Road Bike Racing - Painkillers

Sparked from another thread...What do you use to take the pain off your mind when racing.
I sometimes like to repeat the ABC's.

I like to talk, it's kind of a psychological advantage, and some guys seem to drop their guard a little bit and inadvertently lower the pace.
On Saturday, I kept fantasizing about an offer I got for next season.

I'm usely to busy racing to feel the pain.
Seriously.

I focus on the pain. If it doesn't hurt enough, I'm not going fast enough. Seriously, if I think about other stuff, I slow down. At least in TTs. During crits/RRs, I swear at everybody!

I'm usely to busy racing to feel the pain.
Seriously.

You know honestly I never really know what people are talking about when they say pain. I mean I had my leg lock up on me in a finish sprint because I was dehydrated and that hurt like hell but that was pretty obvious. Climbing or soloing off the front doesn't hurt per se it's just hard work is all. I don't get the whole pain thing either? Suffering maybe but pain? If I feel pain I guess I'd just stop riding or slow down or something.

The only time I'm ever in pain, around here, is when it's strung out 30+.

And then, it's a matter of thinking about what I can do to lessen the pain, and then doing it. Usually that involves temporarily increasing the level of hurt, in order to move up to a smoother group of riders where I don't have to brake in the corners.

I think of things that really piss me off... the car that cut me off last week, issues at work, my wife's complaining about me going to another race, etc. Any other random thoughts slow me down.

Focus on your spin or focus on your breathing, meditate on your spin and breathing. The pain won't go away but if you concentrate on something else, it won't be the focus of your biking, which will only slow you down.

I focus on the sensations at the tips of my fingers.

Why would I kill the pain? If Jens loves the pain, I love the pain.

Jens rides with his mouth wide open so he can eat more pain, much like a baleen whale eats plankton.



I'm such a loser.

Tramadol.


Kidding. I try not to let it get the best of me.

+1 for "focus on riding the bike and racing smart"

Sparked from another thread...What do you use to take the pain off your mind when racing.
I sometimes like to repeat the ABC's.

If you are going to move up in this sport you will have to do better than the ABC's. I'd suggest moving on to reciting limericks ('There once was a man from Nantucket, whose ...'. That should get you to the next Cat. Once you are ready to move up, you'll need to recite some Haiku's to kill the pain. Those that are looking to turn pro will progress all the way to Shakespeare. I once heard a Euro pro quoting James Joyce in a TT. That guy knows how to deal with pain.

I focus on the pain. If it doesn't hurt enough, I'm not going fast enough. Seriously, if I think about other stuff, I slow down. At least in TTs. During crits/RRs, I swear at everybody!


TT: Let the pain encompass you.




Seriously.

You know honestly I never really know what people are talking about when they say pain. I mean I had my leg lock up on me in a finish sprint because I was dehydrated and that hurt like hell but that was pretty obvious. Climbing or soloing off the front doesn't hurt per se it's just hard work is all. I don't get the whole pain thing either? Suffering maybe but pain? If I feel pain I guess I'd just stop riding or slow down or something.

+1, with the exception that my lower back hurts sometimes. Probably just a semantic argument.

You know honestly I never really know what people are talking about when they say pain. I mean I had my leg lock up on me in a finish sprint because I was dehydrated and that hurt like hell but that was pretty obvious. Climbing or soloing off the front doesn't hurt per se it's just hard work is all. I don't get the whole pain thing either? Suffering maybe but pain? If I feel pain I guess I'd just stop riding or slow down or something.


Something to do with endurance mixed with speed.
It's very foreign to the average ball sporter, or newb athlete.

Something to do with endurance mixed with speed.
It's very foreign to the average ball sporter, or newb athlete.

There are lots of different things in sport where you have to get through the pain. It ain't just bicycle racing. I've played competitive basketball, fencing (foil), and baseball (pitcher) as well. The thing is that in bike racing getting through pain happens all the time. In the others it doesn't happen as often, but dealing with it and still keeping the fine motor control to be able to perform those sports is really difficult.

Pain is just an opinion.

It's your body's opinion that you can't go any harder.

I choose to ignore it and focus on what's going on around me.

Or the cows. Moooo.

Look, birds!

Maybe I'll have an ice-cream later. Two scoops.

I bet the cokes in the team car are pretty cold by now.

Who shifted? I heard a shift. Who was that?

Watch the shadows. JUMP!

Wheel! Wheel! Wheel!

Sit. Breathe. Listen.

Watch the shadows.

JUMP! ****. Who is that?

Let him go. Look for a tow. There it goes! JUMP!

My wheel! My wheel! My Wheel!

He's getting nowhere. Where's the counter?

If it's XYZ rider I go with it. If not I sit tight.

Or one of the big guys from ABC team. It's about the right time for them.

When did I drink last?

What did I eat last? When was that?






What was that about pain again?

Pain is just an opinion.

It's your body's opinion that you can't go any harder.

I choose to ignore it and focus on what's going on around me.

Or the cows. Moooo.

Look, birds!

Maybe I'll have an ice-cream later. Two scoops.

I bet the cokes in the team car are pretty cold by now.

Who shifted? I heard a shift. Who was that?

Watch the shadows. JUMP!

Wheel! Wheel! Wheel!

Sit. Breathe. Listen.

Watch the shadows.

JUMP! ****. Who is that?

Let him go. Look for a tow. There it goes! JUMP!

My wheel! My wheel! My Wheel!

He's getting nowhere. Where's the counter?

If it's XYZ rider I go with it. If not I sit tight.

Or one of the big guys from ABC team. It's about the right time for them.

When did I drink last?

What did I eat last? When was that?






What was that about pain again?


Bravo Bob

Bravo Bob

I actually got my heart rate up writing that.

My kid came up behind me to see what daddy was doing and I stuck my elbow out.:twitchy:

I actually got my heart rate up writing that.

My kid came up behind me to see what daddy was doing and I stuck my elbow out.:twitchy:

I prefer to use my shoulders and hips.

Pain is just an opinion.

It's your body's opinion that you can't go any harder.

I choose to ignore it and focus on what's going on around me.

Or the cows. Moooo.

Look, birds!

Maybe I'll have an ice-cream later. Two scoops.

I bet the cokes in the team car are pretty cold by now.

Who shifted? I heard a shift. Who was that?

Watch the shadows. JUMP!

Wheel! Wheel! Wheel!

Sit. Breathe. Listen.

Watch the shadows.

JUMP! ****. Who is that?

Let him go. Look for a tow. There it goes! JUMP!

My wheel! My wheel! My Wheel!

He's getting nowhere. Where's the counter?

If it's XYZ rider I go with it. If not I sit tight.

Or one of the big guys from ABC team. It's about the right time for them.

When did I drink last?

What did I eat last? When was that?






What was that about pain again?

Nomination for post of the year.

Be one with the pain...

My kid came up behind me to see what daddy was doing and I stuck my elbow out.:twitchy:

You were fully entitled. You had position on him.

I think someone just got done reading Krabbe's "The Rider"

I think someone just got done reading Krabbe's "The Rider"

Actually, I did read it, several years ago, as I believe every racer should.

Thanks for the comparison.:beer:

Be the pain...

I thought about this thread during last night's training race.

The first half was really aggressive with constant attacks but then riders starting being weeded from the group; Not really based on ability but by a willingness to suffer.

There is one guy here who is on form and much fitter than me but I always know I can outsmart him and out suffer him. I can out race him thereby dictating the terms by which we race, tilting the field in my favour, but he is younger, stronger and fitter than me so all I have left is to be willing to put up with more pain than he is.

He's only been racing a few years and I can see that he may never progress any further. He can't break through that barrier and focus. He can't ignore the pain and it consumes him until he finally believes he just can't get out of the saddle one more time.

Then I attack and it is over. I'm cooked too and it really isn't much of an attack but he just lets me go.

For me, when I am suffering that much I start to think about the nice cold coke I could be drinking and that I could have air in my lungs. At that point is where I really lose my focus.

For me, when I am suffering that much I start to think about the nice cold coke I could be drinking and that I could have air in my lungs. At that point is where I really lose my focus.

That's the announcement that the train is pulling into Sufferville. You need to commit and just get on board.

Then think about something else - like what you are doing, not how much it hurts.

There is no pain. Only can or cannot do.

I don’t feel pain really, more like increasing negative thoughts. When it’s really bad it’s “I wish I would flat” or “after this lap I will quit.” Most of the time I can get that sh1t out of my head, most of the time….

Apparently there is a biochemical basis, the BCAA / AAA ratio changes and they both compete for the same blood brain transfer sites leading to increased serotonin production which is related to neuromuscular fatigue (central governor)... or something like that.

I’m open to more of these positive self-talk/distraction therapies. :)

For me, when I am suffering that much I start to think about the nice cold coke I could be drinking and that I could have air in my lungs. At that point is where I really lose my focus.

Ride harder/faster. The coke will come sooner.