Help - I Suck (long)

[missymaya]

As the rest of the ladies have said, it sounds like you need some time away from the bike, whether it be running, swimming, or whatever else that will help break this feeling that you have. From my point of view, you totally don't suck. You rode with the guys and you upp'd your category, that's awesome! Right now, I can only imagine about racing so reading your posts gives me insight and goals. I think you've kicked some butt!

[Velobambina]

Don't be so hard on yourself, She. Sounds to me like you just have hit a little slump. Take the advice others have offered and know that we all think you're the best. We all have bad days/weeks/times. The good news is that they are temporary.

[Starfish]

I don't know spit about racing, but I am astounded at what you have the courage to do.

Also, you definitely don't suck, because you know how to do the multi-quote thing to quote different parts of different posts...something I have yet to master!

[RoadRaven]

OK... I am going to take some quotes from a very wise woman who posted in my racing thread on the 31st January 2007 (after reading my post titled "So... I suck")


She said:
Hey you! Just coming back to this thread, and troubled by you thinking that you SUCK. Now, repeat after me: "I DO NOT SUCK". Now go write that 100 times...

Seriously, Raven [insert SheFly's name here], think of all you have accomplished in the past year - none of that shows that "you suck".

Remember this: you are out there racing when scores of other women are not; you gave it your all; you had fun (I hope).

her name was... ummmm.... SheFly

So girl... go write those lines... you know you have done an awesome job this season so far... sometimes we just have off days.

It sounds like the crit was technical/strategy problems rather than your form.
And maybe the TT with DH was a poor performance because of headspace, or not being fully recovered from Sunday, or just one of those days.

I know how virtually debilitating it is to feel as if you have disappointed your husband, but he must have off days too... His frustration will prob be compunded by those ijits in your last TT who lost you valuable seconds and nearly your lives!

Time off the bike, or reduced effort on the bike for a week or so might be the thing. You know as well as I that active recovery is vital, and those rest days and a light week every 3-4 weeks is important in sustaining a good level of fitness.

I wouldn't recommend a long time off the bike - I know you are training and racing fairly consistently like I do... and after 2-3days off the bike, my legs start to hurt. Have a light week or two with no racing, and you might find it acts as a fantastic taper and you and DH can go and thrash yourselves on that tandem course.

Chin up gawjus, you've been a source of inspiration and support to me many times. Now... look at my signature below, and then go write those dam**d lines!!!!

[SheFly]

OK... I am going to take some quotes from a very wise woman who posted in my racing thread on the 31st January 2007 (after reading my post titled "So... I suck")

...

Chin up gawjus, you've been a source of inspiration and support to me many times. Now... look at my signature below, and then go write those dam**d lines!!!!

Oh - my own words used against me! Wow - did I REALLY write that?!?!?!?!?

Thanks, Raven, for the kick in the pants . You are right, of course. I am sitting writing my lines now:

I DO NOT SUCK, I DO NOT SUCK, I DO NOT SUCK, I DO NOT SUCK, I DO NOT SUCK, I DO NOT SUCK, I DO NOT SUCK, I DO NOT SUCK, I DO NOT SUCK ...

And likewise, you are an inspiration to me as well! Thanks so much for the support and the reminder .

BTW - I went out last night for an EASY spin on the bike with my favorite (non-DH) training partner. We chatted the whole time instead of worrying about training, pacing, etc, and it was FUN! I need to to more of that...

SheFly

[SheFly]

I don't know spit about racing, but I am astounded at what you have the courage to do.

Also, you definitely don't suck, because you know how to do the multi-quote thing to quote different parts of different posts...something I have yet to master!

This actually came up in another thread, with instructions!

And thanks! Remember though that there is a fine line between courage and stupidity .

SheFly

[Starfish]

This actually came up in another thread, with instructions!

And thanks! Remember though that there is a fine line between courage and stupidity .

SheFly

Hey, thanks for the link to that thread.

And, who are you calling stupid!?!

[RoadRaven]

OK... I suppose you will be complaining now you have writer's cramp from writing all those lines

At least you are in a better frame of mind now, and have come to realise that, indeed, you do not suck in the littlest teeniest tiniest bit!!!

Good to hear you got out for a gentle ride... a gentle fun relaxing ride... try and get a week in of riding like that after the races this weekend, and maybe give the racing next week a miss (easier said than done, I know - the only thing thats stops me racing is severe rain or illness below the neck).

And good luck for the races - maybe treat them as intense training days instead of races?

And has DH settled and dealing with the tandem ride time a little better now?



And Starfish... you are right... hmmm, who is she calling stupid??
ROTFLMFAO

[Tri Girl]

Not saying anything that anyone else hasn't already said, but: heck no- you don't suck. You're a stud! I admire you for racing- something I'm way too terrified/chicken liver to do. I was asked to do some TTs (and I'm a triathlete for crying out loud- I do TTs all the time) and crits with a friend and I won't do it because it's new and unknown and a bit scary. You have the courage to get out there and do it- so you're a HUGE winner in my book.
You've done so much this last year, you should be VERY pleased with yourself (but I know how easy it is to berate and curse your efforts when you feel they're not where you know you could be).
Just get reacquainted with your bike again on a friendly basis. I sometimes feel bad for people at the top of amateur sports because there's so much pressure to keep performing at a certain level (and winning, and placing and all that). In the middle and back of the pack- I never have to worry about all that pressure. I just have fun and finish when I do. Come- just for a little while- and see how much fun us back of the packers have at rides and races. We're usually the ones who talk and make friends because we're out there for so long together.