09/14/2026
I’ve seen the green jerseys out on roads around the world, and now I can finally say that I’ve done my first one.
It was just as good, and maybe even better, than I expected. Yes, because of the ride, and definitely because of the quality of the organization, but also, and especially, because of how cool the people are (my fellow riders, the organizers, the volunteers, the staff). Kudos for creating such an excellent vibe, GFNY.
Admittedly, I was kind of nervous to be back in the race peloton coming into today, but I reminded myself that:
1. That’s why I got into racing back in the late 2000s: because it made me nervous, and I wanted to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
2. I love riding bikes, especially in cool places with cool people. So what else would I rather be doing?!
I think we all kind of find ourselves in this type of situation, or having these types of conversations with ourselves, from time to time. It’s healthy to not stagnate in a comfortable zone of “not participating,” just as it’s healthy to keep a good perspective on the things we love doing.
