You either love climbing or you hate it, but encountering hills on a ride at one point or another is inevitable. And while some are small and rolling, others are tough—and can be pretty daunting.

Below, eight things that have probably gone through your mind while tackling those steep uphill sections of your ride.

[Want to fly up hills? Climb! gives you the workouts and mental strategies to conquer your nearest peak.]

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I can totally do this. How bad can this really be?

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So far, so good.

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Wait a minute...this hill is way longer than I initially thought.

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I just need to find my happy place.

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Are my legs on fire? I think they’re actually on fire.

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Okay, I can see the top of the hill. Almost there.

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Will I ever be able to breathe normally again?

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Beast mode: complete.

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Danielle Zickl
Senior Editor
Danielle Zickl for Runner's World and Bicycling.