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As you know having to get off and walk the crest of the hill is very
humiliating, even though in this case it wasn't due to conditioning or ability. Plus, at the crest the road continues to go uphill but at a gentle grade, and that's where I like to think I get my best training effect, trying to continue to crank when I'm breathing hard and keeping up the effort and discipline. Of course walking 50 yards breathing returned to normal and I lost all that good stress! ;- Those who know me know I love to climb big, nasty hills. Those who know me really well know that I've also been seen having to take a break now & then and even (gasp!) walk for a bit. Heavens! It's kind of strange; seems like there's more stigma against walking up a hill for a bit than there is to simply stop and take a rest. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you think about it. Of course, such revelations didn't come to me at a younger age. Rather, it was on Mont Ventoux, during the l'etape du tour (2001), when I found myself not only running out of gas but had my legs cramp up severely. So I had to stop for a bit, but realized that my legs felt better (the cramps lessened) if I continued to walk up the hill. So, that's exactly what I did... and at a speed not much different from those who were riding. --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com |
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Badger_South wrote in message
[...] I actually hate it when cars stay well back and refuse to pass. I can never tell what they're thinking, [...] Sometimes they are just checking out your gear and apparel. |
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On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 06:48:03 GMT, "Mike Jacoubowsky"
wrote: As you know having to get off and walk the crest of the hill is very humiliating, even though in this case it wasn't due to conditioning or ability. Plus, at the crest the road continues to go uphill but at a gentle grade, and that's where I like to think I get my best training effect, trying to continue to crank when I'm breathing hard and keeping up the effort and discipline. Of course walking 50 yards breathing returned to normal and I lost all that good stress! ;- Those who know me know I love to climb big, nasty hills. Those who know me really well know that I've also been seen having to take a break now & then and even (gasp!) walk for a bit. Heavens! It's kind of strange; seems like there's more stigma against walking up a hill for a bit than there is to simply stop and take a rest. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you think about it. Yeah, I agree it's almost pathological to feel embarrassed by walking the hill, and I believe that once I get some minimal climbing legs that feeling will diminish. I've always been a good middle-of-the pack athlete, running, swimming and in my youth, biking. So it's just that I'm trying to be 'hard' on myself, to acquire discipline and to yell at myself 'don't quit'. I'm just not used to not being -able- to do even minimal riding and it's frustrating. Some of it is a rail against old age, and I'm very happy to have found an activity where you can continue to improve after age 50, even if you start at a low level. I used to dream about being able to ride the small hills in my neighborhood and never thought I'd be doing it in less than a year. Of course, such revelations didn't come to me at a younger age. Rather, it was on Mont Ventoux, during the l'etape du tour (2001), when I found myself not only running out of gas but had my legs cramp up severely. So I had to stop for a bit, but realized that my legs felt better (the cramps lessened) if I continued to walk up the hill. So, that's exactly what I did... and at a speed not much different from those who were riding. Well, just being 'in the alps' means you're good-enough, and a worthy biker, so anyone seeing you wouldn't say 'oh he must be recoving from heart surgery, that's why he's walking', heh. (not to belabor that example). Again, it's not so much what others think, but fighting my own inner demons and the urge to quit. Best, -B --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles www.ChainReactionBicycles.com |
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Subject: On the road
From: Badger_South As you know having to get off and walk the crest of the hill is very humiliating, even though in this case it wasn't due to conditioning or ability. Sure it was. |
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"Badger_South" wrote
Guess I should have said 'I felt humiliated', which is what I felt, right or wrong, and was hoping nobody saw me doing that. Uh, imagine that someone did see me and not the truck problem, then started jeering. I would feel embarassed and feel the need to explain. I'm from the 'no pain, no gain' school, so, yeah, YMMV. ;-) Us ROGs are sensitive about such things, as we battle father time, and vanity, haha. Dude, you so need to get over yourself. Life is more than a workout, and nobody finds anybody else's workout even slightly interesting. The worst thing is that if you feel inferior for having to walk a hill, the flip side is feeling superior when you don't & somebody else does. The world doesn't need any more superior-feeling cyclists, trust me. As Jobst (& many others) says: just ride the bike. |
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Again, it's not so much what others think, but fighting my own inner
demons and the urge to quit. You have the right attitude. You are coming along just fine, I admire you. -- _______________________ALL AMIGA IN MY MIND_______________________ ------------------"Buddy Holly, the Texas Elvis"------------------ in.edu__________ |
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