Today I had to recover from the past two nights. I'm a total wimp when it comes to losing my sleep. I woke up this morning and made myself a nice giant bowl of oatmeal with raspberries and apples. This always settles my stomach no matter how mean I have been to it (well, within reason, but I wasn't that mean to it). Then I went for a nice long bike ride with my sister again. I'm a little bummed that my summer weekends are going to be really crazy and probably not allow for a lot of sister bike rides. I tried out my new Garmin today so I could tell Caroline how far we were going and how long we had been biking for. We were a little slower than last week, but I blame it on the fact that it was the first nice day in nearly a week so everyone was on the bike path this morning.
So, we went 13.39 miles (well actually that's how far I went, Caroline and I have to meet in the center of town so our mileage is a little off). It took me 1 hour and 8 minutes. That pace on the side was my current pace as I was taking the picture, not my average for the whole time haha. When I was going fast it said my pace was about a 4 minute mile, so that's pretty good. But like I said, there were definitely some slow parts. Overall it was a great bike ride.I have some questions for the bikers out there who read my blog. I just learned how to work my bike pump today so I clearly still have a lot to learn.
1. This is more of a plead than a question- Please tell me I am going to get used to this bike seat. It's so painful! This is going to be too much info, but it literally hurts when I come home and pee!
2. This week my neck really hurt after I rode. This did not happen last week. Am I sitting wrong? Maybe hunching forward too much?
3. How can I keep my hand from falling asleep? For some reason my left hand always falls asleep at about mile 6.
When I got home, I did my knee stretches. I thought I'd share them with everyone because I wish I had been doing them long before I hurt my knee!
1. Calf Stretch
2. Hamstring Stretch
3. IT Band Stretch- I realize it's impossible to see what I am actually doing in this picture. Basically you cross one leg in front of the other, bending the front knee a little bit. Keep your back leg straight. Then reach your opposite arm across to touch the back leg. This stretch also works your hamstring.
4. Quad Stretch- This is like the normal quad stretch where you told your leg, but I am resting my leg on my dining room chair because it's better for your knees. 
I am supposed to be doing these stretches twice per day, holding each side for 30 seconds. The 30 seconds is the biggest thing for me. I was RARELY ever holding any stretch for 30 seconds. Even now, I have to check my watch to make sure I really hold it because when I do what I think is 30 seconds, it's usually about 10 or 15. No wonder I am so tight!
I also have my new favorite
It looks small and not intimidating, but do not let looks fool you, it hurts a LOT. But I figure it's all worth it in the end if I can run without my knee hurting a lot. So far I am not seeing a huge improvement in my knee pain, so hopefully that is going to come soon. Anyway, I know it's about 9:30 on a Saturday night but I think I am going to call it a night- I told you I was a total wimp with no sleep! I hope everyone is having a great weekend so far.
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I have been thinking about getting a foam roller, but wasn't sure what it does or if it would be worth the money.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, the foam roller. So good for you, yet so freakin painful. I definitely notice a difference in knee pain when I roll regularly. The hard thing is just getting my butt (well, IT band) on that thing! You're right, its looks are so deceiving. Who would've thought that little thing could cause so much pain?
ReplyDeleteI have been told the pain goes away. But I think my seat is adjusted wrong, and that's why I'm getting crotch pain and not the usual butt pain (funfun!!) Maybe you're suffering from the same thing? If it's just your butt that hurts, your sit bones will harden up to it. My boyfriend says it takes a couple hundred km before you get used to it (soo...100 miles??)
ReplyDeleteMy neck hurts sometimes too, but I find it's actually better when I DO lean forward more instead of trying to fight that hunched over position.
As for your hand, maybe try consciously switching up your grip? Do you have drop handlebars? You can get into a million positions with those. Maybe that will help?
I'm pretty new to the biking thing too, so I'm just figuring this out as I go along! :)
Love that IT stretch, adding that to my stretching routine! :)
I really need to be better about stretching. It's never something I've done much. But my muscles have been so tight lately that I really need to do something about it. I should check out that foam roller.
ReplyDeleteI am 26 and I say the same thing: "how did I used to drink multiple nights in a row when I was in college?? How did I manage to still do well in school??" I attended a wedding over the weekend and drank more than usual. Let's just say I feel the pain today, and I'm very glad tomorrow is a SLOW day!
ReplyDeletethanks for the stretch-shares! i really need to get better at enforcing a post-workout stretch. instead i just always say that i need to get better.
ReplyDeleteAbout the seat: I bought a nice cushy one because I don't like those hard ones or you can get a pair of bike shorts with the padding built in.
ReplyDeleteThe neck pain: Try to keep your spine in a straight line. That means don't crane your neck up. Now I understand that you need to see what's coming up, but you can do that with a quick glance, but for the most part try to keep your head in line with the rest of your spine.
As for your hands: I try to change my hand positions a lot. I think we have the same handlebars. I tend not to drop all the way down to hold the curved part, but to hold the part that is closest to you (if that makes sense) and then you can change them around.
Nice bike ride!
ReplyDeleteI hope all of this stretching and rolling pays off. I need to be more diligent about it myself. I have a bad habit of only doing it regularly when something is bothering me...
Everyone's probably answered your questions already, but I just wanted to say that I have gotten used to the bike seats...My butt doesn't even hurt after spinning! BUT...I honestly think I've built some sort of callus. Yeah, gross, I know. And as for the neck maybe your shoulders were too tense? In spinning anyways my teacher is always saying that we should relax them and try to hold ourselves from the core...
ReplyDeleteps: I just might have to jump on the bandwagon with that foam roller thing!