Well I've had a week of commutes on my bike and not much else. I've been enjoying the rides, but as much as I like them, running is still my driving force. I've got myself a nice little routine, found myself a place to park my bike at work, and schnavelled a locker. But it's not the same. However my legs are getting better. I'm starting to feel confident that I will be able to go for some walks soon and then short runs soon after that.
I've been to the physio a couple of times now. My injury is to my patella, but at the point where it joins the shin bone. I've managed to partially detach it from the bone - it appears my muscular "tolerance" (is that the word?) is weaker than most. It was not my weight alone that caused the injury, but weight combined with overuse and insufficient stretching. I've got to discover my balance between running and running to cause injury. Apparently this is a classic runners injury - normally to runners doing longer distances, but my weight has meant it happened to me from running 30km a week.
So... more stretching (which I find painfully boring). Any tips on making stretching fun?? I've joined a yoga class for "fun" stretching. It doesn't start for a couple of weeks though. My flexibility is non-existant so I hope yoga will help that too.
My bike is still wonderful, and doing a great job! I think I will continue to commute by bike - it's all uphill on the way to work, but all downhill on the way home! Weeeeeeeeee! Although one night I was late home and there were other cyclists without lights and when you travel at speed it doesn't give you much time to react! Fortunately my fast is only about 25km/h. I've managed to crank her up to 30km/h but that's not a speed I'm comfortable at. I like travelling between 15 and 20 km/h but I'm sure I'll get more confidence and pick up speed. My speedo doesn't give me an average speed but I can wear Percy for that I guess. I'm getting much more familiar with the route and I know what gear I was in at what point last time, so I can sort of compete with myself like that. I tend to spend a lot of time in the lowest gear on the way to work, so I want to change that. Lots of cyclists zip past me so clearly it's possible to work the gears a bit more. A little personal challenge until I run again!
About Me
- Celeste
- Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- I have two important pasttimes in my life - study and running. I started studying my PhD in 2005 because I want to become an academic. There is something appealing about being educated and something liberating about being an expert in a field. Running is just fun. It clears the mind and makes you feel like you can acheive anything. Like a PhD...
17 comments:
Glad to hear everything is ok - I was starting to think you and your bike had come to greif on the way to work or something!!
stretching ... I quite enjoy sretching. I put a nice peaceful track on the iPod and just chill out. I spend a lot of time reflecting on what I just did in my exercise session and feeling good about myself and my acheivements. I haven't done yoga before but I have tried Pilates, but didn't like it - I felt like it was wasting time that I could be using for a harder workout, but I know it has it's place, and the 12 week course I did taught me a lot about stretching.
I think it's something you learn to love - your body feels great and lovely and loose after a good stretch session!
So glad you are still enjoying the bike, and being sensible about the running. I too find stretching incredibly boring, probably why I'm so inflexible too.
I love stretching :)
Yoga sounds good. I find when I do yoga I run better as well. I've got a dvd at home that's a really basic yoga workout, if you want a copy let me know. It could be good to get started before your classes start.
I am with you Celeste, I find stretching boring but I so need to do it I know. If you find something good let me know :)
I never do much stretching either but I occassionaly go mad for yoga and it really makes a difference. I never keep it up though because I can't be bothered with the 30 mins relaxation at the end of each class.
Pilates is even worse in my opinion - its a killer - like doing situps for an hour.
Glad your back blogging by the way.
I have found that I'm much less flexible in the legs now that I run. I go to yoga once a week and enjoy it. I keep making pacts to myself to do it more than once a week but I find it boring on my own.
I wish I loved stretching like these other bendy folks but I don't. Until I had my latest overuse injury (I'm a slooooooooowww learner) it hadn't actually hit home to me that IF I HAVEN'T GOT TIME TO STRETCH THEN I HAVEN'T GOT TIME TO RUN.
Actually associating stretching with absence of pain was what finally caused the penny to drop for me :)
I miss your blogging too. I find that when I am riding to work I just plod- but every now and then I crank up the speed and realise that I am not challenging myself at all- it is usually when I am overtaken by about 20 cyclists as if I am standing still.
I get the giggles in Yoga- I just can't help it.
I hate stretching as well, seems to eat into the time better spent actually doing something. To be honest, I don't think you can jazz up stretching.
I can see I'm going against the trend now. Thank goodness Sarah likes stretching too. I like it because taking the time to stretch stops me hurting later and helps me build stronger muscles faster.
I'm sure I don't do enough stretching, but I'm trying hard to increase the time I spend on it. I hold my stretches while I slowly count "mississipi one ... ten". I tell myself my calf stretches are really important because they are for my running, and I do them twice!
Apart from counting and holding the stretch, I don't think about much. I find it really relaxing to just chill out at the end of the run or workout.
I can see that you're in serious danger of becoming a bicyle nut. Maybe you should take up swimming as well while you're not running, and you'll be a triathlete in no time.
I dunno, 30km a week seems a fair bit to me! Patellar injury - I can sympathise. It took me four months to come vack from mine - hopefully your recover will go much more easily.
oh my!
I have missed stuff!
Hope the injury gets sorted soon,but yay you on the bike!
I definately agree with stretching like yoga/pilates incorporated into your training.Cross training is a good thing but particularly anything that stretches out your muscles because of all the contraction that happens during activities such as running.
Have you got a sore bike bum? :)
Hi,
Stumbled across your blog from the warriorwomen site.
Just like to say that I hope you recover and get back in to your running soon - I was staying in Perth, WA last year (planning to come back in Jan 08) and I'm very envious of all the beautiful routes you can run, by the river and through Kings Park for a start. I'll make sure I bring my running gear when I next visit!
Geez a bike?? Next you will take up swimming ;-)
Sorry to hear about the injury - look forward to following your rehabilitation back to running.
I don't mind stretching, probably because it was always something I did well. I use it as part of my warm down. I do it before I go back before the front door, while I am getting my breath back.
My suggestion is this. If you don't like stretching and are only going to spend a minute or two on it, then choose a rotation of stretches and only do two or three of them at a time. At least then you will be doing more quality stretching than you are now - kind of like trying to run for 15min three times a week instead of 45mins at once.
I don't mind stretching too much, but only because of the lovely feeling afterwards... makes me feel cat-like, you know, a bit like when they wake up and have a good stretch :o)
I hope your injury heals soon, and in the mean time enjoy that bike :oD
You'll be overtaking those other cyclists soon I reckon - and besides, when I'm on my bike 15-20km/h is my pace too (I like to look at the scenery... :oD ), 25km/h, that's whizzing along! 30km/h, well that's just silly talk :o)
Best of luck for recovering Celeste.
Beakus.
Hi Celeste. You haven't let me down, nice to have someone on the sidelines with me. Love the idea of a barefoot run on the grass. I know what you mean about stretching but it does help and will keep you running longer and stronger on your return.
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