That’s not exactly how I felt returning from this mornings club ride to Dana Point, but now that I’ve had a chance to recover, and had a good nap, I can say that.
The best part about cycling is you don’t have to be as strong as the next guy to be competitive. You just have to know how to ride smart. You have to know who the strong riders are, and pick the biggest rider of the lot (wide and tall is best to protect you from the inevitable wind) to ride behind.
When you do that, you can attain speeds you couldn’t normally attain on your own, and can ride distances you’re not normally accustomed to.
Of course there are some riders who are so strong [and typically a lot younger] , no matter what you do, you can’t keep up, but just pushing yourself to your limit trying to keep up, can only be beneficial. Remember that old saying,
what doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger
You just have to watch out for the “what doesn’t kill you” part. 
The second best thing (ok, maybe it’s actually the best thing), I’m still convinced it’s the effort I put in to training that has kept my MCL at bay for over 6 years now, plus the fact I haven’t cut my hair in over 5 years.
Everyone should take up cycling. It really is a great sport, and it’s far less jarring on the body than running.
