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Old 12-18-11, 11:47 AM
  #14  
PatW
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I have ridden for years. I have never had aspirations to being anything other than a recreational cyclist. Well, sort of, I trained with a race team for awhile. I realized that if I wanted to be successful as a racer, that I would have to get very structured and disciplined in my training. I rode quite a bit. But I have always ridden the way I "felt like" riding on any particular day. It struck me that I already had a job and having a part time unpaid job as a competitive athelete just did not seem to make a whole bunch of sense.

There is a local club that I had ridden in. I used to ride with the "A" riders. Virtually all of the "A" riders I rode with are out of cycling and have been for years. Many of them have gotten way out of shape and gained piles of weight. The "A" rides were big contests to these people and they really wanted to "win" or something. I always felt good about riding well. But I have always loved cycling for its own sake. There were some other riders like me in that old fast bunch and the ones who cared less about competition all seem to be still riding.

I am not saying that competition is bad. If that is what floats your boat, have a blast. But there is a point where riding for the joy of riding and seeing the scenery has a place also.
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