I'm booking in with Mr Great Rock on a girls only course. A lot of this stemmed from watching my OH blat off down the side of our first red while I got left behind tentatively working my through and round all the rocks/berms etc. I figure if I can learn how to do obstacles in an environment where I'm not watching people zoom off into the distance then my confidence will come back cos I'll be able to be faster again.
The stupid thing is, I sort of love that really nice working stuff out picking your lines hanging off the back of your bike stuff. I'm just not used to feeling like such a useful pile of girlyness on a bike. I'm stupidly aware of being a girl on a bike, mostly cos for the last year I've been the only girl on a bike in our little group off roading, the other two prefer towpaths and stuff, and I've got all mixed up with trying to prove a point about being a girl and being good and being fat and being good despite those things - I'm focusing on the wrong thing. I should just try to be good, because I want to be and nothing else.
I think that's the problem identified. Now I need the solution.
Confidence?
Naaa, just crap brakes and slick tyres that make me look fast :-p
Common to us all I think unless you are an internet forum warrior i.e. a plank.
If I haven't ridden or climbed for a while I'm nervous and have to pluck up my courage.
Some days you are just off and other days your mojo is on full power. As others say ride what you like and push what you dont. It's ment to be fun after all. Just riding flat pretty trails is enough some days as long as it puts a grin on your face.
I think you've got the solution already: a positive attitude and constructive action...
I think you should worry less about whether you're "good" or not. You're out there riding, and the more you do, the better you'll be, regardless of whether you think you're actually improving.
After 15 years of riding I've got to a stage where I can categorically say that I'm no longer [i]totally[/i] useless, but I still can't jump a bike to save my life, and there are a million people faster than me both up and down a hill.
The big thing is that I enjoy it; I've learned that speed really is my friend, and that 90% of the time momentum will get me through. I still have all the style of a sack of spuds, but that's never bothered me.
As for being a girl on a bike, the fact that you're out riding in such a male-dominated pastime/sport speaks volumes for your inherent self-confidence.
Highly recommend a skills course. Did one last year, and when I see a steep slope, I now know I can do it rather than doubt myself. Having said that, I do still struggle on the boardwalk section of the Llandegla Red. No idea why, just don't like it.
Paul
I hate the board walk at Llandegla too!!
OP - you could always try riding with the girlies a bit more, tends to be more relaxed and less pressure to nail stuff. Check out [url= http://www.shecycles.net ]www.shecycles.net[/url] - there's an easy ride once a month and we're dotted all over the country so there's probably someone near you. Also - did you know that Llandegla have a girls ride once a month? I think its the last Saturday of the month, but check the One Planet Facebook page or speak to Katy@OPA....
I did recommend a skills session but would suggest that a one-to-one session is the most effective way of regaining confidence.
I know it's a lot of money but it's well spent cos there will only be [b]you[/b] and the instructor, so holding up other people is one less pressure to deal with.
Try not to feel pressured by what other people are doing or how well they're doing it. Do it, or don't do it, for yourself. At your own pace.
If you want to walk a section, walk it. Enjoy doing the bits you can do and extend yourself or push the envelope in small increments. It's a hobby, when all's said and done. It's supposed to be fun. 🙂
Mincers of the world, unite!
Yeah, I've just booked a girly skills course and am now panicing I'm going to be holding everyone else up. I guess....I'll see where my fitness is at the time. If I'm going to be holding people up I'll bail and revisit I guess.
Lou P> I saw those girly rides but was worried the level would be way above me after struggling so much on the Llandegla red. I'll check out shecycles though, thank you.
I am very glad it's not just me who doesn't blat down trails in merry abandonment. It's making me feel a lot better just knowing that, tbh.
your OH leaving you on the blue doesn't sound right though - who chose the blue him or you?
It's not, this was a complete misunderstanding.
lou - I think they cater them to who's turned up. Might be worth giving Katy a ring and having a chat about it. Where about's are you based? I'm in Chester so if you fancy a gentle pootle around Llandegla blue one evening or even a try at some more natural stuff in the Clwyds, give me a shout.
I can remember when I started biking in '08 I spent a lot of summer evenings on Llandegla blue!
I think a lot of the confidence is about fitness when you start out - you get so worried about holding everyone else up that you get panicky... And when you start to feel like its not such hard work you have more energy to get over features or "attack" things a bit more.
Lou - just read your blog out loud to my wife - she agrees with absolutely everything you've written. The skills course I went on was a real mix of fitness - still fun, and allowed the fitter ones to have a nice breather.
If you want an MTB holiday, just been to Joyriders in Spain - which was a real inspiration to do more riding. Run by a lady, and one of the two guides was also female. She was fantastic with the ladies there at the same time as me. Gentle and encouraging - very impressed.
Having read all this (and visited your blog - great blog btw) I really feel for you. Is it any consolation to say everyone has lapses of confidence from time to time? Lots of great mtb related advice has been given already, so I'll just give my take on the feeling generally low/work stress thing.
I've been stressed at work myself lately, and yes, it does impact on the other bits of your life too. I'm a dweller, I'm guessing you do the same?
My Dad took me out swimming to de-stress t'other week and before we got to the poolside he said (very seriously) that his gym has a special rule: you're not allowed to talk about work, or even think about work at all, even a little bit, under any circumstances. At first I thought he meant he was sick of my moaning, but after 10 mins swimming by myself and the evil work worries popped into my head again, I remembered his rule and pushed them out. It worked (with a bit of effort) and I felt sooo much better for doing it. Worries get bigger the more you think about them.
So what I'm saying is, give yourself some time-out, a bit of head space and you'll begin to feel a lot better. 🙂
Joolz
