Can I reach excelsis? It seems reasonable to ask, when will I be at my best? How long can I continue to improve? Is there an upper  limit?

To complicate matters, we must factor in the age at which a cyclist began riding. One who begins as a kid and keeps riding steadily through the years until attaining pro status, might peak in the late 20s-early 30s.

A rider who began well into adulthood, as I did, likely has a \”peak\”, too. But when will I hit my peak? Have I already reached a plateau beyond which I can\’t improve?

I\’m delighted that I can now reach 20 mph more often than I used to. On the other hand, my general cruising pace seems stuck at 12-13 mph! A month ago my legs suddenly began to feel heavy and tired, I didn\’t seem to have any stamina, and then thanks to Barry I had several days when the only \”riding\” I could do was pedaling in the trainer. I have a hard time tolerating more than 20 minutes or so of that at one time.

So it\’s hard to say whether I\’m at excelsis, or not. Either way, I can still enjoy riding!