What do you do when the going gets tough?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
oneten
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Joined: 11 Aug 2014, 2:49pm
Location: Whitstable, Kent

Re: What do you do when the going gets tough?

Post by oneten »

bainbridge wrote:I stare at my front wheel and comfort myself by remembering that so long as it is turning, I'll get there.

This really helps on steep hills when the front wheel is practically under your nose and the speedo drops to a single figure, then a low single figure.

When this happens I used to fall into a trap of my own design; I'd see I was maintaining 6mph or whatever going up a big hill and start extrapolating, thinking that at this rate it's going to take me 7 hours to cover the remaining 40 miles, but of course this is nonsense because the whole journey will average out much faster.

So when I start feeling demoralised I just focus on keeping the front wheel turning and just so long as it is going round everything will turn out ok.



Around the North Downs area near here, there are a few challenging hills and to keep going upwards, I mentally say to myself 'Need chalk!' and try to run over a small piece of chalk on the road to make a mark on the front tyre as evidence that the wheels are turning, moving steadliy onward and upward. Works for me!
mnichols
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Re: What do you do when the going gets tough?

Post by mnichols »

It strikes me that this post is becoming quite an interesting snapshot of life on the road.
PJ520
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Location: Seattle WA USA

Re: What do you do when the going gets tough?

Post by PJ520 »

honesty wrote:I usually just stop, have a cuppa and a piece of cake.
And don't forget your inflatable tea shop.
You only live once, which is enough if you do it right. - Mae West
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honesty
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Re: What do you do when the going gets tough?

Post by honesty »

Pete Jack wrote:
honesty wrote:I usually just stop, have a cuppa and a piece of cake.
And don't forget your inflatable tea shop.

Don't be silly. I always carry a flask and cake. Obviously. :)
PJ520
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Re: What do you do when the going gets tough?

Post by PJ520 »

honesty wrote:
Pete Jack wrote:
honesty wrote:I usually just stop, have a cuppa and a piece of cake.
And don't forget your inflatable tea shop.

Don't be silly. I always carry a flask and cake. Obviously. :)
:oops:
You only live once, which is enough if you do it right. - Mae West
PJ520
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Location: Seattle WA USA

Re: What do you do when the going gets tough?

Post by PJ520 »

I did something last June that was efficacious. It was very hot and climbing a long hill my feet were killing me. So I stopped and washed them; having forgotten my inflatable bathroom I used baby wipes and it was amazing how refreshing that was.

BTW even so called flushable wipes are a nightmare for sewage system so dispose of them like food wrapping etc.. Don't flush them, even if the package says you can.

(Edit see http://forum.ctc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=100149
Last edited by PJ520 on 13 Sep 2015, 5:25pm, edited 1 time in total.
You only live once, which is enough if you do it right. - Mae West
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honesty
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Re: What do you do when the going gets tough?

Post by honesty »

In my hiking days I always made sure to take my boots off every stop. Sticking feet in streams was the best relaxation possible.
slowpoke
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Re: What do you do when the going gets tough?

Post by slowpoke »

Even though your training regime may be internally enforced - i.e. you are doing this without the external immediacy of a race to finish - there's no reason you can't do it with a partner. It is amazing how much further you can go when you're chasing someone and how that takes you out of thinking about your inner miseries and focuses you on the competition. You simply forget. You achieve your training goals with less angst. Of course, if you're into self-flagellation, there's no hope for you because you'll just think of more extremes to go to.

Not to mention that having a buddy out there is a significant safety factor if you do push yourself too far. I would read books about explorers who survived!
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