MTB Ride Tonite:
Just a one hour tour of my favorite riding place, Ted Williams. I usually warm up for one 35 minute loop, but had a guy behind me coming down the single track, so I pushed it on my warm up lap to stay in front of him. Just killed the second loop and third was non-existent.

I've found that as my performance level has risen, a good warm up is absolutely neccesary. This didn't use to be the case. I could unload my bike, hit the trail as hard as I wanted and maintain my usual level of exertion. This definitely changes as your fitness level goes up. Twenty minute minimum warm up.

The guy behind me eventually passed me after one of the steepest climbs and proceeded to spank me up the rest of my warm up loop. He was one of those twiggy types that probably weighed in at 150 lbs. I've seen him out there a few times, definitely a racer. See, there's always someone quicker.