I could get used to this. I’m seeing numbers better than I’ve seen in a year, and in this case, even longer. I’m finishing rides actually feeling a bit tired, not the normal tired but the type of tired that you volunteer for by really pushing yourself.

The proof is in the numbers; I’m finally able to post climbing speeds over 1000 VAM (the number of meters you’d climb at a given pace for an hour). Today it was 26:37 through the park, 1018 VAM and 253 average watts. 8 years ago it would have been 24:15, 1117 VAM and 280 watts. But as they say, that was 8 years ago! 6 years before I started taking bone-marrow suppressing drugs that reduce the red blood cells that cyclists (especially Lance Armstrong) crave. Not that anyone would think a 63 year old would be at a disadvantage to his 55 year old self. But just turning the clock back to where things were two years ago makes me feel pretty good. Strange to think it comes after my pelvis fracture back in February, that kept me off a bike for 6 long weeks.

This morning we had Kevin & Kevin. I hung well through the park, clawing my way back after getting dropped near the entrance office. But, making the right turn onto Kings, I had to let the two of them gradually ride away from me. Kevin more so than Kevin. In fact, I was able to keep Kevin in sight the rest of the climb, while Kevin last last seen at the wide-open clearing section. In the end Kevin finished a couple minutes ahead of Kevin, and I was 30 minutes behind.

Despite the fog & drizzle on Skyline, something I would have complained loudly about a couple weeks ago, it was a really nice morning, with the skies clearing nicely by the time we got to West Old LaHonda.