Rest Day

Uneventful. Spent afternoon running errands in car.

Knees not very limber. In fact, I suspect some of my recent stretching may have been to extreme. I stretched couple of times today, but I limited the degree to which I stressed my knees.

General energy was good. No nap.

14.9 complicated miles

Today’s was an exploratory trip as much as a training ride. I needed to reconnoiter the location of Grass Valley, the company Kevin works for, because we’re planning to meet there when he gets out of work Thursday, and ride together back to his house. It’s in a corporate park at a busy intersection and I didn’t want to arrive and find myself negotiating strange territory in rush hour, and possibly getting antsy about keeping Kevin waiting.

I found it, okay, and I’m glad I took the trouble to do this scouting, because the traffic pattern wasn’t all that friendly. But now that I know where things are, I think I’ll be okay.

Anyway, when I left his office, at the corner of 158th and Walker, I headed south on 158th, which was okay until I crossed Jenkins – at which point there suddenly was no bike path. I ended walking the bike a lot, and also rather nervously riding it along narrow, twisting asphalt sidewalks, for maybe a mile. When I finally got to TV highway, I was almost a nervous wreck.

Once home, I had a nap, and awoke very stiff. I’ve stretched twice since then. Now, at bedtime, I’m much less stiff.

Resting -- and stretching -- comfortably

Two stretching sessions so far (4:40pm) and I plan at least one more. Meanwhile, I feel alert, adequately vital, and not too stiff.

Bedtime: stretched one more time. Feeling good!

Winco & back without stopping; then 9.6 mi on bike

I had planned for this to be a rest day, but we needed to go to Winco. I was delighted to discover, on the way back, that I didn’t feel the need to sit down for a rest, the way I’ve so often needed to do, recently.


Then I needed to have my bike’s gearshift cable adjusted, so I rode to REI, and while out, I decided to go by the library to pick up an interlibrary loan.

And I felt pretty good the whole way.

Had to have nap, late, almost 4 pm. And I got a couple of stretching sessions in, as I remember it. (Posting this on Sunday.)

19.3 miles with eager muscles!

I didn’t sleep too well, and I started off thinking that the ride might go poorly, especially since my optimum rest period seems to be three days, and I’d only had two. But once I got warmed up, I noticed my leg muscles really rising to the challenge. BRING IT ON!

I noticed it first when I was going up some hills, and then again – several times – as I was trying to catch lights before they turned orange or red. A week or two ago I would have felt at least a twinge of desperation or despair at the challenge. Today, I simply stepped on the throttle, gave it the old heave-ho!.

I feel STRETCHING for the past couple of days deserves a lot of credit, and so I’m keeping it up. Two (15-minute) sessions so far, today.

Later – one more sesson.

Rest day with Stretching, Stretching, Stretching.

First thing this morning, coming down stairs, I noticed my bad knee was in bad shape. So I made stretching a high priority, today. I set my timer for 15 minutes and stretched carefully and thoughtfully until the beeper went off. Then I did it again, two or three times, during the day.

Now, after supper, I feel as though it has helped. And I think I have to do a lot more of it. Not only did the knee improve; the leg muscles seemed to feel better. I may be over-enthusiastic, just now, but I’m thinking/hoping that stretching may be my path to the muscle tone I’ve been looking for – that allows me to stay on my feet longer, and get through the day with less fatigue. Not to mention less knee pain.

I took special pains to STRETCH MY GLUTES AND HIPS UP TO MY WAIST, and my feet, some, as well. Why? Because they felt stiff, and that suggests that they’ve been limiting my flexibility.

Stretching in 15-minute segments four times a day is my goal. I think I can do it as long as I remember to stick to restful (non-demanding) stretch poses and routines. So I can do it even when/if I’m tired.

I plan to PUSH THE ENVELOPE, tomorrow, and RIDE 20 MILES ON ONE DAY’S REST. It will be very hot, so I plan to leave early, and be back by 11, when it should be only about 80.

I may be overdoing it, but I feel it’s worth the gamble.

19.99 miles

My strength was adequate but my energy was mediochre. I just didn’t feel like pushing myself.

My knee was protesting for the first 8 or 9 miles, as though I’d been over-using it, recently. This despite concerted stretching and icing yesterday. But towards the end of the ride it actually started feeling stronger – as though the muscles were supporting it – and it no longer felt sore.

9:30 pm – I went down for a nap around 3 pm, discouraged that my energy level was so low. But my knees are feeling noticeably better. Especially the bad one. Perhaps the stretching is already paying off.