Originally Posted by
OldTryGuy
Personally I can't agree with..... "what matters most is getting out and doing it, not how fast."
My desire to maintain maximum speed along with longer distances ridden became more of a challenge for every ride since my diagnosis of *Gleason 10 PCa* then having a *bilateral Orchiectomy* followed by experimental *Cryoablation + immunotherapy injection.* My pursuit of the Quality of Life existence rather than the Quantity of Life has little room for a "slow down to smell the roses" mantra.
OTG -- you are to be commended for overcoming those challenges and maintaining such a great zest for cycling. I can especially appreciate your perseverance -- I volunteer at a hospital and frequently see people who it looks like have just given up.
A number of riders my age or older that I see on the roads flat blow the doors off me, and I hold them in the highest regard. And there are (probably) some people who I can out-perform, if we're measuring speed and distance, or even just being on a bike to begin with. Everyone has specific motivations for why they ride. Yours are clearly defined, and perhaps for some of us they're less clear. But as long as we all ride, whether it's for a sunny day, or for max performance, if we both enjoyed our rides -- that's really what it's all about, IMHO.