I’ve heard all the sayings and pinned my favorite memes—The Body Achieves What The Mind Believes, She Believed She Could And She Did, Determination Makes The Impossible Possible–but it’s only recently that I’ve really appreciated the importance of getting my head in the game. It came to me after my first attempt at the hilly Conte’s group bike ride, as I was reliving my fall going up the N. Quincy Street hill. I realized that the moment I looked up and thought there was no way I would make it to the top was the moment my legs just stopped, causing me to fall over.
Getting My Head In The Game
As the weekend drew near, I was still on the fence. None of my friends were going, and while my husband had agreed to go with me, the possibility of being the only woman on the ride made it even more stressful. But then Ann shared this quote during my Friday morning CPY2 class.
I also pondered why I have no qualms trying yoga poses I can’t do but am so intimidated by hills I might not be able to climb.
Fear of injury? Not really, since that kind of fall is usually at low speed, although I do need to get better at unclipping so I can catch myself!
Embarrassment? Maybe, since it’s much more noticeable when you have to walk your bike up a hill than when you “transition” into child’s pose.
Still, I couldn’t think of any reason good enough to keep me away, so I spent the evening convincing myself that I can do hard things.
Keeping My Head In The Game
On my second attempt, I decided to approach the N. Quincy Street hill like I approach difficult yoga poses–with an open mind, seeing how far I can get, and willing to try different techniques. Since I had been in too hard a gear on my first attempt, this time I started in the easiest gear, but that didn’t work out either. As the hill got steep, my legs were just spinning around and I knew–or thought–I would never make it to the top without more momentum. Without too much chagrin, I hopped off my bike and walked it up the hill.
For better or worse, I think that decision made the rest of the ride a bit easier. My legs were spared that exertion and I knew I could make it up all the other hills–as hard as they were. I focused on keeping my mind in the game and not letting any other hills psych me out. I knew I had to quash any negative thoughts before they were fully formed, so I pulled out all the mantras, reminding myself “I’ve got this” on the longer climbs. I stopped worrying about keeping up with the rest of the group and convinced myself that I could keep up my steady pace “all day long“–or at least for the rest of the ride.
This past weekend I joined the Conte’s ride for the third time. I didn’t debate participating, but my GI tract reminded that I still was nervous. It was a smaller group, but since a woman from my Moms Run This Town group joined, I wasn’t the only female. As we approached THE HILL I played with my gears to try to find the one that would be “just right.” As it got steeper, I stood to climb but knew I was going to make. I cheered as I reached an easier part–still climbing–and approached the group waiting for me to catch up with a big grin on my race. The rest of the ride was still challenging, but I knew I could do it, and I did.
This ride demands a lot from my legs and requires the right mindset, but only by doing it will it be something that I can do.
Today’s Wednesday Word is mindset.
What do you do that requires the right mindset?
![The Ultimate Coffee Date](http://got2run4me.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Ultimate-Coffee-Date.png" "The Ultimate Coffee Date")
these days? LIFE.
and truly it makes all the damn difference when I can get my HEAD in the marriagemotheringjobsearchLIVING game as well.
<3
Job searching can seem so daunting!
What a great feeling, to conquer real hills or other hill-like challenges! Yes, you can do hard things!
You must be thrilled every day you can do hard things – or every day normal things aren’t hard things. 🙂
What an amazing accomplishment! To conquer those hills takes a lot of motivation and determination – great job!
Trying new things & meeting people — it’s always scary for me! Sometimes I can convince myself; sometimes I fail. And fear of failure is such a tough nut to crack!
Great job, Coco!things are so rarely as bad as we make them out to be in our minds. Great job making a molehill out of that mountain. 🙂
I’m trying to reframe “failure” as “practice” or “learning opportunity,” again inspired by yoga. It’s only a failure if I don’t keep trying or try again next time.
That ride is so mental for me too. After I knew I could get up that hill, I felt there was no stopping me and felt pretty bad ass for doing it. We can achieve so much more than we think we can!
We ARE badass for getting up that hill!
Aren’t you glad you did it now?
When I’m worried about completing a tough run I use that same Mantra too!
Way to go, what a great feeling! Love the quote your friend posted, nothing like a little nudge to help you out.
Ah yay! I know this fear, and giant hills! It’s a huge accomplishment to face it, and get over it!
It’s a huge accomplishment to just keep trying!
That is so great! I have a hill I fear as well and when I have to get off and walk it, I tell myself it is the same when I am running it and have to start walking. So much of what we do is mental.
That’s so awesome! Way to conquer that hill. Such an inspiring post!
Awesome!!!!! Way to spank that hill 😉 The Picasso quite is stellar 😉
The quote is brilliant! It really hit home.
Way to go! I have so many questions about riding and clipping in. Are hills harder when you’re clipped in? My friend recently got a road bike and shoes and said you push and pull since your feet are attached to the pedals. I have no idea what this feels like! Such a new world to me…
Oh, no, hills are ^easier^ when you’re clipped in because you get the force of pushing on the down stroke and pulling on the upstroke powering you up. What’s harder about them is clipping out before you stop if you’re not going to make it. 🙂 But, the extra power on the hills is why I won’t give up my clips even if I fall once in a while!
How awesome! You must be so proud!
Where I live, it is flat flat flat. Flatter than flat. We have a few bridges – it’s what I use for hill training for running, but I haven’t been brave enough to try my legs at cycling them. Every day, I’m getting a little more brave, and I’ll get there soon.
So glad you had a successful climb!
Hah, when we rode at the beach I welcomed the bridge for a change of pace. Yes, the climb is hard, but the coasting is easy!
We all have the ability to do hard things, as long as we can get our head in the game and focus on them. Congrats on conquering those hills!
What a great accomplishment! That’s wonderful
Thanks. No I have to do it a few more times so I can be confident!
Omg…why am I over here cheering for you as if I was on the hill with you!! My kids are looking at me like I a crazy!
Way to get your head I the game and tackle that hill!!
Thanks! Maybe your cheers were the key to my success on my third try. 😉
I definitely agree that you have to get your head in the game. I play mind games all the time before races and long rides. It helps to be in the right mindset to get you through a long run or ride.
Your mindset really does make all the difference.
Amazing job conquering that hill!
That is awesome.
Thanks, Abby. Perseverance pays off for sure.
Great job on conquering the hills! It is a mindset…which I have struggled greatly with this year, the heat is wearing me down already. I am trying to find a way to get my head back in the game now.
It is really HARD. I think challenging my fear of failure with a “so what” and treating each climb as an opportunity to figure something out is helping — but I’m still anxious about next weekend!
Congrats on successfully making it up that steep hill! It seems mindset was the perfect word for you. 🙂
Thanks for linking up!
Motivation is 50% in a race, and you can train it as well. Congratulations, is very useful for other runners to read about successes. Thanks!