Originally Posted by downtube42

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.