Before I took up cycling, I thought I was reasonably fit, did quite a bit of gym work, and exercised regularly for over 2 years. Then I tried cycling, and found that I could only do about 20 minutes, couldn't climb for peanuts, and stayed only in granny gear. Now 6 months later, I can ride for over 2.5 hours, go up significant hills, and can ride much faster for much longer, and crank some big gears too. I'm way fitter due to cycling! My non-cycling friends think I'm a bit of a super fit athlete!

D, you need to explain to your ManFriend, that he's so off base in his comments to you. You're a bona fide athlete. All cyclists who can do centuries and double centuries are by definition. This is not stuff that the average person on the street can do, or even people of reasonable fitness (people who walk 30 minutes a day 5 times a week) can do. And from his comments to you about him being an athlete and you not, sounds like he's a bit of a wanker (good old Aussie term! do you have that term in the US?) Sorry hope you didn't take offense!!