Took the road bike out this afternoon to the park where I could do hill repeats virtually uninterrupted by cars and people. It is not the most fun a person could have, doing hill repeats, but it works. I start off at the bottom and try to sprint as far up as I can. Usually until my legs begin the burning feeling which signals a possible leg cramp.

I have been plagued on group bike rides, by leg cramps these past few years. On one 50 mile ride the cramps were so bad I could not straighten my leg out to stretch the cramp out.  I had to look for a grassy area and then fall over.  Once on the ground I would stretch my leg out and get back on the bike until the next round of leg cramps set in. Granted I could have flagged down the sag vehicle (it was an organized ride) and then gotten a ride back to my car, but if I had done that then I would not be me. Stubborn. Determined. And other adjectives which apply. So these hill repeats are meant to get me back to the shape I used to be in. Or at least make me think twice about eating those ranch hot Doritos before I go for a bike ride.