Prologue

I am new to the blogosphere; I’ve only recently began reading any, and I’ve never had any sort of private web presence. De facto, effective immediately, this all changes.

Starting when I was a junior racer, I dreamt of riding in all of the major/classic races. I never suffered from delusion of grandeur; I knew I didn’t have the talent to be a pro, but hoped I‘d develop into a decent enough competitor to take part in the amateur versions.

A summer racing in Belgium and Germany effectively put an end to that dream. But I learned a lot, put the experience to good use back home, and returned a year later to successfully compete (despite once again being out of my league) in some races on the short, steep, indoor winter tracks of Germany.

Then life (work, injuries, life in general) interfered, and I drifted away from racing and riding all together. After more than a few years off the bike, I missed it, so I returned to two wheels, though I am much slower than I could ever imagine; my hard/fast rides today are frequently at the same pace as my easy days during my racing years…

It was a pleasant surprise to learn that my teenage dream was not dead; I could participate in all of the classic races albeit in a different form. Welcome to the world of Cyclosportifs, mass participation events that are cycling’s equivalent of running’s marathon. Where those in a select group are capable of winning, and everyone else is out for the challenge or personal best. These events frequently take place on the same roads as the monuments of cycling, often the day before or after the pros tackle the course.

In the fall of 2006 I decided on a unique way of celebrating my upcoming 40^th birthday, by committing to participate in the 2007 L’Etape du Tour, well in advance of knowing what the course was. Upon the official announcement, my fear was that I would also be celebrating my last birthday… But I trained hard, and exceeded my expectations, and I was hooked.

The Cyclosportif experience was a blast; in many ways I enjoyed it even more than my racing heyday. I immediately developed an appetite for more, and have set upon achieving my goal of long ago. Life again interfered this year, interrupting my plan, but the dream lives on. This blog will highlight my quest. Welcome to La Vie Sportif.