#545miles

               Riders conquering AIDS/Lifecycle’s Quadbuster

As a staunch scientific institution, it may seem incongruous to start the Science Fitness Training Journal with a post about the power of belief, but after a recent training session and reading an article exploring techniques for psyching yourself up there’s some real scientific backing for the importance of faith in one’s ability to succeed. So in response I wanted to share a story about a client doubting themselves when everything else was going right for them. 

This month I’ve been leading a weekly bike skills clinic for AIDS/Lifecycle riders focused on efficient shifting for climbing the daunting hills of the pacific coast. Each week I teach my trainees the best practices for preparing for the hill, building a cadence and then using all of their bikes’ gear ratios to climb a hill without stopping, and ideally, without strain. We started with a long bike skills clinic and practiced on our own cycling “bunny hill”, progressed to repeatedly climbing the hill up to LA’s Griffith Observatory and then two short rides of 15-20 miles with multiple climbs, one after another. 

After the 2nd week’s clinic, a rider wanted some one-on-one help to conquer the hill they skipped out on the previous week. The cyclist had never climbed a hill before and even after practicing with the class wasn’t confident they could make it.  I took some more time to practice and reinforce the skills we had done in class and then took them to start the climb. About a 1/3 of the way up they stopped, hyperventilating and out of breath, I gave them a chance to collect themselves while reinforcing again the skills they had already mastered on the bunny hill. “It’s just the same thing you’ve already done but for a longer duration.” There’s a stop sign about 2/3 of the way up the hill, after the break my trainee nailed that second phase of the climb without issue. All that was left was a brief, flat ride through the Griffith Observatory tunnel and then a shallow climb up the back side to the Observatory parking lot. 

We started the final part of the climb and they were doing fantastic, maintaining a perfect cadence as I rode aside them but close to the summit they started to hyperventilate again and said they needed a break. I reminded them what we talked about below, about controlling their breathing, pushing through their heels and maintaining their cadence. They had it, they could totally make it, I was sure of it, and then they stopped. I circled back to check on them, they told me they were fine and just needed a quick respite. I praised how well they were doing and then I pointed out the top of the hill to them, “that’s all you have left.” Immediately their face dropped, they couldn’t believe how close they had come to making it and replied, “I totally could have made that.” 

I told them I agreed with them, I knew they could have made it to the top and spurred them back on their bike to finish it. When we reached the parking lot I asked them if they felt they’d be able to do it again. They told me they absolutely believed they would do it next time, and without having to stop. There was no doubt in my mind, they had done everything right for two classes, I knew they could have done it this time if they had “believed” in themselves. 

We all know the rhetoric: 

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.”

“If you believe, you will achieve.” 

and thousands more we could list endlessly. The point is that sometimes the biggest obstacle to achieving a goal, especially in fitness is your own perspective. Now coming up this weekend we have the final clinic in our shifting and climbing series, we’ll be doing a 20 mile ride and attacking five hills one after the other. The only advice I have left to give to my trainees is honesty: Hills=Work  If you’re willing to put the work in, you will conquer any hill in front of you, you just have to believe it. 

The Science behind working out is very important; outline your goals, follow your fitness plan, train hard, track your progress, and you will achieve success, but never underestimate the importance of self-confidence. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one will. 

Notes: 

-This is one of those “easier said than done” pieces of advice. As true as it may be, learning to believe in yourself takes more practice and patience than just being told it works and doing it. Change takes discipline. 

-I fully acknowledge the possibility that part of this client’s issue could have been a lack of trust in me. They were a first time client and perhaps after a few sessions with more of a rapport between us their initial climb to the top would have gone differently. 

-The client was very nervous because being clipped into a road bike for a climb introduces a possibility of falling without being in control.  This was one of their first times on their bike with brand new clip-in pedals so there were a lot of things factoring into their lack of confidence.

If you're new to road biking or just not comfortable with changing gears while riding I'm here to help! We'll be meeting at 8 am on the lawn across from the Roosevelt Cafe in Griffith Park (on the west side of N Vermont just inside the Griffith Park Gates) for a brief refresher on the shifting skills taught in the first two classes followed by a ride around Griffith Park. Clinic starts promptly at 8am and we will be riding out at 8:30. Training ride is about 20 miles and trainers will stay with you as long as you need to feel comfortable climbing hills and using all your gears! This is an official AIDS/Lifecycle training ride so all safety rules must be observed, please bring helmets, obey all road signs, stops and use proper hand signals. This class is the fourth and final part in a four part series to help riders master efficient shifting and learn how to climb hills without stopping or struggling.

The first three days of AIDS Lifecycle are some of the toughest. Between the miles of day 2 (109) or the chill of riding out day 1 (51 degrees) or the scorching heat and winds of day 3, I have no choice but to push through. I ride for people that died from AIDS, my partner included, so how can I complain? The toughest part of the ride isn't actually riding, I did Quadbuster twice because of a donor, it's knowing all I can do is ride.

There is nothing that can compare to the techs on this ride. I have seen them calm a rider when they think their bike is done and then they return them a working bike. The most selfless group of people I have ever seen. I actually forgot my shoes in Los Angeles, one of them loaned me their shoes and not because I am an ambassador but because that is what they do. The tech will save a person's ride which means they give them back what they thought they lost. The heroes on AIDS Lifecycle are really not the riders it's the tech because they will do anything it takes. 

#yeahcannondale