"Don't skip the weight room."

Injecting a bit of dark humor reality, my wife and I just got back from our annual 10-day unsupported backpack. We met a physical therapist who had an interesting comment about exercise in general: "You want to be able to get off the toilet unaided when you're 90." I've mentioned that to a few of our geezer friends and was a bit shocked at their nonchalant attitude.

I had a doctor visit (that happens at 79) where the doc did that "can you rise from a chair without using your hands?" thing. I proceeded to jump a good 6" into the air, scared the poor woman. The older we get, the more we have to fight sarcopenia and that's all done in the weight room. The only sensible advice one can give is, "Never quit." Whether it makes one faster on the bike is actually beside the point. I've been weight training off and on since I was 12. Never been injured doing it, though I once tore an Achilles when my foot slipped off a tall step while I was running, tore a hip flexor slightly racing Nordic, and cracked a couple ribs while training Downhill, but those are my only injuries, evah. I got into rock climbing while in the Army, didn't get hurt doing that, either. Just do it.

I'm off to the gym, not for weights, just to ride the Stairway to Hell for 40' of Z3, just starting my Fall training reset. "Never quit."