REST DAY

During the night I was aware of how tired my legs were. I was tempted to take an ibuprofen, but decided against it.

Once up, I noted that the muscles in my legs and feet were stiff and felt tired. Yet when I went back upstairs and tried going up two stairs at a time, I realized my legs were actually stronger than I expected.

MAYBE A LITTLE STIFFNESS/SORENESS ISN’T A BAD THING? After all, I’m not having that overall heavy fatigue feeling, sleepiness and needing a nap. So I’m not getting OVERTRAINING SYMPTOMS. Following this thought, I might try a HARD RIDE TOMORROW, whether my muscles are still a little tight or not.

Late morning, PRONE STRETCHES: 15 min with legs up the wall followed by another 15 minutes on stomach and elbows, arching back. Beginning to wonder whether my leg problems have to do with compressed nerves?

6pm – Saw Dr McAninch this afternoon. I told him my thoughts on this, and he’s going to review the spinal imaging I had last year to rule out spinal stenosis, but otherwise he seems in agreement that my increased vitality is traceable to the reduction of lisinopril, and that hard training before all stiffness goes away is a valid approach. “As long as the stiffness has started going away,” is, I think, how he put it.

PLAN: MORE STRETCHING. I had sort of backed off of stretching, due to lack of energy. I’ve been generally more in favor of a nap than stretching. But with improved vitality, I probably can develop and maintain a decent stretching routine.