Race Medals Silhouetted on Wall at Dawn

Pale dawn light slips across the floor of a Lima spin studio, illuminating a pegboard wall heavy with race medals. Sweat stains, rubber residue, and wipe marks coat the metal hooks and plastic tags, marking hours of intense use. The medals hang in rows, their ribbons and metal faces turned dark against the bright window light. Polished surfaces catch small, sharp highlights where the morning sun touches the edges. The cool season air hangs still in the room, leaving no motion on the ribbons. One medal at the bottom edge reflects the pale sky, its face turned slightly upward.