Anyone else feel this way?

[roshelleuop]

I also used to be afraid to ride by myself, so I always made my husband ride with me, but he rides 30 miles a day and averages 19 mph so I couldn't always force him to slow down and ride with me. What helped me alot was to listen to music and keep my cell phone in my bag. The music made me subliminaly think I wasn't alone and my cell phone gave me the comfort that I could call my husband at any time.

Well, I started that about a month ago and now.... I PREFER to ride alone!!! It's my time to think to myself and/or ride my butt off if I'm stressed out. Of course it's always fun to ride with a team occasionally, especially during long rides, but when doing smaller runs for training, it's just me, the road, and my tunes (and always my cell phone!).

Take care ladies!!!!

[beebs]

I too look like a huffy puffy tomatoe when going up hills and I could do with losing the odd 20 pounds or so!! If you have an indoor trainer then there is a helpful dvd by the Chris Charmichael training systems specifically for helping develop hill climbing skills simply entitled Trainright Climbing there is a dvd 1 and 2. They are also useful for those wet and soggy days when you get itchy feet.

[cherinyc]

[QUOTE=Pedal Wench]"If you only knew how infrequently people were thinking about you, you wouldn't really care what people were thinking about you!" There's a saying that goes something like that.

ladies - it's really crazy how warped our minds get - from our own doing. ya see - I am new (about 3 wks) to cycling - and I am one of the ill-mentioned skinny ones - I am 5'6" about 118 lbs - and I am STRUGGLING STRUGGLING STRUGGLING to get up hills. The longest ride I have gone on is 25 miles - and I couldn't wait for it to be over. I started a journal on bikejournal.com so I could track my miles - and between the other peoples stats on that - and this - I feel like a HUGE loser that I can't ride more miles at a time.
I also HATE seeing myself in the mirror in that goofy helmet - cellulite-enhancing bike shorts -and I can't find a nice fitting women's jersey to save my life. I am extremely insecure about what I think other people are thinking - and I hate that - but insecurity comes much more naturally than confidence, so.....I am working on that.
Truthfully - many of the cyclists that I see when I am out are bigger or older than me - and they are KICKING MY ***! I feel jealous more than anything else.

[mimitabby]

Cheri,
i'm one of those skinny gals too.
It took me a few years to build the strength in my legs to where i could ride more than 10 miles without feeling lifeless.
I would say to my husband, i'm all pooped out, i have no poop.. .
I didn't need food, water... I simply needed to build muscle. and it took a long time. I'm still not fast, but i can go forever now.
Hills will really kick you, but just get down in your granny gear and keep pedalling. I never get off the bike unless i am breathing too hard. (I'm 54, after all)

[cherinyc]

my biggest "pooped" situation came when - due to inexperience - I hit an uphill unprepared - didn't downshift enough and pretty much came to a stop. I just couldn't pedal/move my legs. Of course, I then proceeded to tip over with my feet clipped into the pedals (still getting used to clipless) cause I panicked. Didn't really hurt, but I learned my lesson about shifting to the easy gears.

[Curvygirl]

I'm certainly one of the larger girls on a bike and for a long time it bothered me but then I just decided I didn't care what others thought. Afterall what mattered was me and how good being on my bike felt. So I got myself the lycra and looked in the mirror and you know what I saw? I saw a cyclist, not a fat, unfit one but just a cyclist. I was proud of myself and still am. I still struggle up hills but each time it gets a little easier and each ride I go a little further. We are all fantastic no matter how fast or how far we ride, we are using our muscles, heart and lungs which is more than so many people do. Stand tall with your bike and be proud that you ride. Life is good and where there's an uphill there is aslo a down.

[Bikingmomof3]

Afterall what mattered was me and how good being on my bike felt. So I got myself the lycra and looked in the mirror and you know what I saw? I saw a cyclist, not a fat, unfit one but just a cyclist. I was proud of myself and still am. I still struggle up hills but each time it gets a little easier and each ride I go a little further. We are all fantastic no matter how fast or how far we ride, we are using our muscles, heart and lungs which is more than so many people do. Stand tall with your bike and be proud that you ride. Life is good and where there's an uphill there is aslo a down.

Brfilliant attitude! I have a lot to learn from you.