Still showing up, still running... even when the air’s full of alder pollen and my VO₂ max whispers “try walking.” A glimpse into progress that’s not loud, but real.

After months of inflammation, stress, and de-training, my VO₂ max has dropped to 19.2. Today, I got back on the bike — not to perform, but to begin again. This is the first entry in Pedals & Patience, a journal of rebuilding aerobic fitness with presence, not pressure.