What I've learnt from cycling

OK I've been cycling to and from work for a week and a half. That's gotta make me close to an expert now. And this is what I've learnt so far:

1. Use the low gears to go up hill.
2. If you ride as fast as you can down hill then you make it further up the other side before you start stuggling.
3. You can't REALLY tell how fast people are running as you overtake them. (This was a pleasant surprise to learn.)
4. Some idiots on bikes ride far too fast for the conditions, or they take up the whole path, or they are just rude. Runners and walkers in general are very polite.
5. Riding is like a short sprint followed by a walk break, then a short sprint followed by a walk break. You get much more "rest" riding a bike than you do running. Except going up hills. Hills are hard.
6. You get a sweat up even just going down hill. I'm not sure what the go is there - but I find it just as hard to get home (downhill) as getting to work (uphill). Of course I love getting a bit of pace up on the downhill and maintaining it for as long as possible - so that could have something to do with it.
7. 40km/h is just plain silly - and damn scarey. I found a big hill and rode down it. I don't need to do that again for a while. Silly.
8. When it's cold in the morning, your fingers freeze into shape on the handlebars. And your nose goes numb. And your ears. (I'm not sure how people would cope with me wearing a balaclava - but I might have to do something for when it really gets "cold".)
9. Lights are a really good idea at dusk and at night. Plus the flashing ones are pretty.
10. OK OK, so cycling IS fun after all!

My commute to work is about 11km all up (there and back). Today I started a second job so I cycled to work, then cycled to my other job, then back to my first one, then home. All up 27km!! Now that sounds like a long way, but when you do it in four stints, it's quite achieveable and much more convenient than driving. NO parking problems, no traffic problems. My second job is three days a week for five or six weeks. Then I'm ditching it so I only have one job. But during that 5 or 6 weeks, man my fitness is BOUND to improve!!!

I'm really itching to run again, so I haven't been bitten by the tri bug (phew!) but I will make cycling my commute. And even though I've only been exercising 25 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at night I've lost weight! Not sure how that works so I have to credit that completely to cycling.

I get to find out on Monday if I can run again soon.

Patellar

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!

First ride on new bike

I took the bike for a spin today. It was good to get out there and do something again. I had forgotten what it was like to get the heart pounding! I rode my commute-route to work so I could time it for tomorrow. I knew it wouldn't take long but the hills are a bit steeper than I thought so it took longer than I expected. About 25 minutes. But only 20 to get home! I've run along this route before but I never noticed the hills were quite as steep. You feel every lump and bump on a bike don't you?

Here is my little beauty! Pookie also managed to poke her head into the photo. She was very curious as to what on earth I was doing down in the vegie patch. Notice the enormous seat and fat-girl tyres. But otherwise looks pretty schmick, eh?

All up today only about 11km in almost 45 minutes. (Ha! STILL slower than some runners. I've thought of a new demoralisation - being overtaken by a runner while on a bicycle. May it never happen.)

Bike owner!

Thank you all for your sympathies!! I'm feeling much better about the whole thing today because I've bought a bike!!!!! I'm the first to admit I know nothing about bikes so I just explained to the young fellow that I wanted to ride to and from work, plus a little bit of exercise. I kind of gravitated to the big and chunky mountain bikes, but he steered me towards something called a "hybrid" which apparently is a mix between a mountain bike and a racer, except that the handle bars are higher so I don't have to bend over as far. I took one for a test ride and I bought it!! It's a GT Nomad (if that means anything to anyone) but I had to buy a new seat. I got the biggest, softest, widest seat I could buy. If I'm gonna ride, then I want to be comfortable! Plus it's white! Looks very cool and sleek!! I got all the optional extras - drink bottle, speedo, front light, back light, mounted lock and a panier. (I asked for one of those side saddle back pack thingos and the young man looked at me with sympathy and told me it is called a "panier".) So now I can commute to work, get my daily exercise AND rest my shins all at the same time!!! I'm back to being quite excited again!

Then, as my shins get better, I'll be able to add on a morning run before my ride to work. Work doesn't start until 9am and I figure it'll only take about 15 to 20 minutes to ride there so that leaves heaps of time for a run beforehand. If anything, it's better than just running to work!! I'll be able to have more variety in my runs including distance and location, and leave the boring ol' commute to cycling!! Now just to get through the next few weeks until I can run again.

I should clarify that the physio is a sports physio and he used to be a runner. He doesn't like running now because of all the injuries it can cause and encourages others to choose alternative forms of exercise, however if they are hellbent on running (like me) he tries to show them the safest way to do so. For me, my first step is to lose some weight and reduce the distances I am running. Walking will be OK for me too, but not for a couple of weeks yet. (I may become one of those damned run/walkers who beat the pants off plodders!!!)

A break is as good as a holiday........right?

I found a sports physio on Wednesday. He was a lovely fellow but told me all sorts of stuff I didn't want to hear. OK the bad news first. I have to stop running - temporarily. At least until I get myself better. The good news is I WILL get better. I've had a good cry but I'm coming to terms with it now, after a few days.

My problem is not shin splints, nor stress fractures. It is biomechanics. Or more bluntly, I am too fat to run. I'm doing this whole weightloss/exercise caper the wrong way around!!! I need to lose weight so I can run, not run to lose weight. I will not be able to run again for a few weeks at least, so in that time I need to lose weight or I won't be able to run again until I do.

Remember how I started running to lose weight? But then I changed my focus because I enjoyed running so much. I kind of thought the weight loss would be a bonus effect of the running but it appears it does not work that way! Nothing like a new challenge to focus the mind.

I told the physio about the wonderful online support that I have, at which point he wouldn't write down my condition because he doesn't want me to google it (who me?) and he doesn't want me to hear all the horror stories associated with it. He wants another week to be sure he's got the diagonsis right, but it's something that could easily stop me running permanently. Thanks to all the wonderful advice I got here by telling me to get to a physio, we seem to have caught it early enough.

Anyway, no running or walking for me for about 3 weeks. I intend on cycling everywhere. I was never really into cycling, but now I'm looking at it with new eyes. Quite efficient really, cycling. Good cardio, low impact etc etc etc. I need to buy a new bike. Hopefully I will find a shop open over the Easter weekend and pick up a nice, solid, mountain bike with a big soft seat. I will determine the best bike for me by the colour. (I've got to really hope the salesman knows what he's on about, because I wouldn't have a clue.)

THEN, when I get myself better, I will have to cut down the distances I am running - for the immediate long term. :( Looks like 5km will be tops until I can lose about 20-25 kilos. (Yes, I'm THAT fat.) But 5km is better than 0km. And think of all the speed I can gain in the meantime!!!

Morseyruns, you realise where this is heading don't you?? Bunbury is out for me. :( I was inconsolable on Wednesday. Yesterday was only marginally better. But I've got to have a long term outlook to get through this. Running is still new to me. I'm sure you were all aware of how much I was looking forward to Bunbury. But I want to run in the future. In years to come. Bunbury has a half marathon every year. There'll be another Bridges run too. So I miss this year. Oh well. Next year I'll go down and I'll run it all and I'll be very fit, and much slimmer.

This has been much easier to deal with, ironically, because of all the other miserable people in blogland. Misery loves company eh? My thoughts go to RunMumRun, LBTEPA, and Morseyruns. Especially thinking of Em, who missed R4K and was quite philosophical about it.

Anyway, I've wallowed in self pity long enough. I'm excited about my new bike - whatever it ends up being. I'm motivated, I'm ready to go, and I will follow the physio's instructions to get myself back running sooner rather than later. The physio doesn't like running at all, but that's another story. At least he understands that I do.

Taking it easy

A big virtual hug to you all for your encouraging comments about my run. It really does make it better when you know that there are others who DO understand!!! Hubby took a photo of me and I might post it if I am brave enough. It is not flattering and I am not a small girl. We'll see.

I think RunMumRun was a bit heavier than I thought as I carried her around the run on Sunday because my shins are sore again. I walked to work today with the intention of running home (about 5km) but my shins have ached all day. I tried to run slow and gentle and softly but it doesn't seem to help. During a couple of strides the pain was shooting and sharp - which is never a good sign. I ended up walking home very slowly, and very sadly. I'm still stretching, icing, strapping and putting gel on it.

Yes, I WILL go to a sports physio. The pain was scarey enough that I will not run again until after I have been. Now just to find one....

In the mean time I will cycle to work. I have just started a new job so I don't have a routine of how to get to work yet. Maybe cycling will be it. Warriorwomen will be proud of me I'm sure!! My bike at the moment is really a rather poor excuse for a bike so I will probably buy a new one if I make a habit of this. At least cycling will give me the cardio I desperately need, and some leg exercise too. Better than catching the bus for such a short distance.

As an aside, I caught the bus on my first day of work and it really put me off buses. All those people so close together, coughing and sneezing all over each other. The bus was so packed that the bus driver only let on half the people at our stop and left the others standing there. We all had to literally squeeze in. It was stifling. I'd rather take a bit longer and enjoy the fresh air on the way.

Bridges Fun Run

It was a beautiful morning for a run this morning - nice and cool. I got there early because hubby was doing the 5km and needed to catch the ferry across the river to the 5km starting point. The ferry left at about 6.3o so I had an hour and a half to kill before the start. I stood around aimlessly for a while, then said hello to a couple of people I recognised from the running club. I stood in the sun because I was freezing, and eventually just sat in the sun and waited for the start.

I didn't see any numbers I recognised from the list I had written on my hand of people from the forum. (By the time I finished the numbers had worn off so I had to hope others would remember mine.) Soon there was a heap of people arriving for the start. The organisers said about 2000 runners so it was all very exciting as I lined up on the road for the start. I started Percy when the gun went off and then stood there for a while waiting for the people to move!! It was probably only 30 seconds I guess - and I started running!!!

Very early on I realised I would be one of the slowest. There were a handful of people run/walking and they managed to stay in front of me all the way (dammit). Someone would start walking and I'd overtake them and then they'd run and zip past me. Then they'd walk and I'd overtake them and they'd run and zip past me. It was actually VERY demoralising. I did not manage to reel them in. I got overtaken by a walker too. I was trying to do little mental calculations as I was going along. I knew I wanted to aim for 1 hour and 20 minutes. That's 8 minutes a km. At 5km, I was on track. At 6 and 7km I was still just on track. That's when I knew I had to push it because I could feel myself slowing down. But I had nothing left. I could feel myself getting slower and slower. The run/walkers were getting further in front and I couldn't do anything about it. At the final straight, there were a group of walkers toddling along towards the finish and I couldn't catch them. It was all I could do just to keep moving.

Suddenly hubby appeared at the side of the road and cheered me on. It was a wonderful boost and I picked up for the last 200m or so. But it was too late by then. An hour and 20 had passed. Sigh.

I finished in an hour and 22 so I ALMOST made it. I thought I would feel quite chuffed because it's a great time for where I'm at physically. But seeing those run/walkers has just reinforced to me how slow I am and how much work I need to do. I was buggered. I gave it everything. And I still struggled through 8 minute k's. NEXT year I'll do it in under 70 minutes. AND I'll beat home the run/walkers. So there. So while I'm feeling disappointed, I'm also feeling incredibly motivated. Just wait, you'll see good things out of the Pilbara household in the months to come.

I never did see anyone from the forum, which was a shame. It would have been good to put faces to the names.