cranky old dude

Wow!

I feel like I got hit by a truck!

I took Thursday off from the bike as a rest day and went antiqueing with the bride instead. We had a great day and the only financial outlay was for gasoline.

Friday was to be a long ride of 60+ miles but I woke up at 07:00 a.m. with absolutely no ambition what so ever. I just chalked it up to my body's normal negative reaction to the recent heat wave, rolled over and went back to sleep.

I crawled out of bed late in the morning and chose to finish sanding the old finish off of a piece of furniture that I'm sprucing up for my daughter. I would have prefered to have been cycling but I did promise her I'ld have it finished in time for Fall Semester. That's when it started. I noticed that my left shoulder blade was sore when ever I bent down to pick anything up from the garage floor. Then my lower left back started getting sore. (I'm right handed by the way)

I finished sanding about 05:00 p.m. and welcomed a nice hot shower not only to wash off the dust but hopefully to loosen my back and shoulder a bit. It didn't work out that way. We had planned on eating out Friday evening but I was a hurting puppy. I cancelled out, took some ibuprofin and crawled into bed instead. I tossed about in bed from 06:00 last night until 03:00 this morning in pain. No comfortable position could be found.

I did decide not to bike into work this morning and drove the pickup instead. Some of the nicest cycling weather of the Summer is slipping by and my beat up old body is in no condition to take advantage of it. I'm bummed, to say the least.

I'm not looking for a diagnosis here as I imagine I've just pulled some muscles somehow, though I'll probably never figure out exactly how or when I did it.

I'm just venting my frustration at having a garage full of bikes, sunny skies, beautiful temperatures, low humidity, and I can't ride!!

DnvrFox

Bummer

I hurt so much I can't even walk. But, I can ride my bike without pain. Maybe we should join bodies?

Retro Grouch 

I hear you, Cranky.

It doesn't take very much bending over or stooping to make my lower back SCREAM! Fortunately for me, however, it usually stops as soon as I stop doing those things. That's why I built the portable bench for working on my recumbents.

I certainly hope that your pain subsides quickly.

cyclinfool

Lenny - get some help if it lasts more than a day or two, you are in too good a shape for this to be "normal".

cranky old dude

Update: Back pain is down to an annoying ache. Shoulder isn't quite as bad. Got close to three hours of sleep last night. Hope to ride on Monday!

George

I've been off the bike for 2 days, this heat has really got me down. I have to be off the bike tomorrow again, to take my wife to the doctor. She pulled a nerve in her back as well. Ain't getting old fun.

dynodonn 

Sometimes you just have to give the body a rest. Since I'm not retired yet, I'll generally use my days off from work as time off from the bike, in order to give my body some much needed recovery time.

jackb

In Zen there is a saying, "Eat when hungry, rest when tired." The principle works for most things, including cycling. When it's really hot, like it is here in Billings at this time of year, I don't fight the heat. Either I cycle in the moring first thing, or just put cycling out of my mind until the temperature is agreeable. I don't worry about it. Cycle when ready, don't when not.

Doohickie

I look at it this way: I ride my bike because it's fun. If the thought of riding the bike doesn't sound like fun, it's time to take a day off. I've been pretty terrible about riding this summer with the heat and all, but I don't beat myself up about it. Much.

cranky old dude

I feel no guilt about not riding (if that's what you mean)...I miss riding. It's only been since Wednesday but I miss riding my bike big time!!

If it wasn't for this crappy back of mine I'ld have just been merrily pedaling along instead of belly-aching on this site about not riding.

I miss you bike!!!

oilman_15106

Same mistake here. Thought chasing the grandkids around for 10 days would make up for riding. When I got back on the bike I had to check the calender to see if it was March! Two weeks later I am almost feeling back to where I was.