What are your cycling affirmations?

[JanT]

When I first began mountain biking, I took a class at the local community college, and the instructor was like a cheerleader while we were out on the trails. So now when I am in the midst of a challenging climb, I hear his voice yelling at me to "pedal pedal pedal, come on, you can do it, pedal pedal pedal!" Sometimes I say those words as well. And of course, I congratulate myself when I accomplish something difficult with a good old fashioned "Wahooooo!"

This is not a mantra, but something I heard and think of when looking ahead at a difficult portion of the trail: "Do, or do not." So I either commit to going for it, or get off and walk it. It's that simple.

[happinesshill]

Sounds silly, but I've had five home births so every time it gets really hard, I say, "I've given birth at home. I can do this!" and it helps so much to remember my births, some of which were *really* hard, the hardest physical and emotional and spiritual thing I've ever gone through.

[moonfroggy]

i have only had one homebirth but i remind myself of that anytime i have to deal with something painful. sometimes though with some medical painful things i did whimper that i didn't get a baby for all that pain. but having that knowing i had my son at home helps me with stuff. so far not on my bike but other stuff it is a good affirmation.

[malkin]

Lately I've been thinking of what Levi Leipheimer said in an interview (during the TdF I think):

It's time to put on your ugly face and ride.

[channlluv]

I'm with Schnitzle on trying to remember all the tips I read here on TE, but mostly, if I'm going up a hill, it's, "goroxygoroxygoroxygo!"

Roxy

[DMC]

I have a collection of tools to keep me going:

along the lines of Jens, I often say 'Shut up, brain' when it starts telling me to stop.

I study Buddhism and one of the teachings that has stuck in my head is that all things are temporary, and that pain (suffering) is attachment to the idea of wanting things to be other than they are, so I often chant to myself:

'This pain is temporary, this pain is just my ego. I can choose to keep going.'


One of my favorite albums to pump myself up is 'Treats' by Sleigh Bells. They sound like hard core, rockin' cheerleaders with sick crunchy guitars and electro baselines, so I love using the album to pump me up before races. The song 'kids' has a line that I often draw on my forearm to look at when I start wanting to quit or slow down:

'Did you do your best today?'

Its enough to make me think about whether I really do need that break or to drop pace, or if I'm really just wanting to slide back into a comfort zone. Most of the time, its the latter.


Along those lines is a Zen affirmation my meditation teacher has us say at the end of a session. Its a little more intense, but it kicks me in the butt to remember that my time in this body is limited and the time that I will be able to do the things I do (endurance racing) is finite and not to waste the opportunities I was given to race, to improve...etc.:

"Let me respectfully remind you, life and death are of supreme importance. Time swiftly passes by, and opportunity is lost. Each of us should strive to awaken, awaken, take heed....Do not squander your life."


My strength trainer often helps me lift the last few reps of a heavy set and if I look defeated, he yells at me to 'keep going, I'm here! I WILL NOT LET YOU FAIL!!' this also works quite well to chant to myself when climbing hills on the bike.


And if all else fails, I fall back on these two:

"Quitters don't get bacon" (used during a morning race or long training run when I have brunch scheduled afterwards)

"Quitters don't get margaritas" (can be used at will. Also works when I find myself getting lazy about taking public transport and wanting to hail a cab).


PS - great radiolab about the limits of human endurance here.

http://www.radiolab.org/2010/apr/05/

they discuss ironman athletes and racers in RAAM (the slovenian who was killed on a training ride a few weeks ago was featured. sad to think about, but listen to his interview, its pretty wild!).

[YogiT]

There is a blonde joke:

There was a blonde that went to the hair salon with headphones. Before the barber started cutting her hair she told him "Make sure not to knock the headphones off my head". So the barber was sure not to. The next time, the blonde said the same thing "Do not knock the headphones off my head". The barber again, did what he was told. The third time she went, she told the barber again "Don't knock the headphones off my head", this time though, the barber accidentally knocked them off. As soon as the headphones fell off, the blonde dropped to the floor unconcious. The barber picked up the headphones and listened, and this is what it said "Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out...."

Sometimes I have to remind myself to breathe... and that I'm super badass and by finishing what I started I am only proving that.

[marni]

personally I count- I guestimate the number of pedal strokes it will take me to get to the top of the hill when I shift down into my granny gear and then I count and use it to set a breathing rhythm and see if I can't beat myself out. I also find that if I am getting bored on the treadmill or elliptical, I do the same thing. Whatever it takes to take my mind off the process.

[redrhodie]

Lately on my rides, I've been thinking about something KnottedYet wrote recently, about not thinking about how fast you're supposed to be or how far you're supposed to ride. I also think "effortless effort" and "rest on the hills". I read the latter in an interview with a 90 something year old cyclist, and it's sage advice.

[malkin]

I've used counting too. It is always amusing, because I can NEVER keep count past the 20s or 30s and I end up counting in sequence, but not properly advancing the tens place.

[sempernova]

I sing...at the top of my lungs!! It's awful and and it really helps my husband climb and he just wants to get away from the noise!

[marni]

I've used counting too. It is always amusing, because I can NEVER keep count past the 20s or 30s and I end up counting in sequence, but not properly advancing the tens place.

I guess it's the oc side of my personality. I even found myself counting steps while walking the dogs today- of course since I was listening to a book on my ipod at the same time, I lost count a lot and kept forgetting to advance the tens. In all honesty though I was trying to figure out some jogging intervals/distances that I can do while walking the dogs so there was technically a reason for that counting.

My affirmation for the year this year is "make it count" which I am applying to weight loss, weight training, cardio, fat burn, biking and possibly, depending on how well my knees work out, jogging and doing a warrior run with my daughter in the fall.

[Susan]

When I have to go up a very long steep climb, and I notice that I hope that it will end soon or I want to stop, I try to change my thoughts from "fighting against" that hill and wanting to stop to "accepting" the hill, the steepness and that this won't change for a while and I won't have to stop no matter what.

Something along the Matrix quote: Do not try to bend the spoon — that's impossible. Instead, only try to realize the truth: there is no spoon. Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

[bonnypriest]

personally I count- I guestimate the number of pedal strokes it will take me to get to the top of the hill when I shift down into my granny gear and then I count and use it to set a breathing rhythm and see if I can't beat myself out. I also find that if I am getting bored on the treadmill or elliptical, I do the same thing. Whatever it takes to take my mind off the process.

That's hilarious! I do the same exact thing!!!!!!

[channlluv]

Lately, "dontcrashdontcrashdontcrash"