Two Wrongs Make an Asshole

This is beginning to become a tired old rant on behalf of cyclist, but motorists as a whole don't seem to be getting the message. I respect the fact that for the most part on my bike, I am unable to go as fast as the flow of traffic. For this reason, I ride as close to the side of the road as possible. I am okay with cars passing me, I really am. I just figure they should follow certain guidelines. So here follows my dissertation to all(shitty) motorists.

One: Three feet is plenty of space between me and a car passing me. Please don't  fly by me with mere inches separating us, like we're in some type of death race, and I'm the only thing standing between you and victory or a painful death. On the opposite side of the coin, nearly driving on the sidewalk of the opposite side of the road, while staring at me seething with rage is unnecessary as well.

Two: Please don't pass me, swerve in front of me and then brake rapidly for a right turn. I'm sure the bobble heads in your back window are cute, but I have no interest in meeting them face to face.

Finally: For the love of all that is good and pure, just because I am on a bike doesn't mean that you must go faster than me. Sometimes(and this may be surprising) due to factors such as hills or Fabian Cancellara cyclist are able to travel at, or exceed the speed limit; This doesn't mean you're going to slow, and it doesn't mean you need to pass me. You wouldn't do this to a motorist so please don't do it to me. I recognize the need for speed limits and I know that when I exceed them(even on my bike) I am doing wrong, but passing me doesn't make it right, it just makes you an asshole.

The Ready Pupil

It is often been said that to be an endurance athlete, is to be a student of pain. One must accept pain in order to receive its knowledge. It seems that to often in todays world we believe that we can better ourselves without sacrifice, this is almost never the case. Despite the image often portrayed to us, comfort and success are not synonymous. In fact it is quite often the opposite. Those who succeed are the ones who are willing to suffer a little more, for a little longer.

For most of my life, I have been(like most people) a reluctant student of pain: I only did what was absolutely necessary. It was not until the past two years that I began to realize, in order to get what I desired I needed to allow myself to suffer. So now, I am in the middle of a long journey, one that if I hold fast to the lessons pain has taught and will teach me, will hopefully lead me to The Kona Ironman. But before that, hills will test my legs, rough water my courage, and pain, pain will test my commitment. So hear I stand a ready pupil.