A Good Day

I had one of those rides yesterday. No, it wasn’t a cross ride, but in my defense, for a road ride it involved more than the usual number of obstacles, bunnyhops, even spectators it seemed. It was one of those rides that doesn’t start out unusual. Decent weather, good company and that little extra snap in the legs right from the start. But somewhere along the route the stars align and you reach that place that is difficult to define.

There was nothing extraordinary about the ride we set out on. Just a preview of a road course for the race my father’s club promotes every year. Something we have done innumerable times in the past. But each year the road conditions seem to deteriorate a little more, hence the need to preview the course, just in case.

Tearing through the course I stole glances at the computer, continually pleased with the numbers I was seeing. I shouldn’t be going this fast this early, feeling this well. Good signs.

Coming back through the last stoplight, I came to a stop and it just dawned on me. This is why I ride. The tough rides that show you’re in better shape than you thought. That all those trainer sessions in the basement were worth the boredom. Watching cycling DVDs so many times you begin playing them back in your head as you try and fall asleep. It all has a purpose.

We do all of that because we are chasing the perfect day. It may be that we hope for all this to come together on a race day. But we can’t control the intangibles. We just have to hope we recognize it when we see it. When we see clearly how lucky we are to have the ability to chase these perfect days. Appreciate the moment that you realize that it’s one of those days, because you never know how long it will be till you find it again.