With the return of warm weather I've been riding regularly. 2 - 3 commuting days durring the week, plus 1 or 2 rides on the weekend. Nothing particularly long or hard, just getting miles in - the miles I'd normally be logging in the winter and early spring.
This weekend I had two 50 mile days. One with a small group on single bikes, one (today) on the tandem with Claire. Right now I'm probably at 80 - 85% of where I was before I got cancer. The biggest difference I notice is my ability to reach and maintain the intensity I'm used to - around 85% of my max HR. That's what I'll be looking for, because that's where I "make my living" so to speak on the bike. It's where I get the power to keep control of situations on the road, or maintain momentum through difficult sections off road.
On the flip side, it seems like my endurance is in pretty good shape. That may be a consequence of the lack of intensity - I think since my muscles don't get pushed into the red so much they don't fatigue as much over time. It's a good lesson about my physical abilities, but I'm looking forward to when the intensity vs. endurance decision isn't being made for me.
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