First time posting to this thread since early on. After being laid off for almost 2 years time I recently started working again and therefore cycle-commuting. On Mondays I use my multi-geared CX bike w/rack and panniers to haul in a week's worth of clothes and food. Then for the rest of the week I use my Fuji fg conversion w/a seatpost rack/trunkbag combo to transport empty food containers and work clothes. It's 79.1 GI.

My daily rt is 41.2 mi w/a 500 ft elevation difference. The climb is homeward. My PR on my fg into work is 82 mins for an avg speed of 15.07 mph. I'm looking to lower that to 75 mins @ 16.48 over the next couple of months. If it weren't for stop signs and traffic lights through town it would be lower, but it is what it is.

Homeward my PR is 88 mins @ 14.04 mph. Hoping to lower that to 80 mins @ 15.45 mph at the same time.

Over the last 1.5 years I went through a bi-lateral pulmonary embolism that left a sizeable infarction on my lower left lung, a car-accident leaving me w/a concussion and brain bleeding in 3 different places and a bi-polar 2 hypo-maniacal episode that left me institutionalized for 2 weeks. The medication/recovery from all that caused me to gain about 20lbs. Have been a little under the weather as of late.

So, while these times/speeds and goals may not be earth shattering the fact that I'm able to be cycling again at all makes me appreciate every foul-language inducing climb. On every ride homeward my acronym is MCI...Maximum Controlled Intensity for every pedal stroke. While my mantra is the Greg Lemond quote: "It never gets easier you just go faster." It's good to be back.