Like a lot of folks, I had a bike as a kid, and tooled around my college campus on a bike because I liked a few extra minutes of sleep despite early morning courses on the other side of the campus. I took up cycling more seriously 2 years ago because my husband, a former high-end cycling tour guide, and his friend, began to train for triathlons. I found a sprint length that didn't sound like it would kill me... and was hooked. I'm 31.

I weigh 5 lbs less than when I started but my body has changed considerably. My calves have definition like I have never seen before. I have muscles in my legs which I notice most when in the tub shaving -- in funny places, like over my bent knee and the back of my thigh. My abs are sleeker and my endurance is far better. I do triathlon to add weight-bearing exercise to keep my bones healthy, but I exercise to keep my heart healthy. I want to see my kid's kids, and I don't even have kids yet!

My mental health is far better when I ride than when I don't. I don't snap at people, hard problems get solved with less frustration, hard conversations are less biting and hurtful. I love to watch the world go by and when it's a great day I love seeing how high I can make the numbers on my wattmeter go up. And my husband, who never dreamed I'd pick up anything like this and run with it, thinks it's really sexy.