Originally Posted by groovestew

I know what I did wrong in all my DNFs. At least half of my long distance rides so far, I ended up riding solo for most, if not the whole, route, and all my DNFs were on such rides. Then, left to my own devices, I let myself make unreasonable expectations for my abilities, push myself too hard, don't fuel myself enough, and refuse to take breaks. When I realize I can't meet my expectations, I get disappointed, and start losing motivation. My poor mental state is then compounded by physical problems due to over exertion and lack of caloric intake. It then becomes too easy to give up. For me to be successful at this sport, I need to stop treating it like a race, and be willing to listen to my body, take needed breaks, and fuel up properly. But it’s not in my nature to take it easy, and it ticks me off that I can’t ride like I think I should be able to. Why I think I can ride like others who put 2-3 times as many miles on their bikes than I do is beyond me.

Anyway, if you made it this far, thanks for reading. I don’t really have a point, but if anyone would like to share relevant experience and/or suggest how to relax and temper my expectations, please do.