Body shape? Bah!
This morning’s New York Times had an intriguing article about the significance of body shape in bicycling fitness versus running fitness:
The Bicycling Paradox: Fit Doesn’t Have to Mean Thin - New York Times [may require registration]
The author profiles a number of middle-aged cyclists (that sounds familiar as I travel into my next half-century! 
) touring with a former competitive cyclist. The initial expectation that a good rider should look rail-thin — like a runner looks rail-thin — is discarded.
A theory for why bicycling is more forgiving than running is that running mechanically is more like riding a pogo-stick, while bicycling is more like rolling on wheels (yes, the awesome Gina Kolata actually said that! she didn’t search for a true simile…). Bicycling takes the center of gravity somewhat out of the equation. While lighter riders can climb hills more quickly and with less effort, heavier riders can descend more quickly.
That’s been my experience as well — I find myself sailing past other riders on the downhills whether or not that was my intention. As an aside, it’s harder on my brakes, not to mention my forearms.
Definitely a recommended read, and do it quick before it goes into the pay-per-view archive.
