Originally Posted by
rsbob
In auto racing it’s called the ‘red mist’ and it’s the urge to compete and excel. I know there is a good percentage on this board, who ride strictly for the pleasure, fitness, etc, and have zero issue with it. I also know they will comment here even if this thread doesn’t pertain to them, such being the nature of forums.
In my 30s I was an aggressive rider but when I rode, I rode hard and would chase down anyone I could, even momentarily just to catch them. Now in my mid-60s I still am unable to lose that drive to chase, but now don’t catch but back off.
I do it because I think it’s fun, no matter how painful it can be at times. I like to test myself and push myself. I know this is MY thing. No judgement (Others I am sure will add theirs
)
Just wondering how many ‘mature’ (heh) riders still have that drive and how many have given it up and moved on and continued cycling for other reasons?
I'll admit to often doing what the OP does, which is chasing down just about every rabbit in front of me, while I'm on a solo ride. But I don't consider it competition with that cyclist, it's more of a competition with myself to see how quickly I can close a specific gap, or to catch up to and then hold the wheel of a stronger rider for as long as I can. I feel that chasing a rabbit (even if they're a non-participant) boosts my adrenaline/endorphins during an interval, in ways that simply doing a hard interval solo, does not. This also goes for Zwift rides.
And yup, if you've never raced before, doing an official CAT5 for an hour can be very humbling. At age 46, a couple years ago, I was feeling extra fit that season so I decided to enter my first CAT5 race at the Pikes Peak International Raceway, rode my fastest/best 20 miles ever, and still came in dead last, behind riders 15-20 yrs older than I. Sometimes you're the hammer, and sometimes the nail.