What are your cycling affirmations?

[LBTC]

This is a great thread, ladies! So many fabulous thoughts and stories and inspirations!!

Here's some cute ones that have gotten me through tight spots and difficult rides:

Carpe Trailem: Sieze the trail

Courage is not the absence of fear, it's riding straight through it

This heat is nothing compared to a sweat lodge!

And my favourite for keeping pumped on a great ride: From the Headstones song "Come On": Right now, it's the only moment that counts, right now, right now, it's the only time I don't doubt, right now, right now...etc

Absolutely true about wording - could, can, will don't quite do it for me: I'm doing it! that's the stuff!

And all the little bits of advice I've had....the one A-frame that I still picture my husband going over in front of me to show me the line....and I nail it everytime, thanks to him!
...on a slow, boring, grinding hill - think in circles, pedal in circles
...breathe in for 2 pedal strokes, breathe out for 3
...on that scary little drop you've done before - just do it! don't think!

Hey, anything that gets you up, over, around or though the tough parts works!

And, yes, it's GREAT to debrief after a ride or a race. If something was wrong in how I rode, that's how I learn to do it better next time. I love that whole take the negative thing and turn it around into a positive that hangrl wrote...I can just see you Grinning with mud and rain all over you! That's sooooooooooo cool!

And there's the quiet encouragement I try to give myself when I'm having a poor ride and can't seem to be coordinated or strong about anything: I feel crappy, but I'm still out here doing it. Good for me!!

Keep smiling, ladies!

namaste,
~T~

[Hill Slug]

As you've noticed from my user name, hills are my personal challenge. This year I am attempting to modify my mindset such that they are in a positive light.

So....as I did before I would sing in my head:
I am a climber, I am a climber.....of the world!
(Sung to the tune of We Are the Champions)

[doc]

I don't hate hills, but they certainly are a major challenge for me too. This is how I get up them.
In my head I just keep whispering:
****, ****, ****, ****, ****,
I swear. I know it's ridiculous, but it actually works.
Then if it's a really long hill, I occasionally switch to:
this is for your butt, this is for your butt, this is for your butt

What can I say, reciting the magna carta just doesn't come to mind when every ounce of energy is put towards the hill and there is absolutely nothing left to even think with.

[doc]

I see the board automatically edits. Those four stars are the "f" word over and over again.

[han-grrl]

When i teach my spinning class i tell them Never to think "i think i can..."
think I KNOW I CAN!! i try to teach them to believe in their abilities and they will have success...

[texascampgal]

this is for your butt, this is for your butt, this is for your butt

LOL! Great stuff, ladies! My hill manta is "pretty legs, pretty legs, pretty legs" on the upstroke of each right pedal motion.

[7rider]

Did you hear Jens Voight after Stage 9 of the Tour the other day?
A reporter, talking to Jens about his heroic effort on the last climb of the day, asked him (and I'm paraphrasing here) what he does when his legs are screaming at him during a brutal day in the saddle.
Jens said (again, paraphrasing), "I look down and say 'Shut up, Legs' and hope they listen!"

I thought that was GREAT. I'm going to have to incorporate that into my riding!

[tpb]

Not as deep as some, but I think about a line from "Finding Nemo" - when Nemo's dad thinks the task of following the boat is impossible, Dory keeps repeating "just keep swimming, just keep swimming". So, when I get tired or discouraged, this becomes "Just keep spinning, just keep spinning".

Love this thread!
TB

[Catrin]

This last weekend I found one very long hill after getting separated from my group. I've no idea how long it actually was, but it seemed like that hill would never end - and I got slower...and slower...and - you get the picture.

At some point I found myself saying " You Can climb this hill, you Can climb this hill" then it changed to "keep pedaling, keep pedaling" then shortened to pedal...pedal...pedal"

It worked - though I did choose to walk the last 100 feet when I got too slow to keep a line.

I like Malkin's song, will try that next time

[Possegal]

Did you hear Jens Voight after Stage 9 of the Tour the other day?
A reporter, talking to Jens about his heroic effort on the last climb of the day, asked him (and I'm paraphrasing here) what he does when his legs are screaming at him during a brutal day in the saddle.
Jens said (again, paraphrasing), "I look down and say 'Shut up, Legs' and hope they listen!"

I thought that was GREAT. I'm going to have to incorporate that into my riding!

I too have used Jens' "Shut up legs". After another stage he said that day, it was Shut up body. Sometimes I have to use that too!

[Aggie_Ama]

I still mostly use my Grandma Ellen and my mom's repeat words of wisdom "Can't never could!" I keep thinking I will put it on a custom head tube cap but haven't ordered it yet.

When I am climbing mountain biking I think "BOOBS TO THE TUBE!" For some reason DH refuses to yell it when I need motivation to keep climbing. The women's group I ride with passed that gem along and it does work.

[AutumnBreez]

So....as I did before I would sing in my head:
I am a climber, I am a climber.....of the world!
(Sung to the tune of We Are the Champions)

LOL...very cute!!!

[BikeMomma]

Love these inspirations, Ladies - keep 'em coming!

Here's one I used yesterday on myself going up a long hill with a brutal, blustery, gusty headwind and a case of dead legs:

"Kim, you've been through childbirth three times which lasted for hours and hours each with no pain meds....this here hill?...is NOTHIN', Girl!! Just go!!"

The out-loud laugh to myself and the immediate affect on my morale got me through the ride. Funny!

This could be adapted, I'm sure, for the as-yet childless, to suit....


- Kim

[RoadRaven]

Doc wrote:
I swear. I know it's ridiculous, but it actually works.
Then if it's a really long hill, I occasionally switch to:
this is for your butt, this is for your butt, this is for your butt


LOL... I think I might adopt this mantra!!!

Personally, I keep thinking - you did it before, you can do it again - piece of cake... just a bit more...

So nothing terribly exciting.

My sister-in-law has a great one... as she climbs each hill she has a running commentary going in her head... Olympics style....
Something like...

"and who'd have believed it, she's gonna get the gold. This 39 year old mother of three is going to take the gold for New Zealand... look at the power in her legs... what determination... what a woman!"


Thanks also to those that have recommended the book "Women who run with wolves". I have never heard of it, but def going to check it out.

[LBTC]

I *love* the Olympic commentary!!

doing plank position in kickboxing class is a pretty difficult one...something that definitely needs a soundtrack. one time I just couldn't keep singing the alphabet song in my head, so I blurted out the first thing that came to mind:

I'm a goddess. you're a goddess. we're all goddesses.

now I add bits about wearing bikinis. by the pool. drinking gin and tonic

etc.

I really have to try that on the next hill!!

namaste,
~T~