In 3 weeks I will be riding 100 miles from Boston MA to Hyannis Port MA.
Today I rode 56.61 with my friend Rachael (she is also doing the 100 miles). We completed the 56 miles in 3:55:57. This means we will hopefully finish the 100 miles in less than 8 hours.
We only have one more long ride between now and June 4th. It will be an organized ride of 63 miles.
Today I lost my “umph” during the last 10 miles. I kept riding and I continued to push myself…but I was beat!
Why do we push ourselves to do physical activities that are painful?
I realize not everyone does this…but for those of us that do….why?
For me it has something to do with proving to myself that I can do certain activities. I need goals to reach. I need obstacles to knock down and I need challenges that are just out of reach.
I know I mentioned not long ago how my negative talk was trying to convince me to give up. My own brain was working against me. I like the saying “The hardest part of working out is putting on your gym shoes.” Well I think the hardest part about accomplishing certain goals is “the ability to ignore my own negative talk.”
I felt strong today…I beat “Smiley Hill”, I rode 56.61 miles and most importantly I strapped duck tape over my own negative words and chose to be successful.
I am thankful for my ability to be strong, even when my brain is trying to convince me I am weak.
Conversations Around the Tree 
Oh Tree! I could relate so much to this. Recently I was thinking the very same thing.
Why do I keep signing up for these major endurance activities when I’m such a terrible athlete? What compels me to want to even try?
I don’t know the answer, but somehow I manage to just keep plugging along.
Only 3 weeks to go! You know you can do it. I’ll say the same thing to you that I said to my son before his first endurance race … it’s not a question of whether or not you will finish. You will finish.
The only question is how long will it take? … and how much will it hurt? 🙂
How long will it take and how much will it hurt?? Exactly!!
I was driving around today calculating the expected finish time, how much time we should spend at the break areas….obsessing? Maybe a bit!
As for the hurt? I lost energy yesterday….but the only real pain I had was in my neck. so of course I’ve been researching the exercises I can do to help ease that 🙂
Thank you Joanne! I really do appreciate your encouragement. Its nice to know I am not the only one that finds myself in such exhausting activities!!
I don’t know what drives us, but I do know I prefer this to the blandness of not trying anything because it’s too hard.
Good for you!
Thanks Patti!