Put Your Sunday Scaries on the Struggle Bus

On this first day of spring (which here in the Rockies feels more like May instead of March 😰), I took my Sunday Scaries to Red Hill in scenic Carbondale, Colorado.

If you’re not familiar, just picture red dirt, lots of rocks, and a desert-like trail that makes you question your life choices on the way up… and then convinces you it was all worth it on the way down. 😃

I rode it about a year and a half ago and thought I was going to die. Jim also thought he was going to die… of boredom because of how long it took.

And based on how it felt today, I’m happy to report: nothing has changed. 😂

Ok, maybe that’s not entirely true, but you know I found seven takeaways from the gool-old suffer fest to teach us all a thing or two about life, work, and yes… the Sunday Scaries.

1️⃣ Do the Hard Thing

There’s no easing into Red Hill. It’s straight into a climb that includes loose rocks, steep pitches, and super-tight turns that invoke immediate regret.

No warm-up lap. No gentle entry. And lots of eyeballs, including dozens of yoga-pant-clad women walking dogs and chatting like there’s actually air in their lungs.

I guess there is for them 😆.

I have successfully avoided a repeat visit to Red Hill for a year and a half because it’s just that not fun. So, this was a very “eat the frog” moment to test my skills, as I’ve become a more competent rider over the last year.

Apparently, I really have become a glutton for type two fun. 🤷

💡 Lesson: Doing hard things makes the next hard thing a little less difficult.

2️⃣ You’ll Forget How Hard It Was (On Purpose)

About halfway up, I had a very clear thought:

“Why do I ever do this trail?” It was in that moment that I knew I had some good Sunday Scaries material on my hands. 😏

And yet… here I am. Again.

And I kept going.

And going.

And now I’m sitting here saying….when do I get to try that again?

Did you know there actually is such a thing as memory bias?

It  is a cognitive bias that either impairs or enhances the recall of a memory by altering the content of what we remember. In this case, somewhere between finishing and remembering, my brain conveniently edited out the pain.

Funny how that works, eh?

We need that part of our psyche; otherwise, none of us would ever come back!

💡 Lesson: Your brain is designed to help you try again — don’t fight it.

3️⃣ You’re Probably Making More Progress Than You Think

Last time I rode this trail, I struggled.

This time?

Still struggled. 😆

BUT — I went 2 miles farther and finished only 15 minutes slower than my previous ride.

Objectively better.

Thanks for the data help, Strava.

Sure, subjectively, parts of it still felt like a questionable activity for what could have been a leisurely Sunday afternoon, but I can start the week feeling accomplished.

💡 Lesson: Progress may not feel like progress…until you look at the data.

4️⃣ Some Things Don’t Get Easier — You Get Better

The rocks didn’t move.

The hills didn’t flatten.

The trail did not wake up today and decide to be more accommodating.

I just handled it better. And had no one to complain about it to since I was on a solo mission. 😉

💡 Lesson: Growth isn’t always about making things easier. It’s about becoming more capable.

5️⃣ Other People Help More Than You Think

While there’s a certain amount of ego that one puts away when hiking your bike up a rock-filled cardio-hill while passing on-lookers who I swear are thinking “she shouldn’t be up here.”

However, while I’m busy judging myself, you’d be surprised what comes from the passersby…

Countless hikers stopped with encouraging comments.

“We can’t believe you do this!”

“Good job!”
“I wouldn’t even try it!”

You never know how much it’ll mean to encourage someone. Especially a stranger. Sometimes all we need is a “you got this” in passing to pedal a few more strokes and keep on going a little further.

No one is pretending it’s easy, and acknowledgment of that can go a long way.

💡 Lesson: Support doesn’t have to be deep to be meaningful.

6️⃣ To Each Their Own (Apparently…)

Fun fact: this is Jim’s favorite trail.

His. Favorite.

I have questions. 😂

But it’s a good reminder that what feels like a two-hour painfest to one person is someone else’s version of fun.

[Now you know why he was completely bored the first time we tried this. There he is, biking his little heart out to the top while I enjoy a nice hike. With my bike.]

💡 Lesson: Just because something feels easy to you, doesn’t mean that’s the case for everyone (and vice versa, too)!

7️⃣ The Way Down Changes Everything

The climb is brutal.

The descent?

Worth it.

Every single time.

It always amazes me how two directions on the same trail can offer such different experiences.

It’s funny how quickly the narrative changes once you’re moving in a different direction. 🤔

💡 Lesson: Sometimes the thing you’re dreading is just one necessary part of a larger, much better whole.

The Sunday Scaries aren’t always about avoiding hard things.

Sometimes they’re about choosing them.

Because the more you’re willing to climb, the more capable you become, even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment. 😉

Your Friend and Coach,
Angie