Good job! It takes a lot of mental stamina to get through a 2+ hour workout like this Ventoux one! I have to confess the 3 things that kept me going to the end and not giving up were:
Remembering Mike Cotty’s words from a recently done “On location” workout during the final push on that one: “Tell yourself - I will crush this climb” or words to that effect.
For no particular reason… the film “Toy Story 4” and Duke Caboom’s words: “I CANada!”!
The noise from the roadside fans in the actual workout video!
If it makes you feel better, I’ve done this once before and vowed NEVER to do it again. Your feelings about it mirror mine and my strong distaste for sustained efforts longer than 3-4 minutes.
Not only that, I haven’t done it this month and no badge is shiny enough for me to do it again.
The only way I’d do it is if it were part of a Tour of Sufferlandria but we all know that’s not gonna happen again.
They are sorted alphabetically so I put the date convention in so they are in order (I would love to reverse the sort order but that is a way off ). The # is for the badge to appear at the top and encourage more users.
If only people like @Glen.Coutts were more like badge hunters and true Sufferlandrians who didn’t get put off by those longer workouts we wouldn’t dangle those carrot badges in front of them
Congrats to all who have achieved July already - definitely one of the more time consuming challenges
Ouch. Hahahaha. Them”s fighting words Sir @Rupert.H.
FWIW, it’s not just longer workouts, I’ve honestly just never been a fan of the Pro Ride series. I mean, I totally get their appeal and why many people love them and find them engrossing and engaging but they’ve never done that for me. I find it exceptionally difficult to get through them and I don’t enjoy it when I do and invariably find once I’ve done one, I never want to do it again.
For repeatability of my indoor training for me at least, I need the SUF story line, the music, the tongue-in-cheek humour. That’s what got me hooked on The Sufferfest back in 2015 and that’s what keeps me here in SYSTM, 8 years later. I’d rather virtually climb Mt. Ventoux 6 times in a row (For one of my three virtual Everestings, I have actually done that) than do the Ventoux Pro ride
Come Sufferlandrian National Day, you can count on me to endure some stooopid combination of SUF vids for 3 ish hours. And, not even for a badge but for the glory of the greatest mythical nation in the whole wide world. #TUHNTF#twaaw
@Glen.Coutts I can appreciate that - especially with Ventoux. It is a workout that I don’t want to do again but actually need to do again to see if I can finish stronger. It messes with me the way Nine Hammers does to many of us.
My favorites from the ProRide are Giro d’Italia 1, Strade Bianchi, Tour de Suisse W1 and Tour Down Under 4.
Like Ventoux, Hammer Climb is another nemesis for me.
I don’t use music - I just zone out, listen to the road noise and follow the wheel of the bike in front of me.
I can see how the Pro Rides would be EXCEPTIONALLY good prep for anyone who races whether on-line or irl. I don’t. At least I don’t anymore. Like I said, I get the appeal, they’re just not for me. For lack of a better word, I actually find them kinda boring. Maybe it’s because I come to cycling very late in life and don’t really follow cycling racing beyond the highlights in my news feeds and in dramatizations like the Netflix series.
I might just set myself a challenge this winter to get all the Pro Rides done. I do have some extra motivation I found a little while ago on a gravel grind through the Amber Waves of Pain
@rinaf Congrats on toughing it out, whatever it took!
I love your comment:
It’s a VERY RARE ride that I ever have that thought, but I’ve definitely had it. And my takeaway (a day or two later!) was always this: It’s really GOOD to have that thought hit me (just once or twice a decade?) because it helps me relate to how beginner riders feel (maybe semi-often!) and reminds me how thankful I am that I can go take a ride with no plan, no targets, no restrictions, and no cares and all is well again! I love riding a bike!
Full disclosure, I haven’t done Ventoux yet… My biggies have been outdoors this month, as usual. BUT I WILL COMPLETE THE CHALLENGE (unless I’m in a full body cast!)
It’s interesting to hear that perspective! I feel the exact opposite about the ProRides - time just flies in them for me, as I’m focused on what’s happening in the bunch around me.
Hehe. I get it. Really I do. I guess I’m just not “invested” in the Pro Rides the way I am in The Sufferfest. I’m glad we have the Pro Ride series as they’re obviously a big hit with a lot of folks. I LOVE that we have the variety of offerings we do in SYSTM. Nothing else on the market like it anywhere.
Ditto. Same here. I was surprised at this, but I guess it stirs the competitive nature in me.
The reality is, everyone in that race would be dropping me so fast, I wouldn’t hold a single wheel for more than 30 seconds, but on SYSTM, I’m a beast!
As an older athlete I have to balance fatigue, rides, and life very carefully. Anything that does not contribute to my goals (and fun is a goal) is not worth doing. Unnecessary fatigue is the enemy. Hence, in general, I am not a badge hunter.
I will never ride in the pattern of the Pro Rides. If I were to climb Mount Ventoux, in reality or virtually, I would climb it the way that best fits my abilities – slow and steady.
I am not really competitive with respect to others. Achieving a PB is nice, but the reality is that the best that I can do is declining as the years go by. All I want to do is to achieve the best that I am able to do.
I think you once commented on another thread “As it is said, so it is written and so it shall be done.” Congrats on your new commitment to complete all the Pro Rides by the end of winter.
You’re so right! Hitting the road again without any plans or cares today was a joy, and I remembered that this is why I do all the indoor rides (some of which I really, really love, btw) – so I can feel strong and confident and fast one on the road … AND take 15% (in minutes) off my previous best on a particular lap from 2 years ago. I’m not saying the Ventoux ProRide is worth it, but SYSTM definitely is.
I hope when you do it, you find some pleasure in it, or at least pleasure in completing it!
Btw, Glen, I was thinking that actually choosing to NOT do a ride even though a badge is at stake may be the greatest feat of mental strength of all! The rest of us are lemmings throwing ourselves off a cliff for some colourful pixels, while you stand strong in your principles … but look how shiiiiiiiny
Keep up the hard work on the July Challenge everyone, plenty of you have completed it so far and you still have 11 days to go!
So far, the most ridden workout of the 4 by all users has been Dentelles and the least ridden Ventoux - I can’t think why
Having completed my challenge yesterday, I am going to take a leaf out of our new Remastered workout Recharger and will be away for a few weeks on vacation. Keep tagging me around here if you need anything and I’ll pick it up when I am back.
(Don’t worry, I’ll be making a special appearance at the start of August to present you with the flavour of the month)
). The # is for the badge to appear at the top and encourage more users.
I do have some extra motivation I found a little while ago on a gravel grind through the Amber Waves of Pain
