Do you have the muscle to complete the challenging 3 Day, 3 State, 300 Mile Cycle of Service ride across the great state of Alabama?
You might be thinking about some of your leg muscles. How strong are your quadriceps or hamstrings? What about strengthening calves or gluteus maximus? As important as these muscles are to cycling, they are not the most important. What muscle then?
The most important muscle to train for the COS is the mind. A growing body of research is uncovering just how critical our brains are to accomplishing long term, difficult goals. Our brains are responsible for perseverance, single-mindedness, or simply ‘grit’. In fact, one researcher, Angela Duckworth, has even created a Grit Scale. After a few questions, the scale can predict the likeliness that you will achieve a difficult, long term goal!
The COS requires a high level of grit. Ask some who have completed the challenge and they will say that half the ride is ‘mental’. But even before the event, the mind has been getting stronger. The many weeks of training strengthen your resolve and mind. The early mornings, the cold, the long rides, the sprints, the chasing dogs, and the hills all are part of the mind-muscle training. With every challenge, your brain has an opportunity to flex and overcome, or relent and stop. And remember, some of the best mind-strengthening may come on a failure!
For me, the challenges are easier to overcome when I remember the cause. Alabama Rural Ministries provides critical service of home repair to those in need. While a new roof, or flooring, or wheelchair ramp can bridge a physical need, their service offers hope to those in difficult situations. These simple truths help me flex ‘grit’ muscles and keep on through the riding pain.
Are you interested in training your mind and body? Then sign up for the 2016 Cycle of Service today!
Happy Riding!
John Stevenson