Yesterday, E and I went for a short mountain bike ride: one quick loop each around all three paths at our nearest mountain bike path. There’s a new loop, we took it. Naturally. It’s mostly gravel and packed dirt, but there’s one paved section. I picked up the pace; E matched it; I accelerated; he matched my speed — soon, it was an out-and-out race.

When we got home, and I checked the stats on Strava, I saw that we’d gotten the KOM for that new segment. Granted, only four people have ridden it, but still — a King of the Mountain for a Strava segment? That’s what legends do!

So this evening, I did the logical thing: I went back and rode it again, taking almost 45 seconds off the KOM.

It will fall soon enough. A fat man on a cheap bike (my Strava profile tag line) can’t hold a KOM for long. But the point is, I never thought I’d get a KOM…