Bike Forums - The five steps to humbleness

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Cycling; a sport where humiliation comes included.

Quote:

Originally Posted by revchuck (Post 14679676)

I'm 60, and within the set of 60 year old guys I'm probably in the top 10% in terms of fitness. However, within the subset of 60 year old male cyclists, since I've gotten a lot stronger and also more comfortable with long miles...I'm probably approaching the median. :bang: Getting passed going uphill by some youngster doesn't bother me. Getting passed going uphill by some guy a decade my elder - and him not breathing hard - shows me how much farther I have to go.

Well said...and that "not breathing hard" as he passes you...Ohhh...does that ever motivate me to do better as that is the particular impressive item of the experience as I'm bested.

Early on I had a guy come up next to me...full gear on riding a Felt bike. We talked for a minute and he said "hey you can draft if you like" and then he takes off.....within 30 seconds I was puffing and he was gone. When I got home later at first I was ticked because I felt like he saw me from a distance and knew I was obviously an inferior rider compared to him....then I dropped the conspiracy theory and just accepted the fact that he was being friendly but I was not good enough.

Humbled.

Quote:

Originally Posted by revchuck (Post 14679676)

I have two friends who are both in their 60's. One is a CAT 1 and routinely crushes everybody independent of age and is pretty well known around where I ride. The other is 65 and looks 45, rides everyday is very strong and I like his chances against everybody but the best amateur racers in the area. Yes, these guys have always been fast and trained their whole lives. If there is a fountain of youth, it is cycling. It allows all ages to compete to a fair degree.