I love all mountain sports, MTB of course, but also heavily into snowboarding, skiing, climbing, walking, running all over them too. Have been since I was a nipper and I’m 30 now. Basically grew up spending every weekend in the Trossachs/Glencoe areas from a very young age.

I was climbing on Buachaille Etive Mor on Saturday and decided to camp on the Saturday night instead of heading home. Was planning another day on the Buachaille, but wind was crazy on Sunday, so decided to head somewhere with a bit less exposure.

Soooooo, as a bit of fun, my friend and I decided to do Ben Lomond, but aiming for under 3 hours (not as easy as it sounds, although it’s only 3000ft and a 7.5 mile round trip, we had 70mph+ headwinds all the way up).

I had an accident in March which took its toll on my body, and other than a week of scrambling in the Cullins, I’ve not done anything remotely sporty until this weekend.

Sorry, long way to get to my point, but it was a VERY surreal experience going up Ben Lomond knowing that the last two times I had been up it (a couple of years ago), I was dragging a 40lbs DH bike and body armour, then rode the whole thing back down.

I actually cannot believe I managed to get a bike up there. My memories of throwing the bike down in anger a few times on the way up are still clear in my mind, but I don’t remember it being brutal, and it looked horrific this time round! I could NEVER have taken a bike up with me yesterday.

It’s really shot my confidence, I don’t feel terribly unfit, and I had a good couple of days on the hills, but I genuinely don’t feel like I could get a bike back up there.

It’s never happened to me before and it’s getting me down. Going to really build my fitness/strength back up, but my mind is just saying “no chance”. I have a fear that I attempt to get the bike up and fail. Horrible feeling, which is making me not want to try.

Has anyone ever hit a psychological wall like this? Is it best to just crack on and give it a bash, or wait until I actually feel like I can do it? I know this is pretty subjective, but just curious how other people have got over the mental block.

I developed post viral fatigue which nine months on I’ve not fully recovered from. The best advice I can give is to set yourself other goals and don’t focus on past achievements. Give yourself a year before you even consider Ben Lomond again and by this point perhaps you won’t care to try it, or perhaps your body and mind will be in a different place and you’ll fly up.

Don’t see your current inability as weakness, instead try and look at it as an opportunity to do other things and widen your horizon.

Best of luck,
Colin

Yep. I have had 2 stupid accidents breaking myself on easy things.

It messes the head up and as you are finding it may be harder to get over than the physical side of things. Your body will not want to hurt itself again obviously and starts to make you doubt your capabilities.

Was on a ride yesterday that saw me having a wee word with myself once or twice. Looking at stuff and getting off the bike to tell myself i can ride that and have ridden worse.

Got over it and didn’t beat myself up about it cause with practice it all comes back.

Continue exposing yourself to it in small chunks and you will get it back. Promise.

So, you are 5 months post injury, and have done little exercise. You then spend a full day climbing then have a poor nights sleep and probably don’t drink enough water (or too much whisky!) and eat poorly. you then go up another big hill trying to go fast, in 70mph wind and then feel very tired.

That is normal!

You will be fit and confident again soon.

Get back up it with the bike pronto !

Pick a decent day. Slog up the hill ( i fully agree it’s a pain of a push up) and ride back down.

You will manage it. And you will feel good about it too.

Then move forwards.

p.s. If my 16st, 45 year old body can get 38lb of bike up it, with only one fall on the way down, then you will be fine.