go, you just keep going.

also I want to ask you ladies for your thoughts on this. In an essay at

http://sheldonbrown.com/thons.html

Sheldon Brown writes that charity bike rides send the "wrong" message about cycling, that it's hard, that it's suffering, and that discourages people from riding. Well, yeah, some rides are just plain hard. But I feel that I'm as proud that I've encouraged people to get back on a bike as I am of the money and awareness I've raised.

In my office 3 people have started riding to work, the security gaurd now knows that they *can* bring their bikes in the building because I do, 2 women on the 5th floor are peppering me with questions and want to start riding to work (of course I refer them to TE), co-workers Corey and Tom are shopping for bikes, one of my sponsors is training for her first century, Walt who thought he could not ride anymore due to a degenerative back condition I've got him convinced to get a recumbent and keep riding.

Their thinking I'm sure is that "If 49 year old chubby arthritic Dita can do the AIDS ride, I can bike 9 blocks to work" I'm fine with that ;-) So we raise awareness of issues but also cycling in general