Why do you ride?

As it states, why do you ride? Is it for pleasure, health, competition, hobby?

For me i decided to ride for a few reasons, fitness, personal goals and something new.

I used to ride trails, sold my bike and stopped riding. I gained 45kg in the last 4yrs and have a major heart condition.

I decided it was time to get a new bike and dip my toe into the world of road bikes. I am not in it to be a professional, nor do I feel I will ever have the capacity to join group rides, but i need to Lose the weight and i need to prove my medical condition doesn’t stop me (to both myself and others) for context i have had 5 heart surgeries since birth, i was born with a hole and transposition, i have had my aortic valve replaced, pulmonary valve, i have had an aortic graft due to an aneurysm when i was 15 which means my aorta swells like normal, but when it hits the graft it has to try and rush all that blood through. I currently have severe stenosis of the artery into my left lung which requires stenting, but they won’t do that until my pulmonary valve gets replaced again, and they won’t do that until my quality of life is severely affected just due to risk etc.

I am 41 unfit and would like to live for a few more years. Last week I rode 53km and swam 550m. Both swims were after a 13km ride and i still had to ride 1km home after the swim. My elevation gains in 53km 810m. I live in hills so there is a climb any which way i leave. I struggle hard, my avg speed is 16kph and most times i climb the hills at 6kph as my legs and heart just can’t cope right now. Unless it is a smaller hill and i will try and get some Power on the flat/small down and push. However i still feel i am not doing enough.

TLDR I am in this for fitness and personal goals.