motivation

[trichef]

to all you girls out there, what motivates you to go out the door and ride your bike? anyone can answer!!

[divingbiker]

I have to get to work.

[DirtDiva]

Sunshine... Cake... Beer... Good company... New bike bits...

(Not necessarily in that order. )

[NJBikeGal]

The smile that appears upon my face every time I charge down a hill at 35 mph....the lovely ache that fills my legs after a grueling VO2 MAx workout....the knowledge that I will be able to hold my own next year in Cat 3 and open races....my teammates....my husband....my health....me!

Can't say much more than that!

[makbike]

Being able to ride with the fast pack! Climbing hills with less effort, being with a great group of people, laughing, eating and encouraging each other along the way. Improving my personal stats and kicking a certain individual's a** on club rides

[Tuckervill]

The wind in my hair and the fresh air. The tight muscles in my butt. The feeling of escape.

Karen

[GLC1968]

I remind myself that I've never ever gotten back from a ride and thought "man, I wish I hadn't done that".

[emily_in_nc]

I remind myself that I've never ever gotten back from a ride and thought "man, I wish I hadn't done that".

Me either...except for my few minor-ish mountain bike crashes last summer, and of course my big pelvic fracture-inducing crash on April 17, '05. About that day, I often thought later "Couldn't I have done something else that day besides a training ride?" But your sentiment is right - aside from a crash, I always feel great after a ride!

Emily

[GLC1968]

Emily - I thought about that after my post. Even after the hardest, most difficult, most uncomfortable and most painful rides, I'm always still glad I went!

Of course, I've never had a major crash - so that would definitely be a different situation!

[limewave]

The "reputation"--what can I say?

I love hearing "I heard there was a strong female rider at the ride last week, that must have been you." Must have been

[bmccasland]

I remind myself that I've never ever gotten back from a ride and thought "man, I wish I hadn't done that".

Day two, MS Tour, woke up with a migraine, still rode 30 miles. Definitely wanted my meds, a cold compress, and a cool dark room. I wanted to go home, I wanted my mommy.

But most days, I ride because it's FUN! and I like to eat cookies, and icecream, and cheesecake, and and...

[oxysback]

I ride so my butt doesn't get any bigger than it already is...

Oh...and I like to eat. Hence, the big butt.

[sundial]

I'm an artist and I get my inspiration from nature. I love this time of year because the mist is rising from the fields and I've seen some spectacular sunrises. It's also my favorite time of the year and I love the fall foliage.

[ibcycling]

I started biking this spring because I love being outdoors, the scenery around here is gorgeous, it's a great break from "life" and stress, and I need to get into a healthier place.

Before today - the joy of exercise, knowing I was working toward a better me, knowing that someday the rides wouldn't seem so hard because I was building muscle and endurance - BUT I was getting frustrated because I was so slow and it seemed so hard

Today - New bike and new attitude! I road my new bike with the club this morning and I kept up, flew up the hills AHEAD of the club, did 30 miles with tons of leg and lung to spare. It was so freaking awesome I can't wait to go out again and didn't want to come home!!!

[Brandi]

I look out my window and see the mountains I ride through and want to just go. And then the phone rings and that makes me run out the door!