I lost my commuting base this year, much to my sadness, but I just simply didn't feel like riding in the traffic and urban roads any more. It's more tiring that fun. But, today I rode! And I gave it my 100%. It's been a goal of mine to ride this certain hill without breaking below 10mph for almost 3 years-and I never did it- until today! The hill is particularly bad, it starts out quite steep, then appears to level off. But it doesn't, the hill lessens in slope, but keeps going, and going, and going. That's why it such a killer, it's too easy to push so hard trying to get up the steep part of the hill that you wimp out at the end of the hill. The fastest riders start out slow, a pace slow enough to maintain the whole way. I never manage to do it, I've gotten close, but have always dropped below 10mph, even if for only one pedal stroke.  Of course, my heart rate was above 170 for the whole thing, and I rode the rest of the way in with a burning throat. I chickened out on the way home, so I didn't ride home. Still, I'm happy I did it and rode. I am going to set my goals light, and give myself a full four weeks to ramp up to the 60 miles a week I've been riding for a couple of years. But I am going to do it. It starts today.

• 8.52mi
• 41 min.
• 12.32mph
• 23.4mph max
• 347' climbed
• 351' max
• 140bpm av pulse
• 173bpm max
• 305 calories burned