Above Average

I have been absent from competitive cycling for several years now but recently I have found the time to start grinding in some base miles.  I haven't made any racing plans but I know the importance of laying a base down in case something changes.  The base miles are what make it possible for a cyclist to launch into full "assault" mode with little or no ill side effects of over training.

Am I just average?  I can't escape reality no matter how much I wish I could.  A few years ago, I was lean and pretty mean, entering 24 hr endurance races solo.  Now, I am grabbing granny gear like chocolate pie on the buffet just to keep rolling!  While my primary reason for riding is just because I love to do it, I confess that I truly miss the "superman" feeling of being in better shape.  In due time I will feel like Super Man again, after a couple thousand miles of sweat have paid their dues.

My last ride was thirty one miles and took a couple ticks over two hours...average at best.  As I rolled up the driveway with one of my lungs dangling out of my mouth, my two young boys shrieked "Daddy you're back!".  They squealed in excitement and sprinted to hug me bundled in their thickest winter clothes.  At that moment, they hugged every bit of pain out of my body.  My house could have been burning behind me and I wouldn't have cared. The joy and satisfaction my two boys bring to me are indescribable!

Any man who hasn't embraced his role as a father is missing the boat!  As a father, a man needs to lay down the "base miles" for his children as Christ did for us.  How else will they be able to respond to the seasons in their lives without missing a beat?  God gave us His son to set the example. I want my boys to be mentally aware and hard wired to act and react to life in a Godly manner.  What better way is there to teach this but to lead by example?   It can make them tougher than a pine knot and steadier than a rail when their time to launch into "assault" mode arrives!  As a biker, being average is acceptable.  As a father, not even close!