Decisions, decisions
 

I'm tired. It's been a 200+ mile-6 days with about 17,000 ft of climbing and the body is telling me to rest. I woke up tired. My right knee has developed some pains that probably means the saddle height needs to be reduced. My knee is tired.

I've signed up for another 100 miler for this Saturday that has 13,000 ft of climbing and has one climb that is just brutal. It tops out at 19% and averages 13-15% for 2 miles. Plus I've already done the darn route this year as a training ride.

I'll be out of town all week in Charleston, SC and have the option of staying over next weekend (all expenses paid) and enjoy the coast, play some golf, eat excellent food, get rested etc. On the other hand I could drive 6-7 hours back late Friday night and get on the bike before the crack of dawn and do the hellish ride on Saturday.

One minute I want to do the ride. The next minute I'm ready for a break.

Not sure what I'll do.

What would you do????

Charleston S.C. is a delightful city. Everyone there rides cheap bikes. It's amazing. They say it's because the life expectancy of a new bike there is about 10 days, so no one rides anything that they wouldn't mind getting ripped off.

I say go there, wine and dine and rent a cheap bike and enjoy the Good Side of the Force.

I'd tell you to ride. Or not.

I say, go out and cruise by some rosebushes to smell the roses. Take a recovery ride.

My money is on you doing the hellish ride. But if it were me, I'd hang out where I could laze around under some Spanish Moss and have some shrimp grits. You'll have fun no matter what.

I think you've earned a mini-vacation. Enjoy your weekend in Charleston. :)

Play golf.;)

NO.....NO.....NOT Golf........anything............

Those people are strange. They have special clothing, and special shoes, and....and......they do it to stay "fit". Who could hang out with people like that?

To ride, or not to ride,
That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler to endure the slings and arrows
of outrageous fortune (murderous hills, for example)
or to take arms against a sea of troubles (a recovery ride, for instance)
and by opposing end them.

Only you, grasshopper, can make this decision. You already know the answer. Stop ignoring your Inner Cyclist. He knows what to do. :)

[QUOTE=Digital Gee]To ride, or not to ride,
That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler to endure the slings and arrows
of outrageous fortune (murderous hills, for example)
or to take arms against a sea of troubles (a recovery ride, for instance)
and by opposing end them.

And just before I go ( that was the wrong taxi, in case anyone was following another thread) we have a deal to perform Hamlet on bicycles on our overnight in Elsinor. The question is, does that mileage count?

I'd take the break. I've always found it harder to recover from over training than from a short break.

Maybe it's time to give the knee and yourself a little rest. But then again I'm one of those that hates to miss a ride, too:)

Indecisive people don't make their own decisions . . . neither does a herd of cows!

Worse would be to watch golf on TV. Seriously, jppe, if your knee is "sensitive", and given that's it's only mid June with a long season ahead of us, and how lovely fall must be in the Blue Ridge....the last thing you need is to blow out your knee and lose your training flow.

What would your mom say......"Take it easy, Jppe, and you'll ride another day-- and in the meantime clean your room." In fact, you'll ride lots of days. The recovery ride timed to not interfere with golf sounds good. Or, a ride with the wife maybe-- after all, you guys just recently reconnected. ;)

What are you, crazy? Play golf!

Look at your lede: "I'm tired." And now look at your kicker: "I'm ready for a break."
There's your answer.

You've done a lot of riding. And will continue to for months. But you can't enjoy Charleston SC free very often. I say do the Charleston thing.

Listen to your body. It's easy for those of us who push hard to forget that recovery is the most important part of training.

Goldurnit, jppe, if you're gonna be an ironman, then you can't be a ninny. Of course, ninny's may last longer, eventually accomplish more, and not sit around the house crabbing because their leg is iced up on a cushion or their body is drained, but.................we all agree: RECOVER.

I think there's a certain logic to this comment jppe. It may be time to take a short break, rest the knee a touch and then enjoy the rest of the summer and fall riding season.

Since your asking I think you really want to take a break. I know if I had put in the miles you did it would not be a question for me. The worst thing you can do is to not take breaks, unless you are a pro and getting paid to ride. Too much cycling like anything else will lead to mental and physical fatigue and make you more prone to injury.

Take the time away from the bike and you will enjoy it more when you get back

All the homeless people steal them?

I had a pretty brutal ride Saturday - it wasn't meant to be, but ended up that way. (one of those!) So yesterday I spent the time with my wife and some friends down at the ole swimming hole. We have a beautiful tropical river with deep swimming holes, rapids, etc. I swam and then let the rushing water beat away all soreness. Felt wonderful.

Swimming is great therapy for joints too.

If you feel Like I do right now. Take a drink A large one, then another- go to bed and sleep. Decide ttomorrow

Have you built any recovery periods into your summer schedule? If not, and at the level you've been riding, you may benefit more from a weekend with other activities. My schedule varies so much that I don't have to worry about structured time off - it just happens (like most of the Month of May). The golfing may be looked at as core strength training (:rolleyes: ). Seriously, refocusing for a few days may freshen up your riding for the rest of the summer. Either way - enjoy!

I was in Savannah this Spring and noticed that almost everyone was riding cheap bikes. I was there for 4 days and only on the last day did I see a bike that would have sold for over $250. Most of them were $50-$150 Wal-Mart bikes.

I was talking to a guy the other day who works in a bike shop. He said the police said that there were the equivalent of Bike Pirates who ride into town and steal big semis-worth of bikes and then take them to Florida* of all places.

Bike Pirates!:eek:

I drove from Charlotte to DC last weekend (after our ride). It was 7 hours. Got up the next morning and did a little over 40 solo....that was enough. I think the driving sort of wears me out and while the ride felt good as a recovery thing, I don't think I would have wanted to tackle 100. Of course, I'm not jppe, who we expect to do a century a week year round.

On the other hand, that was a very sweet set of clubs you had in your car and they looked like they could use some exercise. Maybe you could play 36 both days and wear yourself out that way. ;) Is there a golf forum where you can post your scores and everyone will be impressed with how well you shot????

Anyway, it's a nice choice to have...choose well.