Originally Posted by FlashBazbo

A steep descent can get my heart rate well above threshold, even when I'm coasting. I HATE descents. I would rather climb all day and stop at the top than take a steep descent.

Anyway, a couple years ago, I was entered in a TT that had a gnarly descent starting about 3/4 mile into the race. At the bottom of the screaming descent was a cross street and, for some reason, the race hadn't seen fit to have police officers at that intersection. Left to my own devices, I would have been riding my brakes all the way down -- but I knew that descent was one of the keys to the race. I knew if I were able to stay in the aero extensions and keep pedaling down that descent, I would have a big advantage over everybody else.

What did I do? I told myself that my brain was playing tricks on me. As I went down the descent, I told myself that the road was actually flat. I was just imagining the 10% to 12% descent. For some reason, it worked. (I think the race was the incentive I needed to fool myself. The ploy hasn't worked since.)