Back on Bike


After four weeks off the bike, I finally got on the old lycra shorts and went out for a proper ride. Just 15 miles or so to start off with. It wasn’t too much fun, because the left leg is still weak – not painful, but doesn’t feel quite right. I will have to take it easy for a while. Even if leg is fine, there is a great disparity in muscle mass between the left leg and right leg. It is surprising to see how much muscle can waste away when you don’t use it all. The problem with having one leg much stronger than others, is that you are much more prone to injury. When there is a weakness on one side, it causes the body to over-compensate making injury much more likely. This was experience of last year, when I went to sports physio over a bad knee.

Anyway, it’s good to be making progress. Two weeks ago, I could only stand on one leg, so it’s nice to be already cycling 15 miles – nice and slow. Yesterday was 30 miles. And no longer do I have to experience the indignity of being passed on my commuting bike by old ladies with sit up and beg bikes. (not that that bothered me at all.)

When the weather is so wet, you need to be fairly motivated to go out on the bike training. The problem is that with bad leg, the motivation is not there as much. But, that’s probably a good thing, it will make me more likely to listen to my own advice and ease myself back in gently. Perhaps as my leg gets better, the weather will also improve….



2 Responses to Back on Bike

  1. Barrie May 18, 2012 at 8:08 am #

    Good to hear you are back on the bike when the first impression was it might be a much longer recovery period off the bike.

    As a fellow cyclist I can understand the feelings of missing riding the bike which can even border on aguilt trip for not being able to following you pre-set training plan.

    I think riding a bike for most keen cyclists is not just a hobby but more of an obsession, or it appears to be that way for me and the people I ride with.
    Much to the dismay of our partners.

    Regards

    Barrie

    • tejvan May 18, 2012 at 8:16 am #

      injury definitely disrupts your training and puts cycling into a different perspective

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