I passed 3 elites because I am fatter than them ( it 's not hard to be fatter than an elite ) , but hey , I 'll take it . They did pass me on the uphill . Whatever . I was sincerely hoping to still be encountering others on the 3rd bike loop , but no such riders were evident .
According to the above context, answer the following question.
What may be the reason for all this athletic activity that is discussed ?


They were competing in an event .