There are times I feel a bit perky, and other times not so much.

I don't triathalon, and I'm not a great athlete, but as the year has progressed, I've noticed I don't get passed as often.

Early in the year, a guy wearing a back pack passed me and commented on the strength of the wind. It was a humbling experience.

A couple of weeks later, a guy who looked 25 years younger then I was, passed me riding a bike with "fat tires." Again, a very humbling experience.

But, lately, I wasn't getting passed often, and if I did, it was one of those guys who look to me to be rip cord thin, wearing all the right kit, riding a bike that costs 3-5x what mine costs...so my ego wasn't so bruised.


THEN, today, I'm in the middle of a ride that is going to be between 40-75 miles, and out of nowhere, I see this guy coming up behind me. He is wearing kit, but he's riding a less expensive bike, and I can see a smug look on his face. I know he's going to pass me.

But, I figure, for whatever reasons, he's pushing hard and I'm pacing for a long haul. So, I just leg it up a bit. Sure enough, the guy passes me, grinning.

He very quickly gets 30-50 yards out on me. Then we hit the first hill. I close to about 10 yards. On the down hill, he again pulls out to about 40 yards ahead.

Then we hit the second hill. I close to about 10. We hit the flats and I stay close, but he turns off the trail, in the next quarter mile.

He definitely got me. But, I know there are people I pass, that look really fit, and I figure I don't know how many miles they've gone or how hard they hit it.

I'd been the length of the trail, hadn't seen him, and he took an out when I still had 20 miles to ride.

I rationalized my ego salvage, but, I rang my bell at him. I don't know whether he quit, while the quittin' was good, or whether he was sprinting for his finish. But, he made me step up the pace a bit.

I don't want to race every inch of a 60+ mile ride, not now, but, it does add some zazz.