Originally Posted by kleinboogie

Good points but the first part of this is not entirely accurate. He wasn't asking me not to enter, I already had. He suggested that I "reconsider" the race and should not be allowed to enter because I'm over 200lbs. Essentially he wanted me to abandon my club, my teammates and my passion. Sorry, I don't do that.

If it was only about winning I wouldn't do lots of things I do. Luckily cycling and racing is about much more than that. I intentionally set it up that way so I'd keep doing it even when I'm all alone on a windy highway in the mountains (BLVD, you know who you are) or training in the cold wondering if this is the day I'm going to get hit from behind on Mira Mesa Blvd. I ride, make on the bike videos, I'm working on a couple short-short films on cycling to help promote the sport and club (and to explain to spouses/SO why we do this), I get techno with the gear, etc., etc. So if I'm struggling in one area then I can succeed in others. It's when it's single dimensional that I tend to drop my hobbies (which at last count is about 6 active ones).

The great riders here who are willing to share race reports, videos and pics, words of encouragement, tips on strategy and gear and their wins and challenges are what make this forum, and cycling, fun and interesting. If not for this board I wonder if I would have even tried racing and for that I'm grateful. I try to contribute whenever I feel qualified and listen when I'm not. I'm not going to let one person who apparently knows so much about me that they feel obligated to tell me how to train, race or abandon a race and who I've never talked to, change how I feel about cycling. It's just not going to happen. They're not that good.

Besides, my loving wife of 17 years and 14 year old daughter (black belt in Soo Bahk Do) come to all my races and fully support me behind the scenes and during the race (they're the ones yelling, ringing the cowbell and making videos and taking pics) partly so they can see their husband and father try to achieve one of his goals. All of the above and my family's support trumps any boneheaded comments that could come from the Internet.

So today, after two hard races, I'm looking forward to this season of training and racing and hearing how this passion we all have, or are thinking about having, gets us closer to our goals. Cheers