In the greater scheme of things, does it really matter how far we ride a bike in a day, or a week, or a year? From the standpoint of world, national or State politics, or even local, not really. It IS, however, a matter of great importance to ourselves. :D

Each milestone in our progress is a crossroads. We can choose to say, "OK, this is enough", or we can choose to say, "I can do more". These triumphs redefine our world view, each time we achieve them. We now know we have greater capabilities, physically and mentally.

My life, for example, is composed of a series of milestones, or junctures. I choose to push further, and faster, as long as I'm physically capable.

I have a little poll here, and I'd appreciate your responses.

Wow, this is full of thought. I do feel that my abilities are far better when I achieve a large milestone. But on the other side when I don't do something I have before I don't feel my abilities are less just that I need to get out more. I will really have to think a bit about this one!

I guess I am what I am, but each victory reminds me that there's still greater challenges I can take on. I'm sure I'm capable of far bigger/dumber feats than what I've been doing up until now. :D

Mike Magnuson writes a lot about this topic throughout his book Heft On Wheels. I guess I agree with a lot of what he says.

I've been in better and worse shape through the years. Just because I've done something in the past doesn't mean I can still do it. Especially with phsycial conditioning, you can spend 6 weeks not exercising and set yourself back a good long ways.

I keep trying to challenge myself. Doing the same distances/routes/time bores me. I like to leave my comfort zone as a means of making myself better, not just in biking but in other other aspects of life. Lately, i have been challenging myself to ride up mountains in my area. For example, for my lunch time ride there is a mountain 1 mile from my office. The first time I tried last year I failed. It is a 1600 foot climb over about 3 miles. I can now climb it and keep trying to improve my time each time I do. I am down to 25 minutes. Some of the hammer heads around here can get up it in 15 minutes which is my goal. I have challenged to myself to climb others I thought were unclimbable to me which I have accomplished. The results have been that I am faster on the flats and rollers and can keep up with the hammer heads.

There are, in my mind, subtle differences between the question you asked and the possible answers you provided.

You asked: "Do my victories redefine how I percieve myself?"
My answer to this would be: Rarely and it would have to be a victory in something life-changing to alter how I precieve myself. Getting married and having 2 sons were things I consider victories and they have caused me to redefine how I percieve myself. Finishing a century, while one of my long-term goals and something I would consider a major victory, wouldn't change that perception.

Your first choice for an answer was: "Yes, each victory redefines how I percieve my physical capabilities"
I would agree with this. Each victory in something that tests me physically will redefine how I percieve my physical capabilities but this is very different from changing my perception of myself.

Your second choice for an answer was: "No, I am who and what I am"
I would agree with this as well. I am who and what I am. That is, I am the person who arrived at this point because of all of my life's experiences but who will continue to learn, change and grow as life goes on. Who and what I am today is different from who and what I was a decade ago. Who and what I will be a decade from now will be different from who and what I am today.

Probably should have just gone with "I don't know".

For myself, and please remember I am just speaking for myself, the statement "I am who and what I am" means I am not open to change or acceptive of change. As I reach and surpass milestones I become somebody different. I become a better person, both physically and mentally. I become more encouraging to others as I know the pain and anguish it takes to reach those milestones but I know it can be done. I become more accepting of others as I was in that same boat and said those some things but I also know that you can overcome those thoughts of self doubt and self worth. I see myself change everyday as I have now lost close to thirty pounds since Feburary. I am riding further then I have ever have on a daily basis and it continues to grow. I am kicking Type II diabetes in the butt without the use of medication. I really don't want to be that person months ago and I can't wait to see what I am tomorrow.

When I set up the questions, I had to be a little vague in the formulation to avoid slanting the poll.

I really am looking for your own perceptions, and if there isn't an option that works for you, feel free to post it into the thread as a freestyle. ;)

I am who I am, any event/win/milestone is important only to prove to others that I could do something who may have not believed beforehand. I know what I am capable of beforehand.

Yes, each victory redefines how I percieve my physical capabilities

Yes, and when I'm 75, I'll still believe so!:D

I used to think so, but after some recent personal events, I don't think they are nearly as important. I still believe that I need to maintain my exercise program and until I finally ride my century, everything else is fluff.

Doing something that I'm capable of feels good, but I don't think it defines myself.
Some young guys define themselves by how fast they can guzzle a beer. Is that a victory? To some, it is! I was a marathoner, not a sprinter:)

I've always believed in appreciating little things. Small victories can be a motivation to continue to greater success. The hill looks bigger if you stare at the top of it, but if you just try to make it to the next tree or lamppost, it doesn't seem so bad.

On that note, tonight's commute home was the first night I actually didn't stop to rest on the 1.5 mile climb at the end of my ride. Wasn't planned...just was trying to get close to the light (which is a marker of approximately 1/2way). When I got to the light I never stopped, just kept on going. Next thing I knew I was at the top of the hill and home shortly after.

Tom,

It might be interesting to correlate this with the matching question (with same options) regarding "my failures".

I am thinking along the lines of Seligman's work on optimism/pessimism in explanatory style.
I can say that for a short time after a victory, I can relate to the first choice, but it seems temporary. I have to fight with the pessimistic view of failure--this seems more likely to persist for me.

Comments removed due to selective editing by moderators.

Well, remember self fulfilling prophecy. I prefer to dwell on positive results. So far, it's worked well for me.

If you view yourself as a person who is going to lose (and I don't mean weight here, but the challenge), then you don't have a chance. I'm not going to even remotely say it's easy, but your chances are better at victory in ANY endeavor if you visualize success rather than failure.

Belief in failure is a 100% predictor of failure.

Tom,

It might be interesting to correlate this with the matching question (with same options) regarding "my failures".

I am thinking along the lines of Seligman's work on optimism/pessimism in explanatory style.
I can say that for a short time after a victory, I can relate to the first choice, but it seems temporary. I have to fight with the pessimistic view of failure--this seems more likely to persist for me.

For me, weight loss milestones (this ten pound mark, that ten pound mark, this goal, that goal) are ways of re-evaluating and defining what I'm capable of.

But with cycling, I just ride because I enjoy it. If I'm not enjoying it, something is wrong, and if I focus too much on making it goal oriented, I don't enjoy it as much as if I just hit the road and see where it takes me.