As I went from 205 lbs to my current 165 at 5'9", I not only noticed that I was faster up the hills, but hills that I previously struggled on got much easier. I know, this is pretty much the same thing, but mentally it seems a lot different. For example, at a heavier weight, I would be suffering, heavy breathing, just dying going up a little overpass. On anything over a ~6% grade, I would be in my lowest gear for the entire climb.

Now, at 165, I have options. Grades over 10% still hurt, but I can get up them. For those same 6% grades I can fly up them, or if I'm riding slower with a group, I don't have to expend nearly as much energy as I used to.

Hopefully I'll lose another 10lbs for next year and those 10% grades won't hurt as much at the same speeds, and the 17% grades that I have to race up at least once a year won't entirely destroy me like they did this year.