What are your cycling affirmations?

[Dogmama]

Wow! So many Reiki's! I never thought about inviting the energy to bless my ride & keep me safe. What hand positions would I use on my tires to keep them from blowing out?

Yogi bear, your affirmation "I know I can" got me thinking. If you're already doing it, I would want something more positive. For me, the anal retentive linguist, "can" isn't the same as "do". I "can" go up a hill, but will I?

I might say, "I am powerfully going up this hill" or, "I am easily slipping through this headwind." Then, I would concentrate on my legs pedaling in a circle from the hips very smoothly and in control.

That's just me picking nits. It probably works for Normal People just fine.

(Isn't Normal a setting on a washing machine?)

[yogabear]

Hey, Dogmama, ya got me thinking too...you are absolutely right about the usage of "can"...I love it when I think so thank you How about "I know I will." ?

I like how you make the affirmation specific to what you are doing on the bike. Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing

Hey, "normal" is overrated...that is for sure I strive to overcome it LOL.

Bear hugs,

Lisa

P.S. In regards to the tires thing...hmmm...wonder if there is some Tire God/dess we can enlist LOL?

[Dogmama]

"Will" is future tense & you're doing it right now. Another thing I think is how wonderful the view is from the top!

If you figure out who the Goddess of Permanently Inflate Tires is, let me know. I'll build an alter to her!

[pedalfaster]

I don't know if they are affirmations as much as mantras. I have different ones for different situations:

"I can do ANYthing for 30 seconds"

This one is good for closing gaps or cresting steep climbs. I string a bunch of 'em together if I need to suffer a bit longer!

"Be like water"

For mountain biking.

"Throw yourself off the mountain"

I use this one for descending quickly. It's more "visual" than a verbal mantra. I think about "throwing" (pushing) my bike and body down the hill as quickly as possible.


"Bury the b*tch"

For climbing.

[JanT]

When I first began mountain biking, I took a class at the local community college, and the instructor was like a cheerleader while we were out on the trails. So now when I am in the midst of a challenging climb, I hear his voice yelling at me to "pedal pedal pedal, come on, you can do it, pedal pedal pedal!" Sometimes I say those words as well. And of course, I congratulate myself when I accomplish something difficult with a good old fashioned "Wahooooo!"

This is not a mantra, but something I heard and think of when looking ahead at a difficult portion of the trail: "Do, or do not." So I either commit to going for it, or get off and walk it. It's that simple.

[happinesshill]

Sounds silly, but I've had five home births so every time it gets really hard, I say, "I've given birth at home. I can do this!" and it helps so much to remember my births, some of which were *really* hard, the hardest physical and emotional and spiritual thing I've ever gone through.

[moonfroggy]

i have only had one homebirth but i remind myself of that anytime i have to deal with something painful. sometimes though with some medical painful things i did whimper that i didn't get a baby for all that pain. but having that knowing i had my son at home helps me with stuff. so far not on my bike but other stuff it is a good affirmation.

[malkin]

Lately I've been thinking of what Levi Leipheimer said in an interview (during the TdF I think):

It's time to put on your ugly face and ride.

[channlluv]

I'm with Schnitzle on trying to remember all the tips I read here on TE, but mostly, if I'm going up a hill, it's, "goroxygoroxygoroxygo!"

Roxy

[YogiT]

There is a blonde joke:

There was a blonde that went to the hair salon with headphones. Before the barber started cutting her hair she told him "Make sure not to knock the headphones off my head". So the barber was sure not to. The next time, the blonde said the same thing "Do not knock the headphones off my head". The barber again, did what he was told. The third time she went, she told the barber again "Don't knock the headphones off my head", this time though, the barber accidentally knocked them off. As soon as the headphones fell off, the blonde dropped to the floor unconcious. The barber picked up the headphones and listened, and this is what it said "Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out...."

Sometimes I have to remind myself to breathe... and that I'm super badass and by finishing what I started I am only proving that.

[marni]

personally I count- I guestimate the number of pedal strokes it will take me to get to the top of the hill when I shift down into my granny gear and then I count and use it to set a breathing rhythm and see if I can't beat myself out. I also find that if I am getting bored on the treadmill or elliptical, I do the same thing. Whatever it takes to take my mind off the process.

[redrhodie]

Lately on my rides, I've been thinking about something KnottedYet wrote recently, about not thinking about how fast you're supposed to be or how far you're supposed to ride. I also think "effortless effort" and "rest on the hills". I read the latter in an interview with a 90 something year old cyclist, and it's sage advice.

[malkin]

I've used counting too. It is always amusing, because I can NEVER keep count past the 20s or 30s and I end up counting in sequence, but not properly advancing the tens place.

[bonnypriest]

personally I count- I guestimate the number of pedal strokes it will take me to get to the top of the hill when I shift down into my granny gear and then I count and use it to set a breathing rhythm and see if I can't beat myself out. I also find that if I am getting bored on the treadmill or elliptical, I do the same thing. Whatever it takes to take my mind off the process.

That's hilarious! I do the same exact thing!!!!!!

[channlluv]

Lately, "dontcrashdontcrashdontcrash"