Almost five years ago I started mountain biking in Colorado, over weight and in no way fit for biking up even a tiny hill. Even though I was seeing small increases in skill, last year it felt like I hit a wall in riding that was caused by my weight.

Starting in January 2016 I changed my diet and have lost ~50lbs so far. Losing the weight has been massive in helping mountain bike further and up tougher trails. This past week I finally made the climb up Foothills trail at Maxwell Natural Area to the great view of Horsetooth Reservior.

Foothills isn't the toughest climb I've made this year but it was a great marker for a trail that I wouldn't have considering riding even last year. For more information on mountain biking trails in Northern Colorado see the Fort Collins area trail list on mbtproject.com.