Show me the MOJO!!! Anyone got stories of inspiration?

[Jiffer]

I keep trying to get my mojo back and need stories of inspiration. I am pretty competitive and have a hard time when I consistently don't ride as fast as the people I ride with the most. I am particularly a slower climber and, lately, I seem to be losing steam on longer rides and it's getting kind of depressing. I was at my height last summer after signing up for some races and doing some serious training. I was feeling really good about myself and then got sidelined by anemia and a series of other things that kept me from getting back to my former "glory". My husband is a "gifted" cyclist, shall we say. It comes more easily to him to climb and ride fast. My main cycling buddy and I are pretty even on the flats, but she always out climbs me. And lately I'm getting erked because she hasn't been able to ride much, but when she does (typically only longer rides lately), she's still out riding me even though I'm getting in more training rides. (She does run, though, so she's not completely dormant.) So it has become a mental thing with me now. I know the kind of rides I need to do to get to my former glory, but knowing and doing are two different things when it all starts to feel like it's all pointless.

I did get inspired recently from listening to a message from my pastor, of all things. He used to be massively into sports. When he went to college he found out he was one of the worst players on his basketball team. All the other guys were naturally gifted and could far outplay him. He's incredibly tall, but they were all taller! He said he ran up and down the bleachers like a zillion times to get stronger. I'm sure he did a lot more than that, but his point was that he worked his butt off every chance he got and it really paid off. By his second year he had massive improvements in how high he could jump and many other skills he needed for basketball.

The very day I heard his story, I had previously been on a ride with my friend and thinking how cycling just comes more naturally to her than to me. And I was just wondering if there was ever any amount of training I could do that would help me climb as fast as her. (Cause for one, every time I do get faster, she gets faster yet! Ugh!) I have never been great cardiovascularly. I always breath harder than everyone around me, even if I'm keeping up with them. I'm 5'9" and, therefore, not really built for climbing like women who are shorter than me. So, when I heard my pastor talking about how basketball came more naturally to these other guys, yet when he worked his butt off it made a huge difference ... this was incredibly inspiring.

So I thought it would be fun if you guys would share some of your stories of inspiration, even if it's not your own story or related to cycling specifically. Anything that can hype us up to believe we can be the cyclist we want to be if we put the work into it. I don't really need training advice. Just mental hype. Thanks!

[lawnchick22]

Jiffer.......

Last summer, fall, at the height of your performance...think back on how that felt. Breathe in those moments, relive them...do it on each ride, do it in the car driving....whenever/wherever you can think on it, do so.

It may be uncomfortable, but ride with your DH, ride with your partner who outclimbs you, this will make you stronger.

I'm no expert, as I've only been riding about 18 months, but 85% of that time has been with my BF and on occasion, his cycling buddies, who all have been riding 15+ years...I try to hang with them, swinging the gate on group rides, but I still try to hang with them...I know it has made me stronger. I have a desire to race competitively now and am even contemplating going back to school to LeesMcrae in Banner Elk, NC for a minor in cycling! I'm 47 (in a week), been athletic all my life, but cycling has opened my eyes to a whole new world of fitness and competition.

Jiffer -- you've been on top of your game, you know what it takes to get there...you also know how awesome it feels to be on top of your game...now get out there and RIDE.

[7rider]

When I feel uninspired and my mojo starts to wane, I watch this video.

It always gets me pumped and wanting to get out there on the hills (and dreaming of the day when I'm in shape again! ).

[Veronica]

Anything that can hype us up to believe we can be the cyclist we want to be if we put the work into it. I don't really need training advice. Just mental hype. Thanks!

You said it yourself right there.

I also think you need to be realistic. You are unlikely to ever be as fast as your hubby or to climb as well as your shorter riding partner. You have to accept that there are some limitations to what you can achieve based on your gender and your body type.

I also am extremely competitive. But somewhere along the line I decided it was fruitless to compare myself to others. All you can do is make yourself the best that you can be, because the only competitor you have any control over is yourself. And accept - there will always be someone faster than you.

Veronica

[redrhodie]

Watch "Breaking Away"!

[Artista]

Watch "Breaking Away"!

+1 I've never pushed so hard on a trainer as I did during the scene when he's following the semi!

[maillotpois]

V has a point - given each of our own body types, etc. comparisons to others can be self defeating. Sometimes you can spin those comparisons to the positive, though. It's such a mental thing. So much depends on your mindset at the time. I have been where you are - where I might have let that get me down. Now I am trying to use "rabbits" like that in a positive motivational way.

Last weekend halfway through the 300k, we hooked up with a male friend and a female acquaintance I had just met the weekend before. I didn't know this woman at all; she wasn't built like a cyclist or stick insect. I was pretty shocked when she just rode all of us off her wheel on rolling hills - terrain that never happens to me on. I commented to my friend mike that this girl was super strong and he said yeah she placed well in the triple crown stage race last year! I had no idea and felt a little better. As it turned out, we finished the 300k about 5 mins after she did. So now I'm looking at this woman as a role model - in a positive but not beating myself up about it way.

[luv2climb]

I get hyped up to go on climbing rides by listening to the same music I listen to while riding (in the right ear only while riding of course). I also watch climbing videos, both my own and other people's. That Lance Armstrong one posted earlier is a good one.