I avoided most stressful bicycling until this summer when I was frustrated by a plateau in conditioning. I just couldn't seem to get past a 14 mph average on a couple of familiar routes I ride often. Just a lot of moderate roller coaster hills, but those little climbs thwarted me.

So I got a road bike and started high intensity interval training on the road. I don't have an indoor trainer so I picked a route with lots of half mile long 2% grades that happened to suit the recommended timing for hard effort followed by easy pedaling, then repeats.

Each month I improved a little. Now, on a good day, I can manage 17 mph.

But I'm slacking off a bit this month. Felt like I was overdoing it, getting burned out. More knee twinges, back and neck pain.

Had to remind myself I got back into cycling in 2015, after a 30 year layoff, to find a relaxing way to get exercise. Not to burn myself up on every ride.