http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: The Fear en Tue, 26 May 2026 08:55:24 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16664#post-225861 Fri, 29 Jul 2016 22:57:32 +0000 Greenroofer 225861@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I read a thing somewhere that the physical symptoms of fear/nerves and excitement are the same (dry mouth, sweaty palms, higher heart rate). If you decide what you're experiencing is excitement and anticipation rather than fear, you perform better.</p> <p>...apparently... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16664#post-225839 Fri, 29 Jul 2016 15:57:54 +0000 Cyclingmollie 225839@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>Is "The Fear" any different from being (understandably) nervous before a challenging event/task ?</em> Yes. It's contagious I think. You must have rolled up to the start of an event at some time feeling quite happy only to see people with very different kit to yours: you're on a steel frame, they are on carbon or you're on a race bike and they're on something that would make it over the Karakoram Highway. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16664#post-225825 Fri, 29 Jul 2016 14:32:01 +0000 redmist 225825@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Is "The Fear" any different from being (understandably) nervous before a challenging event/task ? Everyone else on that start line is nervous too. </p> <p>"Contrary to most training guidelines, he suggests going above and beyond the demands of the event for particularly worry-prone riders."<br /> I thought that was standard training practice. Mind you it is very difficult to emulate a course like the Maratona when training in the UK. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16664#post-225820 Fri, 29 Jul 2016 14:15:41 +0000 Cyclingmollie 225820@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Distance doesn't worry me as I'm too lazy to summon up the effort required to get a true sense of the enormity of the task. But I think you can get "the fear" (and I think I first heard the term used by David Millar) any time. I used to get it before my commute home some days. Other times from thoughtless comments. I've been asked why I was on my training bike, why I was travelling so light, why my wheels had so few spokes (and what would I do if one broke), why was I using a back-pack etc. I wish this stuff didn't bother me but it does. It makes me think some people fight the fear by conforming. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=16664#post-225809 Fri, 29 Jul 2016 13:05:27 +0000 I were right about that saddle 225809@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Interesting take on the Fear, old friend of all endurance athletes;</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/bike-blog/2016/jul/29/maratona-dles-dolomites-fighting-the-fear-in-face-of-daunting-cycling-challenges" rel="nofollow">https://www.theguardian.com/sport/bike-blog/2016/jul/29/maratona-dles-dolomites-fighting-the-fear-in-face-of-daunting-cycling-challenges</a> </p>