When I was about half the age I am now, I was a pretty fanatic cyclist. I trained 3 to 4 times weekly with a cycling club, trying to become faster, keep up the pace longer, etc. I also had a cycle racing licence for a year but actually only took part in few races. When I had finished my high school exam I chose to study, which was hard to combine with really serious cycling training. Especially since I chose the combination of studying seriously and enjoying social study events just as seriously If I had wanted to improve further and be able to compete with the best of my generation, I should have doubled my amount of training hours I guess... And even then the chances to become really good were small, since I was not a natural talent and I had started cycling too late (at age 16 while most already start to train and race when they are about half that age).

I have always liked cycling since, but in a much more relaxed pace and style. Nowadays I'm a 'nice weather cyclist'! But last Saturday I had a small flavour of what it used to be like 18 years ago. I was taking part with about 15 others in a track cycling clinic at the indoor cycling stadium of Alkmaar. The cycling stadium had improved dramatically:  it had a roof now and everything was much more modern and professional. The clinic trainer did not want to waste too much time explaining how the track bike worked (shorter than a road bike, no brakes, only peddle forward) and how to survive the steep curves of the track...Just go and learn-it-by-doing! I enjoyed it a lot and surprisingly fast most of us got used to that strange bike, the high pace, and the wooden race track.  But it was a bit confronting too: I thought my condition was reasonable but now I know I have to work it it a bit harder again... Still I can recommend the experience!