Chrissy vs. Hill

Each time I am about to encounter the massive hill on my way home from Trinity I imagine that it will become easier and easier, and one day it will pass by unknowingly and I will wonder where it went. Unfortunately it has come to my attention that this is not a reality, and that hill will never pass by without some serious motivational chanting (inner dialogue, of course). As I was about half way through the hill, I remembered those wise words from my father: "Chrissy, this hill would be a blessing to a professional cyclist. They would have to travel hundreds of kilometers to find a beauty like this" (or something to that effect). I had a choice, I could view this as a blessing, or I could view it as a really sucky huge hill that just generally sucks. Let me make it clear that it is a lot easier to view the hill as a blessing when you are not in the middle of it. I am sure I could view it as a blessing from the top looking down, or maybe even from a car, or some form of public transit.....or a horse....or anything that didn't require my legs to move me up it. Just kidding, but I noticed something as I was recalling what my dad said. It would be a blessing to a professional cyclist. Key words: to a professional cyclist. Now, we don't have to hold a meeting to discuss and vote on whether I am a professional cyclist. It is a unanimously resounding no.

I have not managed to become a professional cyclist, but I have managed to become professional at one thing: encouraging myself! This is a necessary thing when your legs don't want to move anymore, and you still have kilometers left of a hill. If you think I am exaggerating about kilometers of hill, I am not. I mapped it out, and there are 2 km of hill with the bottom (first portion) being rather severe. You don't exactly have time to ease into this hill. It just hits you, and before you know it you are motivationally speaking to yourself (important part: this must remain in your head, or else you look crazy!).

As I was motivationally chanting my way up the hill, it crossed my mind that even though I was not chanting aloud and looking crazy for that reason, that I may have the strangest facial expressions. I mean, every part of me is tired, and in my head I am repeatedly telling myself how great I am and how I can't stop pedalling or else (note: I am not really sure what the 'or else' even means when I say it to myself, but it makes me seem more serious to myself). This combination probably produces the strangest facial expressions. Not only that, but when you start becoming conscious of how strange your facial expressions may be, I swear they get exponentially worse. Then you try to forget that you even had that thought, but it's one of those thoughts that happens and you can't take it back.

I am a long, long way from ever being close to a professional cyclist, but perhaps I will strive for something else: professional encourager. I may look silly, but if I keep telling myself that I am great and I can do it, I think I am winning! Take that, big hill!!