Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Dreams (or Nightmares) About LD Cycling

So ... I have this recurring dream about being on a 1200K. I've had it quite a few times ... maybe a couple dozen or more in the last few years.

In the dream, it's late in the day. The sun is setting and it is getting dark, although it isn't quite dark yet. I descend a long, gradual hill, and the road curves around to the right. At the bottom of the hill is a Control. The Control is probably somewhere around the 400 km point in the ride. When I walk into the Control, I see that it is most likely a hostel ... there's a living room/lounge area first as I walk in, and then a kitchen area in the back.

What happens next varies dream to dream. Sometimes I have seconds to spare before the Control closes and I come in in a mad panic. I'm scrambling all over the place to fill my water bottles, get something to eat, find the washrooms, get my card signed, etc. But I feel like I'm moving in slow motion ... and it seems like no one there wants to help me. I'm digging through the kitchen to find food, and hunting through the entire building to find the washrooms (I found them in my most recent dream ... you get to them from the outside, and they are under the stairs leading up to the main door). Then, just as I feel like I've finally got everything together, I discover that I have a flat tire. At this point I'm about ready to pack it in because I am so incredibly late.

Other times I arrive with lots of time to spare, and instead of getting myself together and hitting the road again, I sit down in the living room area and visit with everyone who comes in, or I doze, until all of a sudden I realize that I'm terribly late, and then I'm in the situation above. And as I'm about ready to leave, I discover the flat tire.

I have never left the Control in any of my dreams. There's a road climbing out of the valley. I've seen it, and I've seen other cyclists climb it ... but I never have. One day (or night) I'd actually like to get myself together and leave the control! But I usually wake up about the point I discover the flat tire.

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In my early days of Randonneuring, there were a few times, a few days or weeks after riding a 600K or 1200K, that I woke up in a panic thinking I had to get up and ride.

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So how about you? Do you have dreams or nightmares about your long distance cycling events?

Oy, Machka, what a funny dream. You don't offer the interpretation, so I won't comment. But no, I don't dream about LD. Recurrent dreams are very important, though. This isn't just night-time entertainment. Enjoy your year! No more injuries!

Oy, Machka, what a funny dream. You don't offer the interpretation, so I won't comment. But no, I don't dream about LD. Recurrent dreams are very important, though. This isn't just night-time entertainment. Enjoy your year! No more injuries!

I don't know what the interpretation would be ... but the recurring factor is a bit disturbing. The dream starts up, and in another part of my sleeping mind, I'm thinking, "Oh great, here we go again."

Sorry, I ride my bike, but I never dream about bike... http://www.yelims.com/IPB/Invision-Board-France-380.gif

Machka, sounds like this dream is telling you there's something holding you back from getting on with some part of your life. In your dream it's the flat tire. It's interesting that you race around trying to find things of lesser importance while not detecting, until the end, the one thing you definitely need to keep going, the flat. If I were a doctor I'd prescribe several glasses of wine before going to sleep. Always works for me.

I don't know what the interpretation would be ... but the recurring factor is a bit disturbing. The dream starts up, and in another part of my sleeping mind, I'm thinking, "Oh great, here we go again."See, now if only you were a wealthy US citizen you could have a shrink mess with your mind every week! And then you wouldn't need to rando any more . . .

When I got out of the Army, I had recurrent nuclear warfare dreams. Then I had recurrent dreams of being chased be large carnivorous wild animals. It's that kind of thing. So if your worst nightmare is a flat tire, you're doing pretty well.

You started this - I had a cycling dream last night. I was riding my bike and someone was shooting at my legs, like with a BB gun. But that was quite easy to interpret: I had lifted weights after spin class yesterday evening, and my legs were hurting; probably having mini cramps in my sleep. And a cyclist was shot in Seattle recently with some sort of BB rifle, powerful enough to penetrate his lung.

I dream of the open road. Mountain range in the distance. Light is nice, sunup or sundown or something. Things are working. I notice stuff on the road, like in a real ride. Maybe I think OOPS ran over a sticker, hope it's OK, and I guess it is. It's a peaceful dream, like I'm in my element.

I've always read it as having my act together, when I reach that pass I better have my game on. Or a preparation thing. Or maybe "destiny awaits." But I do rather enjoy it. Maybe it's a de ja vu, a premonition of the future? the Death Valley Double, or Furnace Creek 500, or solo RAAM? Maybe I'm so peaceful because I'm in the lead????? :)

eh, more likely it's an escape from the insanity we call life

Wow, I have those dreams about college but not brevets. I guess it is because I have never done a 1200k and thus far I have never really had to worry about hitting a control except in one instance where the weather was so bad that I figured if I missed it, I missed it big deal (over 60% of the people dropped out of that ride, missing the tailwind of all tailwinds on the way back, one guy even got hypothermia but finished after recovering). A 1200k would be a different story, once you get so much invested in a ride I can see how it would be a bit worrisome/traumatic to miss a control. Perhaps it is just your mind reliving stress? I have been out of college for over 10 years now and I am still amazed I have the "didn't show up to class all semester and the final is in 10 minutes" dreams (or the "can't get to the final because I can't find the building" dreams).

Although, now that you mention it, before my first century I was a bit worried and I dreamed I showed up with an old schwinn stingray (from the 70s era) with a banana seat at the start line. :)

Maybe before my first 1200k I will dream about showing up with a big wheel or a green machine?

In my dream, I'm at a control and at first I'm ready to go before my buddies, but then I realize I've forgotten to do something and then there are endless things to do and as I frantically try to get them done, my buddies ride off into the distance.

Unfortunately, the same thing happens moderately often when I'm awake :)

I find I sleep poorly after a long ride and have frustrating dreams incorporating events of the previous day. I think my mind is chewing over the ride. I am sure being over-tired doesn't help It doesn't make for restful sleep.!

I recently dreamt I was racing the Raid Provence Extreme (a 600 km race taking place every year sometime in the summer). Even though I'm not into long distance racing (yet).
Otherwise if I'm going to do a big ride I often dream about it the night before. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad. I think I had dreams about PBP at least 20 times before doing it. But not after.

Machka (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=4588)

Sounds like a video game--Rando Nightmare I*


*now available on x-box and gameboy ;)

M, you subconsciously understand that your Father always wanted a boy. You've been trying to make up for it all your life.

Meanwhile, can you ride 1610k in May or June? Shoot just ride a couple of 600s and a 400 and you got it made!

Sounds like a variant on the examination dream that large numbers of college
educated types have at some time or another. You get to a class, discover
the instructor handing out test forms that you had no idea was scheduled.
Have these at long intervals even now 35 yrs after my last formal class.
Google on examination dreams to see how common these are.