1 Hills are never as big as they look from the distance. It's an optical illusion caused by perspective.
How many times do we worry and fret because of some future event? And when it actually gets there, most of the time we are able to handle it.
2 For every uphill there's an eventual downhill.
Life would be so boring if it were flat all the time. Ask any manic-depressive.
3 For every downhill there's an eventual uphill.
When things are too easy, watch out! Someone is going to ask for something!
4 It takes time and repetition to build muscle and habits.
Your "muscle memory" affects things like driving, knitting, cooking, swinging a hammer, or turning a wrench. It is always awkward at first when you try new things.
5 It gets easier everyday. Or maybe "it doesn't get easier, you just go faster" as Greg LeMond famously said.
After practicing, the muscle memory takes over and helps you.
6 Good nutrition makes a difference.
When we eat well, our mood is improved, our health is improved, our awareness is better. We have more energy and our body makes muscle instead of fat.
7 Going up a hill it's easier to only focus on the next 10 or 15 feet. Trying to focus on the the top of the hill is too hard, but 10 or 15 ft? Anybody can do it.
Projects can seem overwhelming if you try to tackle them all at once. Break them down into smaller tasks. Just focus on one task at a time.
8 Anybody can ride 5 miles.
This is a direct quote from my friend Ruthie. We all know that some disabled people really can't ride 5 miles. But if they are able enough to get on a bike, almost everyone has enough endurance to ride 5 miles. Then 5 becomes 6, and 6 becomes 10. After my hip surgery I could only dare to ride as far as the end of the driveway at first. Then to the corner of my block. But it wasn't long before I was riding 5 and 10 miles. Also, 5 miles at a moderate pace is only half an hour's ride. You can fit it into your schedule.
9 Sometimes the hardest part is getting out the door.
Yes, you have to fit it into your schedule. And you have to stop procrastinating.
10 I always feel better when I ride.
My blood is circulating better. Riding is a moving meditation, and it clears my mind of worries and "monkey brain".
11 Like Einstein said, to keep your balance you have to keep moving.
This is so true. If you get stalled in life, and dwell on a hurt or a grievance, you will fall. You must move past it to let new joy into your life.
12 It's the journey, not the destination.
Take time to smell the roses! Talk to people you meet!
13.Enjoy the ride.
Abe Lincoln famously said "People are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be". You can decide to enjoy life.
14 Just keep moving.
When you stop moving, you die.
15 If you go too slow, you fall over.
This goes along with procrastination and also not taking care of things when they happen. In life, you have to keep moving ahead. Or get stuck in a rut.
16 Having a proper fitting makes your ride so much more comfortable.
Using any tool that doesn't fit will give you muscle pains and maybe injury. Make sure you use the right size tool for your body and for the job.
17 Do a safety check before you leave.
Don't leave trip hazards, electrical hazards, fall hazards, or fire hazards around your house or your car. Be aware. Look at websites or brochures from safety and consumer protection organiations, like for example, staysafe.org
18 Check the weather forecast, and dress for the weather.
Don't be like a teenager that dresses for style and not warmth.
19 You have to focus your vision on your where you're going, not on the bike or your feet, according to Frances Willard.
This is true when driving a car, and it is true for your life vision. Keep your eyes on the goal.
20 It's important to take a rest day every now and then.
Self-care is in the news. In fact, it is the theme of the week for WW this week. You can't take care of others unless you are OK yourself. When you fly on a plane, the flight attendant will tell you to put on your own oxygen mask first.
21 Choose your bike for the type of riding you plan to do. Don't take a beach Cruiser on a century ride.
Likewise, you will find that multi-purpose tools often compromise functionality to be multi-functional. The best tool is usually a specialized tool that is designed for the job you are going to do.
22 Thinking process is most important. Any negative thinking torpedoes success. Any thought like "I always struggle" and "I'm slow" "I need to eat better" "I have to ride the bike more" gets in your way and is wasted energy.
Thinking "I can't do this" guarantees you will not be able to do it. You have to believe it, before you can do it. See fixed mindset versus growth mindset - Carol Dweck
23 The positive energy we put in our intentions builds up our chance of success. We create our future by our thoughts and turn them into actions. We create what we put our intentions toward.
Have you heard of the "purple feather" or "law of attraction" theory? It was advanced by Dr. Wayne Dyer. He said, if you focus on purple feathers, you will see them everywhere. You attract what you focus on. See more of his work on the Hay House web site.
24 Trust your higher self where strength and Love and courage emanate from.
Higher self? Holy Spirit? Inner Being? The part of you that is idealistic will give you strength.
25 There is no failure in a lesson experienced from which knowledge is gained and then used.
You can fall off your bike 100 times. But if you learn, each time, you gain experience and become a stronger rider. Likewise, you can fail a test in school, fail your driver's test, let someone down... Each of those experiences gives you a background to try it another way the next time. Thomas Edison said "I've not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." just before he invented the light bulb.
26 Set achievable goals.
Don't try to ride a century without building up to it. Ride a distance that you are accustomed to, plus a little more. Likewise, don't plan to find Prince Charming if you never leave the house. Don't plant a garden of an acre if you've never even had a potted plant. An achievable goal gives you confidence and experienc to do it bigger or better the next time.
27 You wouldn't put dirty oil in a Ferrari. Why put junk food in your body?
I found this quote in a cookbook for cyclists by Hannah Grant. I don't recall if she said it, or if one of the cyclists she was cooking for said it. But it's true. Whole and fermented foods, vegetables and fruits will build up your immune system and provide the nutrients you need. Junk food will clog your arteries and give you diabetes. Why do it?
28 Everybody is a beginner at some point. It takes more than a few tries to be an expert at anything.
You can't expect to know how to do something before you've done it. Embrace being a beginner. This is true no matter if you are on a first date, first kiss, first tryst, or the first time you take the PSAT. Accept that you are going to make a mistake or two and that you will get bettter with practice.
29 Keep track of your metrics, keep a record of where you've been.
It is good to look back and see how far you have come, how much you have improved. It helps with motivation and with satisfaction. You wouldn't run a business without keeping track of your finances.
30 Don't hide your light under a bushel. Let other people know about your goals and your achievements and if they can help you.
People love being part of something bigger than themselves. Have big ideas, and share them! Henry Ford did not make cars by himself. He designed a process whereby people could contribute, and importantly, share in the rewards. If people help you, give them recognition!
31. Wear your PPE. Helmet and gloves and goggles.
As much as you like riding your bike, you will like it more if your brain is not on the pavement. This is true at home and at work. Use potholders to lift a pan out of the oven. Put on safety glasses if you are drilling. If you are handling sharp steel, wear Kevlar. Your eyes are important. Protect them from bugs, sparks, metal shards, and sand.
32. It's cooler in the morning.
Pay attention to the weather. The hottest part of the day is around 3-5 pm. If it's the middle of the winter, that's the time for your ride, just make sure you are home by dark. If it's the middle of the summer, get up before dawn and go out early before the sun heats it up. Thunderstorms USUALLY are in the afternoon. Plan around the weather. If you are doing laundry and hanging it outside, the same rules apply. If you are going fishing, same. Even driving your car to work, pay attention to the weather. Make sure you are prepared for the temperatures if your car were to break down.
33. Dr. Stacy Sims: "Listen to your body and nourish it with real food. Eat enough of it to get the nutrients you need. Supplements are not the answer.!!
Our bodies evolved over millenia to use food for health. "Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food', is often ascribed to Hippocrates who lived 2500 years ago. Modern science has not disproved this axiom. You must have carbohydrates for energy, protein for building and repairing muscle, and fat to provide energy and carry some essential vitamins. Supplements may be helpful for people who have metabolic disorders, but for most people, they are not needed regularly.
34. Gwen Jorgensen: "it's not just about finishing first. It's about what you've accomplished and how you've grown as a person, pushing your own boundaries."
Comparing yourself to others is unimportant. It is personal growth that is meaningful. How are you better, stronger, fitter, more compassionate than you were yesterday? What can you do today that you could not do last week?
35. Momentum is as important as muscles. It is really hard to get going after a full stop, while the momentum from a downhill can carry you almost to the top of the next hill.
This is true in life. How many times does a project fail because it never really gets started? Once the train is moving, people will run to jump on board.
36. When you are facing a headwind, it is possible that you are creating it. If you are moving faster than the tailwind it feels like a headwind. Check another source for input. Are the leaves of the trees moving?
Also true for projects. Make sure you are not causing friction for yourself. It could be any number of things. People take things the wrong way? Communicate more.
37. If it rains, ride anyway. If it thunders, seek shelter.
Don't let little obstacles get in your way. Put on a raincoat if it's raining. Or make other adjustments to adapt to the inevitable problems that come up. If there's a safety issue, though, you must stop. Wait until it is safe to proceed.
38. Everyone is on their own journey.
You will meet many people on your bike and in your life. Except for your parents and potentially your spouse, (and maybe not even them!) no one is going to take your journey with you. For me, that is one of the most amazing and inspiring stories in the Christian Bible. When Jesus called the disciples, they gave up their lives to follow him on his journey. This doesn't happen very often, and when it does, it is very special. Be prepared to accept that you meet people for a time, share some time with them, and keep moving.
39. It is easier when the route is marked for you. But you should still carry a map (or GPS and a battery) to be able to get back to the route if you wander off-course.
Part of the ride is doing the planning. If you can outsource it by riding a trail someone else has marked, it saves you time. Or, to save time, follow a guidebook. Make sure it's fairly recent! Restaurants and hotels open and close, roads are under construction, weather events (or pandemics) may result in changes to the situation. Make sure your interests and goals are aligned with those of the author, otherwise you may be taking a tour of giant roadside fiberglass animals instead of historical markers.
40. If someone encourages you or helps you on your journey, be grateful. Help someone else. Pass it forward.
Do you have a flat tire? Lack of motivation? A patch kit or a kind word can make all the difference.
41.Teams achieve more. They build on each others strengths.
A bike club can sponsor a group ride. An individual may find that much more difficult. Likewise, you go further and faster when you can pass the time riding with someone else. That peer pressure and little spur of competition may encourage you to pedal faster. Your riding partner might give you a tip.
42. Look for the clear path. Don't focus on obstacles, or you'll head right for them. Focus on the way through the obstacles.
In the fall of the year, it is common for bike paths to be littered with leaves, sticks, nuts, and other obstacles. If you focus on the obstacle, you will head right for it.
43. Have No Fear. Don't brake on the downhills unnecessarily.
You go faster and further if you trust the bike will stay upright. Same way with life. If you are afraid of getting hurt, you will never leave home.
44. Before you can ride anywhere, you have to believe that you can do it. Henry Ford said "whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right."
45. Once you are on the bike, turn off the monkey brain that will calculate how long you have left to ride, what time you will get back, how tired you are, how many calories you will be burning, what else you could be doing. Focus on the right now. Each pedal stroke, one at a time.
46. Somebody has to be the slowest, and at the back of the pack. Today it might be you. Tomorrow it might be someone else. It only matters if you don't make it to dinner.
47. You are lapping everyone sitting on the couch.
48. Charge your batteries the night before you ride.
49. Do your laundry at the earliest opportunity.
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