At the risk of the loss of my tough-guy persona.....
Saturday, I came back from leading a 52 mile ride. After showering, eating, drinking lots of water, and retiring for the evening, I found myself crying. Why?
Was it because I'd added back on 30 some pounds since last year? Was it that I looked and felt sluggish? Was it that I don't fit into my 'lucky' jersey?
No. It was because four years ago I couldn't walk a city block without stopping for rest, and now I can ride 52 miles and consider it 'normal.'