On Rule #6: Resistance

This man isn’t about to quit; that’s V Face right there.

Strength can be a fickle thing this time of year, when the training isn’t as consistent as it should be; it comes and goes, sometimes several times in the span of a single ride or even a climb. Like a rosy-eyed dreamer I keep awakening as I train, thrown like a rag doll between a state nearing euphoria and one resembling purgatory.

My mind is what drives me as a Cyclist, it is what allows my to keep going despite the burning in my legs and lungs. It is what pushes me to leave the comfort of my home to climb aboard my bike when it is dark, cold, and rainy. But there are times when the legs won’t go or the body fails in some anomalous way when we are struck by the reality that we are but puppets, pushed and pulled by forces that exist outside outside the jurisdiction of our will.

Whether or not the body fails, the mind can still resist. It can resist easing back. It can resist turning around. It can resist turning the bars to steer away from the extra climbing loop. Giving in is the worst kind of weakness we have in Cycling. With time all the acute reasons why we want to quit will pass; the acid will flush from our muscles, the gasps for air will give way to steady breathing, the cold will leave our bodies. But quitting, and the doubt it cultivates can last much, much longer.

Quitting begets quitting. It wears down your confidence and makes you question yourself. It asks questions of you that you will struggle to answer when the 2am Ghosts of Lost Opportunities come calling. Worst of all, quitting gets easier the more you do it.

Before my rides, I will decide if it is to be a hard day or an easy day; whether I will do the extra loop with the big climbs or look for the flatter roads. Once on the ride, I will shut off the part of my mind that asks those questions and simply shut off the part of my mind that processes those considerations. I will not stop until I am done.

Our strength may be fickle, but our minds are steady.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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HMBSteve says:

Feb 4 2014 at 11:19 am

@Teocalli

Brilliant - looks like ny ride around Tahoe last year in some serious #9 conditions. Nothing better than the feeling of busting out of the pain cave and looking back at what was accomplished.
HMBSteve says:

Feb 4 2014 at 11:23 am

@Mike_P

@wiscot

@zugo

I don't quit. My problem is different. I have trouble stablishing new goals and challenges. I'm now trying to do a transition to a more experienced group of riders from my currently "newbie we only ride bycicles" group. It's really hard for me cause I don't wanna be the last guy on the peloton. I need to take some shots of The V.

I think this is one of the great things about the bike: the ability to set goals and achieve them - even if it take a shitload of suffering to do so. I know the Rules say it's not about distance, but distance is a very good way to set and achieve said goals. For example: as the year progresses, my rides go from 50kms to 80kms, 100, 120, 160, 200, 200+ The goal this year is a 320 kms ride. Sure, time and daylight sometimes dictate otherwise, but there's also great joy when you head out on a ride, feel better than you thought you would and blow past the goal for the day. Truly a win-win.

+1

@zugo put that ego in a box for a while, join that faster group and accept the batterings for a while. You'll not be at the back for too long, but in my humble opinion "I don't want to...." is a path to certain disappointment. I prescribe liberal doses of Rules #5 and #10

Amen. Each year is a "cycle" in a longer path to improvement on and enjoyment of the bike and the ride. My times at this time of year are behind my best from last year. The stregnth is gaining, but the climbing weight, well........Set a goal, work hard, make it happen, don't quit.
Pounder says:

Feb 4 2014 at 11:37 am

Many years ago, while in training in the military, we were marching in full battle rattle, ruck, rifle helmet, everything including a gal of water. After about 15 miles in the hot Texas sun, we stopped and the First Sgt asked if anybody needed a ride. Only one guy got in the jeep, and then we were off for another hour. Same thing "anyone want a ride" and sure said a couple. Another hour, same story. After a couple more hours and about 10 guys had quit, A deuce and half pulls up and about 5 guys jump on board, after seeing this, about 15 more joined them. I said f'ck that because it meant getting set back a week in training. I'm just about dead in 100 deg heat but I'm moving, just around the next corner there are two air-conditioned buses waiting for all who finished. Not quitting saved me!
wiscot says:

Feb 4 2014 at 11:41 am

@The Oracle

Between getting up at 5:00 am to get the wife and kids (and me) off to work/school, and putting the last kid to bed at 8:30 at night, my only conceivable time for riding during the week is 8:30 to 9:00 at night. It has been oh-so-hard to force myself down into my 45 degree basement to crank out an hour's worth of pain on the trainer/rollers. More often than not, I've been losing that battle and going to bed. I think I'll print out this post and stick it to my bedside table.

Hey, as they said in Life of Brian, "You lucky, lucky, bastard!" 45 degrees? I think my garage is in the high teens, low 20s these days! You have my sympathy for the time-crunch thing, but 45 degrees sounds like luxury to me!

See you on a cogal this year? How about the Cheesehead Roubaix? Your former "local" roads . . .
frank says:

Feb 4 2014 at 1:28 pm

@Gianni

I don't quit on a real ride, I'm too dumb and stubborn to do that. Not every ride is a real ride for me.

Fair enough, my man. Myself, I just don't like letting myself think its ever OK to quit, but that doesn't mean I'm pushing hard every ride, that's just silly. But that's why I decide before I'm out what I'm going to do - or, more specifically - whether I'm going hard. If I get out on an easy day and feel great and don't have a specific objective I'm working to, I'll fucking drill it just for fun and break my plan. But if I decide I'm going to ride hard, get out and don't feel like it, you bet your sweet patoosie that I'm going to push through and make myself do it.
frank says:

Feb 4 2014 at 1:31 pm

@The Pressure

Funny the mind/body thing. One hot summer day my friend and I hooked up with some new 'acquaintances' for a ride on totally unfamiliar terrain. The road turned upward and I was suffering more than usual. So much so that my friend was quite concerned. As it turned out, I was very stressed out that day, and it was reflected in my performance. I pushed on, and slowly the road pushed the craziness out of my head. Before long, my legs were freed to spin at their usual pace. Best therapy there is.

That's another reason not to quit right there; sour moods and bad bodies can heal themselves while out on a ride and you never know what might happen.

Also, LeMond wanted to quit the 1989 World Road Race and guess what? He felt great later and won.
frank says:

Feb 4 2014 at 1:34 pm

@VeloSix

I may still be youthful in my knowledge of being a cyclist, but I am keen on fighting the forces of quit. If quit were a person, he would be a supremely manipulative bastard. One you might find yourself in steadfast agreement with when staring over the edge of delirium, when you would otherwise flip that asshole a bird and pedal away. It is fighting the forces of quit that will build one's character. Your success in denying quit to take over your will is quite the organic performance enhancer.

Beautiful!

@souleur

'Quitting begets quitting'. That's poetic and deep. I take care of a lot of people in my work. Some with brain cancer, colorectal cancer and bone metastasis and the list goes on and on. Despite the best effort, some die and never easy. A few years ago I pasted the name of one who I cared for who really suffered but never quit on my stem. That was something I could look at when my head would drop, and i could remind myself of things, and that helped me not give up and appreciate the pain, after all, its really nothing in comparison

That, my friend, is what we call "perspective".
frank says:

Feb 4 2014 at 1:37 pm

@Puffy

Nice write up Frank.

I think everyone needs a Rule #6 ambassador.

Mine is just a guy I know (Craig), 5 years older than me not quite as fit or strong who comes out with me on occasion when I do endurance power intervals. He just sits on my wheel using me as a sort of motorpacing. The thing that amazes me is that he sticks on my wheel, and does not let go... ever. He'll drop back sometimes, but never looses touch. Occasionally, when my coach asks it of me, I forgo the power limit and just push aiming for PB power for that duration. I've still not managed to drop him... just hangs on and hangs on. I can tell he's hurting. When the interval is over he can barely stay upright sometimes.

Now, when I am in the pain cave, maybe just hanging onto a bunch in a race and want to give in I think "Craig wouldn't give up". Funnily enough, I've always find something more and push through and it surprises me every time.

I know a couple people like that; my brother is one of them. He's the master of "off the couch riding" and will just come along and hold on for monster rides after months or even a year or more of no riding.

Amazing willpower, but I always think, what that boy could do if he trained...
frank says:

Feb 4 2014 at 1:42 pm

@fat999

Australia Day weekend, Alpine Classic in the Victorian High Country. I was doing the 200km. About 150kms in, I'm crawling up Mt Buffalo in my lowest gear. I've already climbed 3600 metres and am feeling it in the 34 degree heat, so I'm looking for some inspiration. I look down at my cycle computer (no Garmin here) and see a little icon lit up in the top right hand corner of the postage stamp sized screen. I swear I've never sen this icon before in the 7 years I've used this unit and I've no idea what it means. It's the letter 'V'.....made me smile!

The V is everywhere, it surrounds us, penetrates us. It holds our world together!

@Howard

Rule #6 is one that I am constantly working on. Cycling has come to me relatively late. I have never been a competitive sort. Never the guy trying to be first. Never really relishing in the self punishment. Cycling as you all know is different... I feel it cultivating the suffer love in me. I am learning, trying to shut off the voice inside and simply pedal.

Welcome to the fold, mate. You're in the right place if you're trying to learn about that stuff.
frank says:

Feb 4 2014 at 1:48 pm

@Isaac

"quitting begets quitting" - After contracting mono while racing in Europe and dropping out of/getting pulled from a bunch of races, it took two years to break the habit of dropping out of races. Now, it's only if I get pulled (rare) or I seriously crash (also thankfully rare) that I'll drop out.

Look at Abandy Schleck - he's gotten so fucking used to quitting, it started to feel like winning any time he crossed a finish line. Not where you want to be!

As an aside, my team contract in Holland included a clause that stated that you HAD to quit if you were dropped by the pack, since it would bring bad publicity to the sponsor to have riders off the back. Seriously, in a Kermesse or crit, you'd have to disappear before the start of the next lap. I don't know if that was unique to my team, or indicative of the hardman culture of racing there.

Fuck. Just...fuck.

@Cjcosgrove

The one during the race even hatched a plan to have me fake a flat tire to save face.

Or fake a dropped chain! I've TOTALLY had this happen as well...don't give in! Its a dirty little trick your mind is playing on you!

This is why you shut off that part of your brain.