Medals and finish times drive some athletes. Deb Matz finds more satisfaction in her path to the starting line. Ms. Matz, 57, was one spot away from the podium in three events at the 2017 UCI Masters Track Cycling World Championships. “My reflection afterwards was that the event itself isn’t what motivates me,” she says. “I love the training much more than actually competing.”
So Ms. Matz, a hair stylist based in Plano, Texas, has decided to step away from track racing. She says she completed 80% of her race training alone....