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whine alert: in fits and starts, and stops
mood: 
in a huff
in a huffI really had hoped for a better start to my riding season this year.
Every time I want to think that I've got my health back, or that the weather will improve, one or the other (or this week, both) will simply Not Work Out.
My last enjoyable bike ride was a little over a week ago when we had an amazing, glorious 78-degree day and I rode in short sleeves. It all went downhill not long after that.
This week I was busy helping Sweetie whip the house into shape for Passover (cleaning, cooking, baking, you name it) and then hosting our seder, which meant NO riding for four days in a row. In the midst of our preperation, I began sneezing wildly and sniffling non-stop, and by Saturday night I was in the throes of either allergies or another cold, or both. Saturday night I was miserable, feeling plugged up and sort of deaf in that sinusy way. I slept on two pillows and waited for the fog to lift inside my head.
Then, just for fun -- even if I had felt like riding this weekend -- the weather decided to turn foul again. An arctic blast came down from Alaska and we had more cold days with highs in the low 40's. That's cold around here for late April. A few sun breaks interspersed with mix of rain, snow and hail repeated ad nauseum throughout the weekend. Today it was still pretty cold out. I rode to work today -- finally! -- but I felt really slow and tired and pedaled that way all the way to the shop. At work I watched as more sun breaks interspersed with more rain and even a spot of hail -- and I would've ridden home in it if a sinus headache hadn't reared its head around 3pm. I chickened out and took the bus most of the way home.
It's not like I haven't tried to get excited about riding, but the steady onslaught of weather and colds and allergies is really getting to me. I could skip spring at this point and go straight to early summer.
This a.m., I was watching a podcast by a Dutch Catholic priest who was training for a marathon and I thought of you. He reported serious problems with his knees that stopped him in his tracks. He managed to overcome the problem with a regime of stretching and a training schedule that featured carefully graduated running distances. The condition is called the "Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome." http://www.drpribut.com/sports/spkn
Sending warm sunshine your way!
חג פסח שמח
I generally solve those issues by dialing my fit: making sure my seat isn't too far back of my pedals (meaning sometimes I ride a frame that seems too small heightwise to get the shorter length I need), making sure the saddle is at the right height and that I can reach the handlebars easily and naturally.
I am feeling less snotty today and will celebrate Earth Day by -- what else? riding my bike to and from work.
Hugs --B
(Anonymous)
I feel your pain
I've been dealing with patella tendonitis issues for a couple of years. I met with a physical therapist who specialized in bicycle fit last week and he tweaked my pedal setup, hopefully this helps. He said that my saddle position was already very good and there wasn't much to do there.
Hopefully the weather improves and we have a nicer late spring than we had an early spring.
(Anonymous)
Think back to that almost-80 degree weekend and your ride...those days will come again soon, and we'll all be psyched to be back out there! B
(Anonymous)
I hear you there - my mileage this year is in the toilet
Re: I hear you there - my mileage this year is in the toilet
My friends and family STILL think I'm a rock star simply because I commute by bike every day and refuse to own a car. They think I'm amazing. I don't but then I've been doing it a very long time.
Cheer up -- the weather HAS to improve soon.