Each day, I'm feelin' my oats more. My previous commutes were so long that I rode gently to conserve energy. There's no need for that here with a route that's less than 4 miles and has no steep hills. In fact, I might have conserved too much even on those rides since going hard can build strength and endurance.

Today I had a headwind. It wasn't strong, but I used it as a motivator so I pedaled a little harder than usual. I had a feeling of "I can do this!" that was stronger than it's been in a while. I guess I've had a subconscious feeling of self-doubt, entirely irrational. And the result is that I passed people along the river. It was like the old days when I passed most people going in the same direction.