I have two 50K+ bike rides under my belt this year. It’s really easy for me to rack up the kilometres when I am sidelined from running. I am not exactly on the IR list but I am follow the instructions from my medical team of experts.
My physiotherapist has suggested very strongly that I avoid weight bearing exercises for the time being. Same advice from the podiatrist. If you have looked at my Strava over the last three weeks you will see that I am listening to my medical team.
The focus at physiotherapy has been on my calves (so tight) – massage and needling. Several calf and hip strengthening exercises are part of my daily homework. It takes me a good half an hour to work through all the exercises. I am not sure if anything is working but I will keep it up.
That brings me back to cycling. It’s the only thing that is keeping me sane while I look at my running shoes with longing. I quite enjoy cycling particularly because it allow me to see parts of Calgary that I would never see on foot.
(I am also looking forward to cycling the Highwood Pass again before the road opens up in June. )
Lately the wind has been so strong in Calgary that my legs are working much harder than I usually do on the bike. My heart rate has been racing as I try to stay upright on my bike without being blown sideways into a ditch. Yup, it’s been that kind of windy.
I like my hybrid bike. It’s not quite a road bike nor is it a mountain bike. A few days ago I chatted with a cyclist on the Nose Creek pathways. He asked me how I liked my bike. I assumed he was admiring its snazzy look. Nope. Essentially he told me my bike was too big for Calgary’s pathways because I can’t gear down on the hills. I told him that’s fine – I just have to work harder. No big deal.
When I bought my bike two years ago, I had no idea what I needed. It had been something like three decades before I biked. Was I going to cycle just on the pathways or would I do a little off road? Right now I am enjoying the pathways – so many kilometres in Calgary. I would love to get off road later this spring. Fingers crossed though I will be back to running in the coming weeks and I will only use cycling for recovery.
Healing all that woes me – physically (and mentally) will take some time. I have been running long enough to know that patience and a good attitude is the best medicine.
How is your spring going? Do you have a race coming up? What do you do to fill the time when you are healing from an injury? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.