i second Dr Liz and our other wise friends. You could check out some of the advice given me when I dealt with so much fear after a scary but fairly injury-free fall. The thread was called "Help, my ride's gone ka-blooey."
I rode as often as I could - tiny rides, sometimes. But heaped praise on myself each time - each corner, each descent, no matter how slow or shaky. Still do. There's one kind of courage, when a person is fearless, and God/Goddess bless them whoever they are - and another kind, demonstrated when you face your fear however you can, in small bites, until you are finally bigger than the fear.
It took me over a month to feel happy on a bike again - but I did - on my hybrid. Then one day, my intuition told me I was ready for the road bike - with platform pedals. A couple of rides later, I eagerly put on the bike shoes. My heart rate went to 180 standing still. I valiantly tried my easy route, but my heart was surely visible through my shirt. I put the shoes away. I'll ride on the platform pedals until the intuition says "now."
This is not a race, and you don't have to compare yourself to any other rider. This is your journey. Every day that you can ride is another small present of health and courage that you give yourself. These are the things I tell myself every day. PM me ANY time you need support. I know what it's like to ride with tears in your eyes, saying "I'm so scared." The only thing that was scarier than riding was not riding.
I still have that voice that tells me not to go out, that I'm no good, I can never do that many miles, etc. Sometimes it's really ridiculous - the imp will tell me I can't ride 20 miles when I just rode 35 pretty darn well. I tell the imp to get lost, that it's full of lies. (an idea I sort of stole from a wonderful old fantasy novel called Damiano.) Can you make that voice into a character you can deal with? Moany Myrtle from Harry Potter? Either borrowed or something you come up with yourself, personalize it into something over which you can gain some power? I don't know you and I may be wrong - but for me, fear is the dark side of a powerful imagination. How can you use that imagination for good? A riding angel? A crew of TE riders leading you on the road? There is nothing too silly if it works.
(with a big hug from Lynda Gene)



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