i'm deleting the original post since it is obvious that a good part of you guys aren't even trying to help me out in my query, but rather assume i'm trying to build myself up. while i don't put a label of "pain" on whatever keeps me from riding at a certain pace, there's certainly something there(hmm...maybe a fitness level). and that's what i was trying to get at, but i guess the "macho" forum members aren't willing to concede that they aren't out there subjecting themselves to pain every time they race. maybe they are, but maybe there's something mental to it, some sort of mental transformation of disappointment into pain. All that said, i would delete the whole thread if i knew a way how.