THANKFUL THURSDAY: The Big Jersey
 I’m starting at the bottom again.
The bottom of my fitness.
The bottom of the long climb.
And the bottom of my jersey drawer. Because that’s where the big jersey lives.
 We all have at least one of them. Go ahead, take a look.
Yup. There it is.
 Maybe you ordered it online and got it a size too big. Maybe it’s the ugly souvenir jersey from a race and you’re holding onto it for sentimental reasons. In my case, it’s from when I used to be heavier and then got in shape and got in slimmer, more stylish jerseys. There it is, in the photo. It’s boxy, black, thick wool. Perfect for hiding my gut and my shame.
 I hope you can relate.
The big jersey never gets worn but never gets thrown away. Because you never know when you’ll need it. Yes…need. And actually, fact is, you DO know when you’ll need it.
 You’ll need it when you let your fitness slide and can no longer fit into your race cut jerseys. Or when you, say, have been off the bike for a couple years for some reason. As long as it’s down there at the bottom of the drawer, hidden from daily view, you can live in denial. You can pretend that you’ll never let your fitness go south again.
You can pretend you’ll never need it again. But you may. And that’s okay.
 The big jersey shouldn’t be a source of shame. The big jersey should be a source of hope. Of the promise to, by any means necessary, get back on the bike and back into shape.
The big jersey should be a sign of your enduring commitment to the two-wheeled life.
 And that stack of jerseys in the drawer is like a cycling fitness success chart. The harder you work, the more miles you put in, the higher you move up the pile until one day you can grab from the top of the stack.
Yes, one day you can comfortably, happily be able to fit into the Castelli jerseys. You know, the ones made in a country where XXL men are apparently 120 pounds with a 28 inch waistline. Until then it’s time to start out at the bottom of the fitness level.
The bottom of the pack.
The bottom of the climb.
The bottom of the jersey drawer.
And slowly work my way up that stack.
Back to the top of the Col du Tourmalet.
One pedal turn at a time.
