mleess

First time out on the bike yesterday since last September. Yeah I'm a big wuss in the cold months and my trainer sat mostly unused. So much fun to be out there again, but wow --- what can happen to a body that goes without exercise for months on end. My legs were burning even going up short hills. So now it's back to 4 days/week to get back in some semblance of shape.

I'd like to say I was doing a scientific study on the effects of no exercise, but I was just plain lazy. Now I can't stop thinking about getting on the bike again.

DrPete 

Stop F'ing so many M's and get on the bike. F'ing clearly isn't keeping you in shape.

Grasschopper

Dude...since Sept? That is more than half the year off the bike...where do you live?

I thought I spent too much time off the bike this winter...been back on since late March and I STILL don't feel like I have my fitness back...though last night I did feel REALLY good while climbing. Too bad I didn't have more time. Today out on the fixie over lunch I of course felt like I was glued to the ground.

mleess

Would you believe I live up in Alaska where it is dark six months out of the year? OK, I live in Maryland and I was just a big fat P-word all winter (and part of Fall and Spring too).

timmyquest

recursive

I took 6 weeks off the bike and I felt horrible after that. I lost about 60 watts on a 3 mile TT. The only reason I did it was because I broke my collarbone and spleen.

chrisvu05

You broke your spleen?!?

DrPete 

We use the term "lacerated," but yes, it can happen.

recursive

Yup, busted it so bad, I had to have emergency splenectomy, and am now asplenic. I gots plenty Howell-Jolly bodies.

DrPete 

Did you get your vaccines?

recursive

Yes. Four of them, I seem to recall. I don't remember the names of them all though.

Psimet2001 

I have to agree with Grasschopper - I was off the bike from October through late March and I am just now starting to feel like I have some form back. Granted I was off for medical reasons, but I was climbing the walls (and building bikes) the whole time.

I have lost so much form that now I think I have overtrained and hit some sort of wall. I have no energy and can't seem to get my HR even close to where is used to stay. I also have a permanant case of not being able to "get the lead out" of my legs. First instinct is overtraining, but that's what sucks...it's from my commute....

DrPete 

H. influenzae, N. meningitidis, and S. pneumoniae are the standard ones. Not sure what the 4th would be, but something new may have come up the pike since the last time I took out a spleen. There are some other organisms you might be susceptible to that are more common where you live or something like that too.

Glad you're OK, though...

recursive

Well, I was told to seek immediate medical attention if my temperature ever reaches 101. Hasn't happened since Fall.

*fingers crossed*

celticfrost

Between work, a long winter, and a messed-up back, I was off the bike from Oct thru mid April. It seems like my 1st instinct is to try and "catch up" and push too hard, too soon --- which is probably the best way to mess up my back again. I rode 106 miles on Sat (previous high this year was 40). I was smart enough to stop paying attention to average speed after 40 miles, but in retrospect it was something I shouldn't have done.

So what I did to help avoid trying to "catch up" and concentrate more on enjoying the fact that I'm actually back on the bike was to buy a camera and take it w/ me on my rides. It's caused me to become more aware and appreciative of my surroundings (instead of the stupid numbers my computer is spitting out). I figure this way the base miles will accumulate, the chances of overtraining will decrease, I'll develop a good level of base fitness and I'll get some great pics in the meantime.

Don't get me wrong though, once I figure I've taken enough pics and my fitness level has increased a bit, I know that I'll want to do a couple hammerfests a week in preparation for some races.

EvilGoodGuy

Wow, I felt guilty for taking a week off back in December.

DrPete 

Those are words to live by. I took care of a guy who got septic from a DF-2 infection resulting from a dog bite. Bad things, man... bad things.

2Tired2Shift

Ehhh, spleens are overrated anyway. You're bike didn't get hurt did it?

chrisvu05

haha...just giving him a hard time

recursive

Nope. Not even a scratch. And I'm 200 grams lighter! I bet the next fad in cycling will be elective organ removal. UCI may require a 6.8 kg bike, but they don't require a pancreas!

DrPete 

Nah... small intestine and colon are where it's at. You can dump some serious weight there with no loss of performance. You kinda need a pancreas, though.

chipcom 

Man, I feel like crap just being limited to commuting in the winter...if I stayed off the bike all winter I'd be a real slug, not just play one on TV.

2Tired2Shift

Don't you need your small intestine to absorb nutrients?

Of course, I could drop a few pounds by getting a penis reduction....

DrPete 

Yeah, you need some small intestine, but not ALL of it... it's amazing how much of it can come out with no untoward effects...

chipcom 

Then we'd see you wandering around trying to find the Wizard of Oz, singing "If I'd only kept my brain"