No consistency = sore legs
08-05-08, 10:13 PM
#1
Old Cyclist
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Bellingham, Washington, USA
Posts: 129
Bikes: Novara Randonee
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
No consistency = sore legs
Summer is hard for me to get out and ride as it's my busy work season and I'm out of town a lot, working sunrise to sunset. So I wasn't on my bike since July 17 until yesterday's grocery shopping. Today I headed out for a 40-mile spin, figuring I'm in pretty good overall shape and pushing myself is almost always good. The first 25 miles were great, averaging 17.1 mph. I took my first real break there for a Clif bar and plenty of water, knowing more ups and downs were ahead on a narrow and very scenic road. I was starting to get a little tired, and it showed in the last 15 miles home. I used lower gears than usual on the route and stopped to rest more often. Tonight my legs are a little tender, but hopefully will be OK tomorrow. No real big hills, just lots of rollers for a total of about 2300 feet of climbing (and matching downhills) spread pretty evenly. Overall average was 16.0 mph.
If you're in the Pacific Northwest, the route took me from Bellingham out along Lake Whatcom, down past Cain Lake to Alger, south and west on Colony Road to Chuckanut Drive and the way home. I had lots of courteous drivers follow behind me until safe to pass on the crooked road, and one unsafe driver who passed when there was oncoming traffic and nearly made a big mess. Oncoming driver honked loudly and the passer pulled back in.
If you're in the Pacific Northwest, the route took me from Bellingham out along Lake Whatcom, down past Cain Lake to Alger, south and west on Colony Road to Chuckanut Drive and the way home. I had lots of courteous drivers follow behind me until safe to pass on the crooked road, and one unsafe driver who passed when there was oncoming traffic and nearly made a big mess. Oncoming driver honked loudly and the passer pulled back in.
08-06-08, 11:09 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 6,900
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
A younger tri athlete gave me a good tip. Uses only the small front ring for the first 500 miles of a new season to get the legs in "spinning shape" as he put it. I tried it this year and it was hard to resist the urge to pound the big ring but it really works when you have been off the bike for a while. Why not try it?
In other words take it easy until you get more bike time.
In other words take it easy until you get more bike time.
08-06-08, 12:42 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: S.E. Pennsylvania, USA
Posts: 1,737
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
At my age and level of fitness, I find that 10 days off the bike will require at least 4 to 5 days of work to get back to where I was. As we age our fitness slips away quicker and takes longer to regain. Sounds like some night lighting or an indoor trainer might be worth looking into if you are likely to be faces with additional sun up to sun down stretches in the future.
