Limits

There are many “limits” in the world.  Speed limits, “spending limits,” city limits, others spring to mind.  Back some time several really bright mathematicians devised a novel approach to a whole series of problems.  This involved setting a “limit” on a curve.  They discovered that amazing and marvelous things occurred as the function approached this limit.

Cycling is, sometimes a bit like that.  We think we know what our limits are.  Again and again, we discover that we can transcend those borders.  But there comes a time when we have pretty well established the boundaries of what is possible for us.  These are things like,  “I can’t go faster than 22 mph.”  Or it might be,  “I can not ride farther than 125 miles.”

Once we have established our boundaries, we tend to think of them as permanent and beyond question.  I would like to suggest that we test our limits from time to time.  Just as those mathematicians, we are likely to discover that interesting and surprising things can occur as we approach them.

It is sad, how often I hear self-imposed limitations.  And I do hear them.  I often witness self-imposed limitations attributed to age, to gender, to condition of life.  But I know this, amazing things happen as we approach our limits.  Sometimes we discover that the limit was an illusion.  Sometimes we find a completely different way to think and live.  And yes, sometimes we come back from the effort with a new knowledge of ourselves and with new limits, ones that are not as restricting.

So every once in a while, I suggest, we all get on a bike, and go do something that scares us.  Approach some limit and test it.

Notes:  The MidFall Celebration Night Ride is tonight!  And we will go, rain or shine.  See Friday's post for details.