"111 the last 10 miles and I know I can"
This sums up what I learned on this ride.
The big ride is 5 weeks away and everyday it gets closer the training gets harder. I knew from day one that this would be more than just a body challenge it would be a mind body challenge. This weekend was another example of this theory in action.
111- the number of miles I rode on Saturday.The thought of it makes my eyes widen, really?! It was a relatively flat terrain but with that came a different challenge, head wind! It makes me chuckle thinking of the weather conditions I have encountered thus far on a bike... When they say Rain or shine we ride, their MEAN rain or shine we ride... no jokes. Saturday's ride went a little sumthin like this... First 50 miles...Smooth sailin, nice roads, sunshine and a calm reservoir/lake to enjoy... 50 miles later, the law of nature kicked in. What goes up must come down. With one turn, the entire ride changes. A gust of strong wind forced itself against us... It was a sick joke... pedal pedal pedal and go only a few inches. I worked harder than ever and moved very little. It was painful but not permanent, even though at the time it seemed forever long and I appreciated the much needed hand holding, the bottom line was it wasn't permanent... just HARD! 90miles and a crackCinno later my mind was checking out (it's been happening a lot) i hit 101 miles, officially past my longest distance to date, and and then something weird happened. My mind was telling me to stop... It's too much and too long, said the little voice. The funny thing is I heard the same voice at mile 90 LAST time when I did 100 miles, ironically this time that 90 mile mark just flew by. So what was it? I have coined this phenomenon, "the last 10". Just with anything else in life when you want it the most that's when it's the hardest to get and it causes the most amount of suffering. I noticed this in running, in reading, in Crossfit, in cooking, in driving, in everything. Something happens where there is a shift from the present detached state to the future attached state. As I was riding along, I thought instead of giving in to the last 10 let's take that energy and move faster... Before i knew it I was flying towards the end ... I was done. Another milestone to add to the list. But it wasn't over. I had just enough time to get home and go to sleep.
5:45 am came arounder faster than ever. My restful night consisted of a firing mind and a racing heart. As tired as my body was my mind was that much more excited. I felt like I barely slept but the weekend routine has become robotic. Get out of bed. Forward bend. Brush my teeth. Spandex on. Breakfast eaten. And on my way out the door for the recovery ride which meant hills and more hills.
I was going at my own pace and had no conern for anyone else... I had my highs and my lows... By mile 70 I felt the exhaustion. I also knew what was ahead, mt eden which translated to big effin hill to climb.
Most everyone had bailed by this point which rose a sense of fear in me and put my stomach into knots, did they know something i didnt? It was quite likely considering i never study the routes to know what to expect, i just go. It was too late to turn around and my mind along with the remaining riders wouldnt let me either.
I knew what was racing through my head... I don't want to fail at this but I don't know if I can do it.
The thing that moved me forward was ... I think I can. In general I think I can do it all and with a few struggles I do a good portion. I chanted "i think i can i think i can" as i rode past my ride yoda what I heard in response changed these last 10 miles. "I know I can" what?! Hmmm... My mind processed and accepted what it heard and just like that there was a shift from I think I can to I know I can.... Mt eden came ahead... And a few huffs and puffs later I was on the other side.
Surrounded by people the thing that I have realized so far is that nothing impossible.
I'm blessed to have found such a supportive group of riders who could smell my buried competitive side from miles away and trigger it... They make me push stronger, ride faster, and hit and overcome the wall. But even admist all of that support even I can crumble. And its picking my self up that gets me stronger and keeps me coming back!
luv
ritu
by Ritu Riyat on Wed, May 18, 2011 @ 11:15 PM
Permanent Link No Comments Reply Edit
This sums up what I learned on this ride.
The big ride is 5 weeks away and everyday it gets closer the training gets harder. I knew from day one that this would be more than just a body challenge it would be a mind body challenge. This weekend was another example of this theory in action.
111- the number of miles I rode on Saturday.The thought of it makes my eyes widen, really?! It was a relatively flat terrain but with that came a different challenge, head wind! It makes me chuckle thinking of the weather conditions I have encountered thus far on a bike... When they say Rain or shine we ride, their MEAN rain or shine we ride... no jokes. Saturday's ride went a little sumthin like this... First 50 miles...Smooth sailin, nice roads, sunshine and a calm reservoir/lake to enjoy... 50 miles later, the law of nature kicked in. What goes up must come down. With one turn, the entire ride changes. A gust of strong wind forced itself against us... It was a sick joke... pedal pedal pedal and go only a few inches. I worked harder than ever and moved very little. It was painful but not permanent, even though at the time it seemed forever long and I appreciated the much needed hand holding, the bottom line was it wasn't permanent... just HARD! 90miles and a crackCinno later my mind was checking out (it's been happening a lot) i hit 101 miles, officially past my longest distance to date, and and then something weird happened. My mind was telling me to stop... It's too much and too long, said the little voice. The funny thing is I heard the same voice at mile 90 LAST time when I did 100 miles, ironically this time that 90 mile mark just flew by. So what was it? I have coined this phenomenon, "the last 10". Just with anything else in life when you want it the most that's when it's the hardest to get and it causes the most amount of suffering. I noticed this in running, in reading, in Crossfit, in cooking, in driving, in everything. Something happens where there is a shift from the present detached state to the future attached state. As I was riding along, I thought instead of giving in to the last 10 let's take that energy and move faster... Before i knew it I was flying towards the end ... I was done. Another milestone to add to the list. But it wasn't over. I had just enough time to get home and go to sleep.
5:45 am came arounder faster than ever. My restful night consisted of a firing mind and a racing heart. As tired as my body was my mind was that much more excited. I felt like I barely slept but the weekend routine has become robotic. Get out of bed. Forward bend. Brush my teeth. Spandex on. Breakfast eaten. And on my way out the door for the recovery ride which meant hills and more hills.
I was going at my own pace and had no conern for anyone else... I had my highs and my lows... By mile 70 I felt the exhaustion. I also knew what was ahead, mt eden which translated to big effin hill to climb.
Most everyone had bailed by this point which rose a sense of fear in me and put my stomach into knots, did they know something i didnt? It was quite likely considering i never study the routes to know what to expect, i just go. It was too late to turn around and my mind along with the remaining riders wouldnt let me either.
I knew what was racing through my head... I don't want to fail at this but I don't know if I can do it.
The thing that moved me forward was ... I think I can. In general I think I can do it all and with a few struggles I do a good portion. I chanted "i think i can i think i can" as i rode past my ride yoda what I heard in response changed these last 10 miles. "I know I can" what?! Hmmm... My mind processed and accepted what it heard and just like that there was a shift from I think I can to I know I can.... Mt eden came ahead... And a few huffs and puffs later I was on the other side.
Surrounded by people the thing that I have realized so far is that nothing impossible.
I'm blessed to have found such a supportive group of riders who could smell my buried competitive side from miles away and trigger it... They make me push stronger, ride faster, and hit and overcome the wall. But even admist all of that support even I can crumble. And its picking my self up that gets me stronger and keeps me coming back!
luv
ritu
by Ritu Riyat on Wed, May 18, 2011 @ 11:15 PM
Permanent Link No Comments Reply Edit
