So I was on my long commute this morning (44 miles round trip) and there was a stiff headwind, maybe 15-20 mph. I had a target heart rate that I was supposed to maintain, but man, that wind just got me so down. I find it really depressing to feel your quads burning, lungs heaving, and looking down at the cycling computer and seeing 12 mph. :(

At that point, I get this internal voice saying "this sucks, this sucks, this sucks" and I start letting the heart rate go down. Which leads me to my question.

Do any of you use an internal mantra or dialogue that keeps you motivated when you are tired or fighting rain, headwinds, heat, whatever? I would love to hear some, maybe it will resonate with me and I can use it myself.

I never display speed on my computer when I'm on a training ride. It's too distracting.

No mantras, but sometimes I'll sing a song in my head. Big Yellow Taxi's been stuck in there for several months now.

You might find this thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=49113&highlight=pain) interesting.

Mark

It gets pretty windy around here, especially down in the Delta. When a headwind starts beating me down, I keep saying "good enough for Eddy, good enough for Eddy...."

Pain is progress.

I'm training for my first Century in May, doing longer rides than I have ever done. More days and total mileage. When I start to feel it, I say to myself "Just remember that each turn of the crank will pay off in May". Just trying to remind myself why I'm out there and how it IS helping!


Sheldon

"Just keep Spinning"

"This is where the progress is made." That's my mantra. Sometimes you just have to go visit the suffer spot.

"If you never push yourself, you'll never get better."

That one's been working wonders on me so far. Also, "If it wasn't hard, it wouldn't be hard." :D

i have one that i use, i dont know why it works but it does. i use it mainly when doing a big climb or in a MTB race " its harder to stop than it is to keep going " . seems to work for me. i do like that pain is progress one - i think ill use that!

I googled inspirational athletic sayings and liked these three:

"A lot of people run a race to see who's the fastest. I run to see who has the most guts."
- Steve Prefontaine

"It's at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys."
- Emil Zatopek

"If the furnace is hot enough, it will burn anything."
- John Parker, Once a Runner

WHen I'm grinding up a long hill(or mountain, whatever you want to call it) or pushing against a hard headwind or if I'm just plain burned out, I find myself muttering "It doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt..." over and over again.

My grandfather was in the military and his favorite saying is the old cliche, "Pain is NOT the enemy, pain is your FRIEND! It tells you you are ALIVE!"

"Wind won't win...wind won't win...wind won't win."

(The wind is the only thing I hate about cycling.)

"Wind won't win...wind won't win...wind won't win."

(The wind is the only thing I hate about cycling.)

good one! I like it.

"I'll be alright if I cut this ride a little short" :D . "The beer at the end of the road is worth it"

No mantra but I remind myself that with each revolution of the cranks I'm that much closer to the end of the ride.

Mantras make me grumpy. I get a catchy loop of some perky song in my head instead - that makes me smile *and* gets me round. Last century it was the Japanese version to the Teen Titans theme and on the Easter 10k run, it was Barbie Girl.

Damn, my brainPod is so gay!

Damn, my brainPod is so gay!

Now that is funny!

I've had the "Lonely Goatherd" song from Sound of Music in my head quite often lately. There it is again (the Julie Andrews version). Pretty high on the gay scale.

Interesting....I don't really use any mantras, I just try to think about how the resistance will make me a stronger rider. I have heard this, though:

"Pain is weakness leaving your body."