What are your cycling affirmations?

[RoadRaven]

Dogmamma, I don't curse myself... I knew I could do it! Just my legs didn't believe me

Mostly I don't become a potty mouth though... mostly I tell myself... you've done it before - this time you can do it better/faster/steadier... or I count down til the top of the hill.

I've tried my sis-in-laws mantra a few times (the olympic gold I mentioned earlier) but that doesn't really work for me.

[yogabear]

Hi there,

Haven't been here in a while, but I lurk from time to time

Glad to see this thread still running Yay!

I have been doing affirmations, but have noticed something different that helps with the riding...Riding with cute guys! LOL I can ride so much faster that way...I don't even notice I am going 19-20 mph, talking the whole time...having fun, checking out the er hem...physiques LOL...then, my hubby finds out and says, 'Why can't you ride that fast with me?' LOL

Just a theory right now, but maybe they could study this...heh heh...hee hee!

Bear hugs,
Lisa

[bikerchick68]

good grief... how did I miss this fantastic thread???

OK- here's the one I chant on climbs... compliments of Lance Armstrong from "It's Not About the Bike".... PAIN IS TEMPORARY, QUITTING LASTS FOREVER

Yep, that one works for me every single time... it's sorta become my life motto...

[roughingit]

On the flats I like singing the "Moving Right Along" song from the Muppets, or in bad weather, "Always Look On the Bright Side of Life". Uphill I've found that if I remember to shift into an easier gear instead of mashing, I can then just look off the side of the road and watching the scenery while I spin. May not be very quick, but boy I'll glance back up and be like wow, I'm this far along already?! Hey not much more to go! As my legs have gotten stronger, the hills don't seem quite as big either. They look huge till I get to them, but once I'm there, they aren't too bad (except Highland Rd...that's when I just start chanting "I'm not gonna walk, I'm not gonna walk!")

[Asphaltgirl]

One of my spinning instructors told me: "we walk dogs, we don't walk our bikes". That's usually stuck in the back of my head! Have to agree with Yogabear about the cute guy influence--it added another 6 miles to MY ride last night! (and he really wasn't that cute)

~~AG~~

[indigoiis]

I thought I would revive this thread. Great ideas, here!

I read somewhere once some corny email about there was always someone thinking of you, somewhere. Someone worrying whether you are cold, or sad, or lonely, or happy. Someone cares whether you exist.

So recently I took to thinking:

Someone out there gives a s*** whether I make this hill or not.
Someone is wicked proud of me.

("Someone" is really me, but in a parallell universe, maybe?)

Someone is inspired by what we are all doing, here.

[sandra b]

I have only ridden 3 miles in the last 3 months. At the end of April I was riding to work and was distracted by blossoms blowing off a tree. I caught 1/2 inch of handlebars on a post, and crashed. I shattered my left wrist. It now has a titanium plate, pins and wires in it. It doesn't bend very well.

My motivation for therapy is to be able to ride again at all. As summer progresses I see everyone else out for rides, and it just makes me want to go more. I am trying to be patient, but it is HARD to not be able to ride. Once I can ride again, my mantra will be "pay attention to the road, pay attention to the road, pay attention to the road"