Question: I’ve started increasing my training workload from last year both in terms of speed and endurance/distance. Last weekend my ride partner and I did 100 miles with quite a bit of climbing. The issue I had was that by 75 miles I wanted to throw my bike down and quit every time I saw another hill. Okay, I was tired, but the worst thing was the negative thoughts that kept popping into my head: You’re not gonna make this; not another hill; this one’s gonna hurt, etc., etc. Is there training I can do to improve my mental ability to cope with harder riding? — Doug
RBR Replies: You mentioned that you have increased both the distance and intensity of your training. Almost always this is a mistake. Once you have a good base, you can increase one or the other but not both at the same time, because the body has a limited ability to adapt and grow stronger. It might be that you just overreached physically with that ride. Consider dialing back either intensity or distance with your training instead of trying to increase both at once.
When you’re struggling on a ride, recognize that those negative thoughts are normal. They’re your brain’s way of trying to protect you from discomfort. The key is learning to acknowledge them without letting them control you.
One effective technique is to break the ride into smaller chunks. Instead of thinking about all 100 miles, focus on getting to the next rest stop or landmark. This makes the challenge seem more manageable.
Another powerful tool is positive self-talk. When you catch yourself thinking “This one’s gonna hurt,” consciously switch to “I’ve trained for this, I can do it.” It might feel forced at first, but with practice, it becomes more natural.
Also, don’t underestimate the power of proper fueling. Often, negative thoughts creep in when we’re low on energy. Make sure you’re eating and drinking regularly throughout the ride. Could you have been bonking or riding under-fueled for the last 25 miles? It’s hard to even think straight when you’re bonking, much less stay positive. The longer the ride, the more important your nutrition strategy becomes.
With the right level of training and proper nutrition and hydration, you’ll find those negative thoughts becoming less frequent and less powerful. Before you know it, you’ll be conquering long rides with a smile!
Oh man, this question reminds me of all the interval units, both indoor and outdoor. Especially the 15-30 minute climbing intervals, where exactly these thoughts regularly come up and try to take control of your brain. What helped me on the one hand was training. On the other hand, training has not helped me to flip the switch and become master of my thoughts. Reading a book helped me here: David Goggins – Can’t hurt me.
I now control my thoughts, as I did last Saturday: a 40-minute climb. I completed it in June with avg 265w, was 4kg lighter at the time and mostly in the slipstream of 2 people and then completely exhausted. Now last Saturday 4kg heavier, alone, 2min faster, 275w avg, also completely finished, but when the thoughts came, I said out loud: Shut the f*** up you wimp, this is where it really starts now!
Good luck and greetings from Germany.
I’ve had this experience often in races and for me it always has to do with not getting enough sugar. When you’re depleted your body chemistry changes and you become negative. It’s not mental or physical, it’s chemical. To prevent it I carry GU energy gel. Here’s a link to their products. They’re available in bike shops, etc. https://guenergy.com/products/energy-gel?pr_prod_strat=collection_fallback&pr_rec_id=e6be4e77f&pr_rec_pid=4343803412531&pr_ref_pid=4343803641907&pr_seq=uniform
Energy gels like this are rapidly absorbed so you’ll bounce back and conquer those negative thoughts quickly. GU is just one company making them. There are lots of other brands too. But the key thing is that they’re really easy to eat on the bike because no chewing is required. That lets them hit your bloodstream fast and make you positive again. For me, GU literally made the difference between winning and losing races.
Hope this helps,
Jim