Hmm, could have been the cold and rain. 14 y/o grandson had a baseball game Wed eve. Ended about 8:30. He starts talking about running fast but I tell him he should be faster, maybe do some off season training. So he says he wants to race me.

I tell him that I shouldn't cause it's cold and I haven't done a sprint in a long time, only thing I can do is get hurt, pull a muscle or something. "Aw C'mon old man!"

OK, he says a 20 yard dash, I say 40. Sure enough we take off and he's doing well but I kick in the after burners cause he's doing really well. Sure enough right at the finish line I pull the hammy!

OK, my leg is hurt but I kicked his ass and if I practice and do a little running, I'll kick it even more ha ha!

I've only pulled a hammy once long ago. After a long 70 mile bike ride. Later a cold softball league game in cold weather, a sprint in the outfield and OUCH! That had to be the cold weather after a cool down of a good workout.

This time I am thinking it to was the cold weather at it had been raining off and on...or is the dreaded "OLD AGE"?

Now to find out how the leg does on a bike ride this weekend, but I must say it is coming along nicely after some stretching.

Alternately.. send him off riding and say where you will meet up afterwards,
take the shortcut, and be sitting at the cafe table when he gets there..

For example..
The Distance Between Ghent and Wavelgem, near Kortrijk,

one of the Pro's spring classics, is a casual cruise
along one of Belgium's many Navigational canals.

so the cutting out the hundred + miles to the coast and back
and over the Kimmelberg twice,
will give you a bit of time for a Pint , or 2 before they show up.

Ouch. Rest up and be careful with the stretching because a pulled muscle is essentially one that has been overstretched. If it's not severe I'd stick with the old fashioned RICE(Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) method, if it's beyond the nagging twinge you get with a pulled hammy or you can't walk you had better go see a doctor.

Either way, rest up and get better Viejo!!

Ha ha ha! It was uncomfy 2 night ago in bed. Last night we walked about 2 miles around the mall. Felt much better but just a bit sore so I'll be nursing it if I ride.

Next time Grandson feels frisky insist that you both do at at least 10 min of stretching to avoid cramps or worse.

Good idea!

You have a 14 y/o grandson? Yah, it's that you're old. Sorry!

Shoot, have to turn the "thought to text" option off! My bad.

The oldest is 14. We've got 8 grandkids. That is 8 days every year we can't ride because of birthday parties.

I've been picking on a GRANDPA! I feel like such a heel.

Btw Mr. GotMyExcuseReadyAlready, Sunday has been set aside for the no-excuses SART ride, barring a flat or other bizarre machanical like my bike asploding. Carbon bikes asplode, you can read all about it on the 41.

In other interesting news, my son (who is a strapping young 9 yr old) challenged me to a race about a year ago. I knew I was faster, as long as it was under 50 yards or so, so I said bring it punk. We went over to the local high school and set up shop on the 40 yard line and I proceded to whup his behind all the way to the goal line. SO he said, we need to go further back and we started over again on the 50. My wife and daughter got in on it too so you know full well it was GAME ON! Well, I was in the lead and pulling hard when all of a sudden - POP and I went down like a sack of flour at about 25 yards. Yep, pulled a hammy. Old age sucks.

You guys with your hammies. I have the perfect solution. If you have it removed, you can't pull it! So far, it's working really well for me!

...It hurts! Playing softball I almost went down (10 years ago). This time I felt it pop but was able to maintain control. Had to it was on the pavement.

9 yo son? Dude, you're a youngster. Our kids are 31, 30, 29 and 26!. Yeah we started young.

I think it tried to remove itself!..... that is one thing you won't miss, the "hammy pull".

I think that next year you'll find we're in the same age bracket on strava, so I'm not that young. If it's any consolation, my doctor said I have the knee of an 80 yr old man and that was 10 years ago.

So wait, your oldest child is 31 years old and you have a 14 year old grandkid?

Yeah, the don't do as we did speech never works.

Hey, how many kids can say "See that mountain? My Gramma and Grampa ride their bikes up to the top of that!"

Then, under their breath, they mumble something about it being caused by senility!

Beanz, you know you're getting to middle age when you finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart.

Ha ha ha! I'll tell you one thing, they are afraid to challenge Gina on the bike.

Ha ha ha! That's a good one but so true!

Age is but a number. However, the "posterior chain" does get tighter as we age. Unless you have good posterior flexibility it's best to avoid sprinting. If it wasn't a hammie it could have been a calve or even worse: an achilles injury. If you're so inclined, yoga is a good way to increase flexibility. Hope you're feeling better and able to ride!

Beans: from my old softball days, go to chiropractor and get electrical stimulation on your hammy. Good as new in a few days.

It'll probably interfere with his pace maker.

Thanks guys! Actually feling better on the third day. Yeah, I know, silly running when cold and not in sprinting form.

................

Don't complain, lots never get the opportunity to grow old ...

On the other hand, you have lots of company with the pulled muscles and reliving the glory days.