Originally Posted by
Fuzzo84
As far as the use of the word "fail" I have to respectfully disagree with The Historian and Glenn. I think that it is completely applicable in the way I used it seeing how I failed to meet my goal of 40 miles.
Originally Posted by
Fuzzo84
But then what is the point of having a goal if there is not success/failure benchmark to measure against. How do you continue to challenge yourself if you can not measure your progress?
Maybe you aren't to the point of learning this yet (only a guess by Aug 2009 join date & 12 posts), but much of riding or any physical activity involves mental attitude. If I beat myself up over my perceived failures or lack of meeting my goals, then I'm going to disappoint myself into not doing it again. And trust me, I've had plenty opportunity to do just that. Not progressing fast enough. Too slow. Not riding far enough. Getting lost. Not being able to climb up hills. Having to stop at every hill (when I started) when I had to stop for being gassed out too hard. Needing picked up because I pushed myself too hard or stayed out longer than I thought (past dark). I could fill this forum with such stories, as can everyone else that has come here and has persisted with the bike riding long enough. But notice that most in this forum aren't doing that. In fact, if I only fixated on my "failures" in my rides, I wouldn't even have an enjoyable ride, and would be out of bike riding for good.
Learn to start looking for positives and victories in everything you do, or you're going to discourage yourself right out of doing what you're doing. And there's plenty of those. I (and everyone else that's continued longer than just a month or two) could fill the forum up with these as well. Obviously we don't choose to tell all of them (I haven't), but notice the choice that people are making. They may mention goals (we all have them), but they aren't fixated on them to the point that it drowns out the positives and victories. And yes, meeting goals can be one of those victories.
As for me, I realize it's a huge amount of grace (as it is for anyone) to be able to go out the door, go whatever the distance involved, handle any terrain put in front of me at any time (that's been my only real "goal", other than a few "like-tos" that have stuck into my mind), and return safely (traffic, dogs, whatever). I'm thankful that I get to do what I do. Truthfully, the only thing that does get me down is not being able to ride for whatever reason.
Notice the tone of what's been posted in this thread:
Originally Posted by
The Historian
With all due respect to you and Mr. Ford, I disagree. If I thought not meeting my goals was failure, I'd have hung up the Lycra long ago.
Originally Posted by
gapwedge
As was said above....there is no FAIL on a ride. FAIL is deciding to sit your butt on a couch eating chips rather than hopping on the bike for a ride of any distance.
Originally Posted by
The Historian
My goal is to get my weight down and my stamina up to the point I can do what I want without meeting some 'challenge', legitimate or not.
A ride is as good or bad as you think it. If you want to think riding 26 miles in considerable discomfort is a "failure", go right ahead. But I don't see a failure, I see a tough guy trying to make the best of it.
BTW, in my first year of riding, I "failed" my first century attempt because I had back spasms as a result of adjusting to a new fit on my bike. My "failure" turned into a metric century, and in retrospect it was one of my best rides. I discovered I was tough.
If you're going to fixate on quotes regarding failure, I'd rather go with these:
"I haven't failed, I've found 10,000 ways that don't work" - Thomas Edison
..."I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will
work." - Thomas Edison