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Old 05-17-22 | 08:45 AM
  #8  
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downtube42
Broken neck Ken
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Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Portland, OR

Bikes: Trek Domane SL6 Gen 3, Soma Fog Cutter, Detroit Bikes Sparrow FG, Trek Mt Track XCNimbus MUni

Originally Posted by I-Like-To-Bike
Diminished athletic ability
  • Stop obsessing about athleticism, "training," performance metrics, or imagined competition with strangers, regardless of the cycling activity
  • Better yet, do not ever start obsessing about athleticism, "training," performance metrics, or imagined competition with strangers, regardless of the cycling activity
  • Laff at OCD types who obsess about athleticism, "training," performance metrics, or imagined competition with strangers, regardless of the cycling activity
  • Ignore OCD cycling types who obsess about athleticism, "training," performance metrics, or imagined competition with strangers, regardless of the cycling activity.
To me, athleticism is a means to an end. My passion these days is randonneuring, which by design is not competitive and in practice is as competitive as one would like. It's an activity where one can explore the boundaries of what's possible, and strangers can be useful in understanding where those limits are or are not. I've been doing this long enough to feel the effects of aging, and to me those are effects are another challenge to face and explore. In my early 50's, I had athletic potential to spare; now in my early 60's I have less to spare. So all the things I've learned about training, nutrition, pacing, and sports psychology become more valuable; enabling me to continue doing what I enjoy. I'm not OCD, which is a disorder, but I do pay attention to details that may mean the difference between DNS, misery, DNF, and a hard but enjoyable ride.
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