What the heck has happend to me?

[jboyd]

I rode today for the first time since Nov 18th. I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE:eek:
I rode 10.5 miles. My wind is gone. My legs are gone. My Sit Bones are gone:(

My other passsion is whitewater kayaking. I got back in my yak a couple weeks ago after about the same time off. It took about thirty minutes to get it back, but I was hitting all the same moves as before.

I remember the first couple of weeks last June when I started riding, but I guess time has erased the pain, until now. I was so proud of myself last fall, having built up to 50 mile rides and tackling all four of the TSALI trails, only now to find myself worried that I would not make it back to the house without an assist:mad:

Oh well, it was still GREAT to get out today. Can't wait for daily ride weather. The good news is I will have a whole lot more year then last.

Thanks for letting me share.
Jay

[Tom Stormcrowe]

Welcome to just how fast you lose fitness being off the bike....;)

[Mariner Fan]

So true. I rode a few metric centuries last year but doubt I could ride 20 miles without having a coronary...

[markhr]

I'm told that fitness, however it's gained, decreases very slowly for 10 days then drops off at 3 times the rate you gained it. Muscle memory plays a big part so if you've always been fit the drop off may not be immediately noticeable.

A weeks rest is nice but any more than that and expect some pain :D.

[v1k1ng1001]

Bunch of slackers around here, myself included.

[Indyv8a]

My bike sent me an engraved invitation to ride again. Unfortunately, it seems I have lost its address.

[cohophysh]

My bike sent me an engraved invitation to ride again. Unfortunately, it seems I have lost its address.

:roflmao: Mine was knocking on my door....I didn't answer, to much snow on the ground

[solveg]

This thread just makes my already bike-starved cabin fever SO much worse. Thanks guys.

[themetalman]

i will be getting back on the saddel, after a month or so off.hope my butt remember where it left off.

[gmule]

This is the exact reason I am still riding in the snow.

[wayne pattee]

I try to get out every chance I can in the winter. Even if its only five miles. I have a tendency to overdress and then I get too warm but I really enjoy the rides if its not too windy.

[jyossarian]

I went away for the holidays and couldn't bike as much (ice & snow) so I jumped on the treadmill and rowing machine (but not the recumbent cycle cuz I'm no Fred :D) to keep my fitness loss at bay. Got back on the bike today and felt fine, if not finer.

[Doid23]

:roflmao: Mine was knocking on my door....I didn't answer, to much snow on the ground

I tied mine up in the basement, seems to have worked...

[fordfasterr]

Anybody know about this thing called a trainer ?

lol

[homebody146]

i couldn't find another excuse not to ride and today's temps (mid 60's) said to get my butt out there.....whoa!!!! 6 miles 30 minutes...what happened???......guess this "January spring" means to get my a** in gear. I must say that I do feel good that I went today.....even though I'm starting at the beginning.....again.

[Doid23]

Anybody know about this thing called a trainer ?

lol

Yeah, it's tied up next to the bike :rolleyes: Me hates trainers.

[solveg]

OK, you guys did me in. I got a $50 mountain bike...a 94 Scott with no suspension but lots of gears and

I'M RIDING TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jboyd]

Go Susan:)

Now, go beat the hell out of that thing:eek:

Be careful, Mtn Bikes are addictive.

Jay

[solveg]

I'm not even going to clean it up first! That shows you just what kind of wanton mood I'm in!

[urban rider]

I rode today for the first time since Nov 18th. I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DIE:eek:
I rode 10.5 miles. My wind is gone. My legs are gone. My Sit Bones are gone:(

My other passsion is whitewater kayaking. I got back in my yak a couple weeks ago after about the same time off. It took about thirty minutes to get it back, but I was hitting all the same moves as before.

I remember the first couple of weeks last June when I started riding, but I guess time has erased the pain, until now. I was so proud of myself last fall, having built up to 50 mile rides and tackling all four of the TSALI trails, only now to find myself worried that I would not make it back to the house without an assist:mad:

Oh well, it was still GREAT to get out today. Can't wait for daily ride weather. The good news is I will have a whole lot more year then last.

Thanks for letting me share.
Jay

I had a simular experience today, only it was 8 miles. I have not been on the bike for a couple of weeks due to illness, bikes in the shop, etc. Today it was an unbelieveable 62 degrees! I had to ride my bike. I thought I would die! I wanted to pull over to the side of the rode. Just last summer I rode w week long ride, retracing one of the Underground railroad trail. Today, I struggled with a lousy eight miles. It looks like I can't afford not to ride my bike.

Gas, .69 cents the price of a can of beans

[solveg]

Go Susan:)

Now, go beat the hell out of that thing:eek:

Be careful, Mtn Bikes are addictive.

Jay

I rode today!!! 34 degrees, and I was too hot. I overdressed. It was FUN! Don't be afraid to get out there in the winter.

I was told by my LBS that if you're not cold for the first mile, you're overdressed.

[ronjon10]

I logged my first 13 miles of the year today. Augh. So not good. I've been a little sick though and it's been raining. :rolleyes:

I felt fine on the flats, I didn't have much for the hills though. I was huffing and puffing like I haven't been in a long time. Some of it is this cold I can tell, not all of it though #$@!@#

A little too much :beer: over the holiday season I'm afraid.

Still though, I've got another ride Thursday, Saturday, and Monday, so the schedule is looking good.

[JohnKScott]

I hear ya OP.

My last ride was 35 miles on 12/21 before we went out of town for Christmas. I did manage 16.4 miles walking/jogging and 2.6 km of swimming while out of town (about 7 hours of exercise).

I got a cold on 1/1 which I am just now getting over. But I hit the trainer on 1/7 to do one of my climbing workouts (9 miles - 896 feet). I turned on the virtual competitor to compete against my best effort to date and got shelled! My legs felt weak. My arms felt weak when I got out of the saddle. I pushed on through but felt like crap when I was done. And then started to feel sicker. So I slept in the next couple of days and I'm feeling better again. I'll try to hit the trainer tomorrow mornng and maybe make it more of a recovery level ride. Just to keep things moving and try to keep the cold at bay. I'm sure my cold had something to do with it, but wow...I wouldn't have thought that 2 weeks, 3 days off the bike would have hurt that much! :(

Hopefully I'll be able to get out for a ride on Saturday so I can put my new Garmin Edge 305 HR & Cadence through some paces...

[solveg]

HAH! 24 degrees!

http://homepage.mac.com/sbacig/.Pictures/Me/IMG_1949.jpg

[ban guzzi]

HAH! 24 degrees!

http://homepage.mac.com/sbacig/.Pictures/Me/IMG_1949.jpg
Nice moose covers (close maybe?) on the bars! I was really wanting those during a day break ride when it was about 2F about a month ago...

[rideorglide]

John,

Here are some anti-cold tips I picked up.

I am/was a real cold magnet with a hi-stress job on a magazine/lots of 12 hr days. However, I also like to ride/run/lift hard/go surfing in winter when I can. Trouble is the combo can make it easy to get run down.

1. Within about 15-35 mins after exercise -- consume a ratio of 4:1 carbs:protein eg. 80g carbs 20 g protein. This makes not only muscle recovery swifter, but also helps immune system. (While the recovery part is now well known, the immune boost still isn't.) Here's a link to the researcher: http://www.utexas.edu/features/archive/2004/nutrition.html

2. Zicam Cold Remedy nasal swabs, the minute you feel you are coming down with something. The longer you wait the less effective it is.

(I got this tip from a column about winter riding in a bike magazine). I used to use Cold-Eze which kinda did a number on my stomach.

The Zicam swabs get the zinc to the metabolism faster, with less aggravation. Side effect: can cause nose-bleeds to those who are sensitive. Which includes me. I do get them from time to time. Beats a cold though.

2b. Saline solution to keep the nose irrigated. Esp. before bed so nose doesn't dry out if you have lots of heat blasting in winter.

3. All the usual common sense things: proper sleep, plenty of water, vit C after meals.


I hear ya OP.

My last ride was 35 miles on 12/21 before we went out of town for Christmas. I did manage 16.4 miles walking/jogging and 2.6 km of swimming while out of town (about 7 hours of exercise).

I got a cold on 1/1 which I am just now getting over. ...I wouldn't have thought that 2 weeks, 3 days off the bike would have hurt that much! :(

Hopefully I'll be able to get out for a ride on Saturday so I can put my new Garmin Edge 305 HR & Cadence through some paces...

[solveg]

Nice moose covers (close maybe?) on the bars! I was really wanting those during a day break ride when it was about 2F about a month ago...

Moose Covers? That's a good name for them! A guy at my local LBS makes them with his mom. They are so cool. They have a pretty thick soft fleece lining on the inside. Hands are almost too toasty. I love them.

[JohnKScott]

John,

Here are some anti-cold tips I picked up.

I am/was a real cold magnet with a hi-stress job on a magazine/lots of 12 hr days. However, I also like to ride/run/lift hard/go surfing in winter when I can. Trouble is the combo can make it easy to get run down.

1. Within about 15-35 mins after exercise -- consume a ratio of 4:1 carbs:protein eg. 80g carbs 20 g protein. This makes not only muscle recovery swifter, but also helps immune system. (While the recovery part is now well known, the immune boost still isn't.) Here's a link to the researcher: http://www.utexas.edu/features/archive/2004/nutrition.html

2. Zicam Cold Remedy nasal swabs, the minute you feel you are coming down with something. The longer you wait the less effective it is.

(I got this tip from a column about winter riding in a bike magazine). I used to use Cold-Eze which kinda did a number on my stomach.

The Zicam swabs get the zinc to the metabolism faster, with less aggravation. Side effect: can cause nose-bleeds to those who are sensitive. Which includes me. I do get them from time to time. Beats a cold though.

2b. Saline solution to keep the nose irrigated. Esp. before bed so nose doesn't dry out if you have lots of heat blasting in winter.

3. All the usual common sense things: proper sleep, plenty of water, vit C after meals.

Thanks for the tips. I sort of do a lot of that stuff already, although probably not as scientifically as spelled out above :D

When I was training regularly before vacation I dodged about three rounds of colds that I was exposed to. Tried to get enough sleep, Emergen-C Ora Pops w/ zinc plus a bunch of other vitamin C and recovery drink/meals after rides. I think when I got out of the routine and went up north where it was colder (and drier) I got hit. I noticed my nasal passages, throat and everything felt dry and a bit tender. Plus I wasn't as good about taking the C...

I wasn't aware of the 80/20 carb/prot mix helping the immune system. Although, it makes sense as less resources (or shorter time) may be needed for muscle recovery and those resources can be redeployed to the immune system. I may give the Zicam swabs & saline a shot as well.

I'm feeling a lot better and was able to get a workout in this morning at a "fast recovery pace" (for me that was avg 130w & 18 mph over 12 perfectly flat trainer miles). It felt good!

Thanks again!

[BeckyW]

Susan, LOVE the pics. I hadn't noticed the moose-things!

I went for a 4-5-ish mile ride the other day, and like everyone else, felt slow, legs were like lead after, and my sit bones hurt. They felt almost normal yesterday, and seem to not hurt today, so I guess it's time to go out again and get sore before it snows tomorrow... :)

[Air]

Moose Covers? That's a good name for them! A guy at my local LBS makes them with his mom. They are so cool. They have a pretty thick soft fleece lining on the inside. Hands are almost too toasty. I love them.

Very cool! Lots of delivery guys take two bleach bottles and tape them to the handlebars - same effect.

[jboyd]

The good news is, It Gets Better. I rode again this last Saturday. 12 miles and this time at about the 6 mile point it all kind of "Came Back". Up to that point I was not doing well, but then it just happened.

On the ride week before last, that happened about 1000 feet before the end of the ride :-(

I did have one problem though. I was only going to ride 9 miles and I noticed how great I was feeling, so I pushed it. What was really happening, was I had the wind to my back giving me an assist. So, the last 2 miles back home was a little tough (wind in face).

[JohnKScott]

The good news is, It Gets Better. I rode again this last Saturday. 12 miles and this time at about the 6 mile point it all kind of "Came Back". Up to that point I was not doing well, but then it just happened.

On the ride week before last, that happened about 1000 feet before the end of the ride :-(

I did have one problem though. I was only going to ride 9 miles and I noticed how great I was feeling, so I pushed it. What was really happening, was I had the wind to my back giving me an assist. So, the last 2 miles back home was a little tough (wind in face).

Yep. I think I'm back in form again too. I did the trainer yesterday and beat my previous best time by 39 seconds on a climbing TT course (and new high on avg & max power as well...). Funny thing is, it felt like I could have gone harder when I finished (I think I was saving up too much thinking I was going to blow up). Big change from one week prior where the virtual competitor ate my breakfast!

It feels good to be back :D

[BeckyW]

Isn't the human body amazing?!

Yesterday's 8 mile ride felt easier than the 5 mile one that about killed me the other day :D I hope I'll be able to get out at least a couple times a week, until the weather warms up more consistently (I refuse to ride if it's less than 40-45 out.. I'm a wuss. :P :) )