[MENTION=221623]rapwithtom[/MENTION], I'm going to read that book, the striving for excellence thing is what it's all about for me with cycling and it has been from day one. Racing is the best structure for that kind of striving, perhaps, because it makes sense to all involved. And races can punctuate/inform the process that you go through to try to get to that place of excellence.

The interesting thing is the way people react to what you're doing when you're on that path, when what you care about is that excellence. You do things that don't make 100% sense to people riding for other reasons- fitness or sociability for example. Power meters, riding in the cold, intervals, scouting courses, hard efforts up a climb etc.

It's fairly common for other people to try to read into what you're doing and make it about them. Somehow it's an implied criticism and they become a little defensive, feel compelled to make some kind of disparaging comment. On the opposite side, some people find it interesting or inspiring.

Anyway, its stuff I've been thinking about a lot because it's getting increasingly hard to ride with my current cycling friends. There's logistical constraints to developing a new set of race oriented friends (not many racing women in my town, riding with the boys is not the best fit either and I also have major schedule related logistics). I decide not to worry about it and just do my own thing, which fortunately my personality lends itself too.

Then you read posts like [MENTION=95878]Racer Ex[/MENTION]'s above and you realize there really is benefit to having friends who share your motivations and aspirations cycling-wise. Because things like that come up in conversation or you come to understand it by osmosis. And you don't get that by riding solo.

Food for thought.