Hi and hope you're all well.
Cycling can be physically tough going sometimes. The dark cold nights ,or that strong head wind that seems to be relentless whatever direction you go on your ride can make cycling hard going at times but i think the biggest barrier we suffer from is to having the wrong mindset from time to time, I find the hardest part of cycling is getting the bike out of the front door as opposed to being in the warmth of the house. Once it's out the door and im on my way i couldn't be happier.
It's all about adopting the right mind set and mental attitudes to enjoying cycling. Over the relatively short time I've been cycling, I've noticed i have gone through a roller-coaster ride of trying to keep focused of why i cycle. At the very beginning i started as a means to try and reset my chaotic personal life. With lots of personal things going horribly wrong, i just wanted to get back to basics and escape them by tiring myself out in a positive way in the form of excercise,fresh air and a change of scenery. It worked wonders and has changed me so much for the better.
As cycling has become a more and more prevelent part of my life, you do tend to hit mental walls with it. Pushing harder and riding further doesn't come without its problems. As you see yourself improve and the weight drop off, you can quite easily find yourself starting to take your self to seriously. Obsessing about average speeds to feeling you've under achieved in your weekly miles. It soon becomes a distant memory of the reasons why you started cycling in the first place.
What I've learnt though over the thousands of miles I've done, is to take stock of what you've achieved every now and again, and try and reset your mental approach towards your cycling. Go for ride without your bike computer sometimes.It feels strangely liberating not staring at what miles you've done on it. Take time to stop a view the sights around you instead of soldering along. There's many an experienced cyclist on this website than me who may agree or disagree, but from my limited experience cycling can be as mentally challenging as physical.
All the very best
Johnny
Cycling can be physically tough going sometimes. The dark cold nights ,or that strong head wind that seems to be relentless whatever direction you go on your ride can make cycling hard going at times but i think the biggest barrier we suffer from is to having the wrong mindset from time to time, I find the hardest part of cycling is getting the bike out of the front door as opposed to being in the warmth of the house. Once it's out the door and im on my way i couldn't be happier.
It's all about adopting the right mind set and mental attitudes to enjoying cycling. Over the relatively short time I've been cycling, I've noticed i have gone through a roller-coaster ride of trying to keep focused of why i cycle. At the very beginning i started as a means to try and reset my chaotic personal life. With lots of personal things going horribly wrong, i just wanted to get back to basics and escape them by tiring myself out in a positive way in the form of excercise,fresh air and a change of scenery. It worked wonders and has changed me so much for the better.
As cycling has become a more and more prevelent part of my life, you do tend to hit mental walls with it. Pushing harder and riding further doesn't come without its problems. As you see yourself improve and the weight drop off, you can quite easily find yourself starting to take your self to seriously. Obsessing about average speeds to feeling you've under achieved in your weekly miles. It soon becomes a distant memory of the reasons why you started cycling in the first place.
What I've learnt though over the thousands of miles I've done, is to take stock of what you've achieved every now and again, and try and reset your mental approach towards your cycling. Go for ride without your bike computer sometimes.It feels strangely liberating not staring at what miles you've done on it. Take time to stop a view the sights around you instead of soldering along. There's many an experienced cyclist on this website than me who may agree or disagree, but from my limited experience cycling can be as mentally challenging as physical.
All the very best
Johnny