the Tuesday Thursday ride

For the last eight months I have ridden my Trek from 20 miles a week to 140 mpw. Since November I have been a faithful club rider twice a week starting with the B's and now getting into the A's. Yes those insane A's who promise to ride@ a max of 24-mph only to beat the crap out of each other @ over 28-mph on the back stretch. The clincher is the last few miles when speeds of 30 to 32 are reached in the train just before the sprint...or so I am told because I haven't gotten that far, YET.
So far the months of hard training and the rides for pure joy and everything else in between has really paid off. How can I tell? tonight I rode with the A's almost halfway @ a constant 24 to 26 mph. For me that was a real testament to a good work ethic. Does that mean I'll go to the Olympics? Heck no but it does mean I'm gaining on the others and that even with my biologic age of 52, I'm not far off from the A's speed and stamina. Oh sure most have several years of hard work and long miles on their legs but that will not stand in my way. Spoken like a true 'A type' personality right!?
So here I sit in the after glow of my improved stats etched on my minds eye and the fading glory of burning legs and lungs still heavy on my body, the thought of all the new horizons that have just opened unto me. How will the next few months unravel before me as I plan new and grievous tortures to get myself ready to take my place in the A group and eventually go farther? Yet once there too surpassing unto the next level  that will be as sweet wine unto my soul as my legs and lungs  are out of the saddle in a low altitude flight pattern that brings pure joy to my soul? How long? How much effort until the effortless? What cost to my body? When I think of this beautiful experience all I can think of is the Michael Angelo painting of man touching his creator...pure joy and yet pure effort to attain the unattainable.
And that is what cycling is to me. In the May issue of Road Bike Magazine it featured an article of men who are riding in the pros as old as 48 years of age. There is hope for me to ride in fast club rides yet! If I can do it so can YOU, don't give up!
If I pass you on the road stop  at Peets, because your buying.