how far is too far?

This week one year ago i was in Saratoga Springs for a professional conference. No bike, no pool, and not a lot of time to squeeze in any meaningful training, and only around 5 weeks to go before the taper should begin. A trip planned to Lake Placid for the Tupper Lake weekend would hopefully give me a chance to do my first and perhaps only 100 mile ride, since last July. My back has been giving me trouble and all the stretching and massage i can muster has no positive effect.

Last year I adopted a healthy new perspective, at least new for me, to endurance racing. I forgot about results, finish times, cut off times. I committed to 'just start', and then to 'keep going'. Perfect for someone with a super laid back and easy going personality. Interesting though, I dont always see myself that way, nor do some of the people in my life who know me longest and best. And I did complete the 140.6 mile distance, in itself proof that i wasn't willing to let the day pass without making the effort. This was important to me, even if my mind could play that trick that had me smling and joking through the struggle and pain and into the night.

There's something deep inside me that has me returning. There's something about taking on a challenge. I feel a need to take the next step, to do more, to go farther.

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go."
– T.S. Eliot

I had no business starting that race last year, and I made the cutoff by less than 10 minutes. I did finish sprinting and 'strong'. Does the fact that I finished mean I still havent gone too far?