Have you ever been on a tough ride and wanted to quit?
Whether it’s a long ride or interval training, this is totally normal.
Some rides are tough because we face a good deal of stress in our lives. (P.S. That can manifest as no power in your legs when you’re out riding. And if this is happening to you, you’re going to want to read those tips.) Other rides are tough because we don’t think we can do it so we give up before starting.
So how can you keep riding when you want to quit?
There’s one important, practical strategy that’ll help keep you riding so that you can concentrate on pedal power, not willpower.
It’s called an ‘implementation intention’, or, an ‘if-then’ plan.
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HOW TO PLAN FOR THOSE TIMES WHEN YOU WANT TO QUIT YOUR RIDE
An implementation intention means creating a plan for how you’ll respond in a particular situation. In this case, a really tough ride, which leads to wanting to quit.
Specifically, the plan’s called the ‘if-then’ plan you’ll design to reach a specific goal. It requires you to identify specific thoughts and feelings about your ride and how you’ll respond to it.
For example, ‘if I’m feeling this….then I’ll do that’.
This planning is important because it helps you form a mental image of what you need to do so it can happen automatically.
It’s almost like energy savings. Your energy must be directed into your pedals, not fighting the thoughts in your head.
Here’s how a research study on tennis players show that those negative emotions don’t have to get in the way of performance.
Researchers investigated whether implementation intentions could prevent negative emotions, such as anxiety and nervousness, from affecting tennis players’ performance.
Before a competitive match, players selected four negative feelings they frequently encountered that derailed their performance. Then, they identified the responses they felt were most helpful in minimizing the effects of these negative feelings.
After the competitive match, researchers found that crafting an ‘if-then’ plan helped players perform well and reach their goals, despite high performance anxiety.
SO IF YOU’RE DREADING A RIDE, OR FEELING UNMOTIVATED, HERE’S A 4-STEP GUIDE TO HELP YOU THROUGH IT
Set a goal for your ride and write it down.
Identify the thoughts and feelings you most frequently face when confronted with a tough ride. This is the ‘if’ portion of your ‘if-then plan.’
Do you feel as if this is a tough ride and you couldn’t possibly do it? Do you feel nervous about hitting specific efforts? Whatever it is, be as specific as possible so you can craft an effective response to those feelings.
Select a response to reduce the effects of those thoughts and feelings. This is the ‘then’ portion of the ‘if-then’ plan.
For example,
If I question my sanity or why I’m doing this…then I’ll remember that I’m doing this because I want to ride my first century.
If I feel like this ride is too long…then I’ll focus on 30 minutes at a time.
If the ride is getting boring and monotonous…then I’ll throw in a few surges to keep things interesting.
If I’m constantly telling myself ‘I can’t do this’,…then I will use specific mantras to help me through the ride. Skeptical about the use of motivational self-talk? What you say to yourself while riding can influence your ability to go farther, longer. In one study, there was an 18% in endurance performance when cyclists used motivational self-talk. But that’s not all, your words can help you generate more power, which you’ll find more information in this post, How to Use Powerful Words to Help you Pedal Faster.
Finally, review your ‘if-then’ plan before your ride.
ONE LAST THING ON HOW YOU CAN KEEP CYCLING WHEN YOU WANT TO QUIT
It’s normal be on a ride and feel like you can’t go on. We’ve all been there.
But, if you create an ‘if-then’ plan, it’ll help you manage those thoughts and feelings that get in the way of successfully completing a tough ride.
The rides where you have to dig deep and win the mental desire to stop are here to push your limits mentally and physically. In the end, this is where it shows you you’re capable of so much more than you think you are.
And that is a major confidence booster.
Sources
Implementation Intentions and Shielding Goal Striving From Unwanted Thoughts and Feelings