Slow going... to FIRED UP afterburners

Don’t get me wrong, I love to ride my bike. It’s a great outlet, physically and mentally. But sometimes there are stretches when I get a few rides in a row that are a slog mentally and physically. I’m riding slower than I want to. I’m fit, but my mind is dull, and isn’t cracking the whip. And the ride goes without the mental spark, the inspiration, to spur my legs to break out and bump up the pace. I started thinking my legs were losing power, and my trusty reserve hammer option was evaporating.

But then on my last ride, which was going at what was a slower pace than I wanted for a lot of miles, I got inspired. Another rider blew past me at about 20 mph. That was it. I jumped on it and was immediately given a sweet little challenge: Catch the rider and draft.

I was amazed at all the sudden energy I had in reserve. I caught the rider and we traded draft positions for the last 11 miles of a 51-mile ride. That mental boost was refreshing, and made the whole ride for me. It was the flash I needed to break out of my mental doldrums. It’s true most of my slow rides have lacked any such fast rider challenges. Riding solo, I wasn’t finding any inspirations to pick up the pace along the way. It was like my mind had forgotten how to flip the power surge switch to the legs.

I think the way to fight through mental doldrums on the bike is to keep an eagle eye toward finding little motivators to pep things up. You might want to beat a split time during the ride. You might see a tree far in the distance and make up your mind to sprint toward it just to switch up the pace. Or, my favorite motivator, you might get suddenly passed by a fast rider and decide you will get on that rider’s rear wheel and stay there. If you can do that, then pass them after you’re rested.

The old truism, “mind over matter,” for the most part, is really true. If you’re fit, your body will respond to a mental command to step it up, even without a double shot of caffeine!

It’s a matter of finding a way to jolt the body into higher performance. Kind of like a team that is losing, but isn’t fazed and remains determined to find some way to win. It takes a bulldog’s mind that refuses to stop trying to break into a positive direction.

And when that way is found, strong riding returns. The mental shackles are broken, and the fun of riding comes rushing back.

So if you’re looking for motivations to spark your riding pace to a higher level, and find one, or if one just shows up unexpectedly, there’s only one thing to conclude: The mind is the key to ignition. And the mind needs to be fed motivations just as much as the fit body needs to be hydrated and fed for maximum performance. So keep looking for motivators to ride stronger and pedal a satisfyingly fast ride. And when they appear, jump on them, let them work for you. They’ll break you out of the doldrums and accelerate you into the freewheeling feeling of optimal pedal power.

Gettin’ in tune

Ever wonder what they actually do when bike shop mechanics tune your bike? Check this out, good info:

In other words, make sure: everything is clean, lubed and oiled, the brakes work properly, shifting is smooth (adjust if not), cables have the right tension, (aren’t frayed and are lubed at openings), nuts are tight, tires aren’t overly worn and have the right air pressure.

And if possible it’s a good idea to verify with your own tools or get a second opinion when a mechanic tells you you need to replace your chain or any other major component. After being told I needed a new chain, I went home and measured it, only to find that my chain had plenty of life (stretch) left in it.

Until next time, remember to strap on a helmet before every ride, then keep the rubber side down. Stay safe, and most important of all, enjoy!

-- Mark Eric Larson

Mark Eric Larson has written two books of essays, "The NERVE...of Some People's Kids," and "Don't Force it, Get a Bigger Hammer. To read, visit: 
http://www.scribd.com/Mark%20Eric%20Larson/shelfHis blog of personal essays is at: http://marksmuzings.blogspot.com/