So last week I got the bike out of the garage and got it ready to ride again, after a long hiatus. I wanted to get back in shape and start using the bike more and the car less.
Here's my report from my first week on the bike. Hop over the orange doodad to see how I did.
Chapter 2: In which I ride three times, buy stuff, figure out how to run without my knees killing me, and get a sinus infection.
Saturday evening, the boy went to a birthday party. I figured that was a perfect opportunity to go ride for awhile. I headed toward the river walk, about a mile from my house. I rode to the river, then headed north along the river. The river is extremely high right now and is flooding some parts of the pathway.
I rode through a flooded section, then spun out - my brakes got wet and failed - and biffed it. Fortunately, nothing worse than my ego was bruised. The water didn't cause me any other problems, though. While riding, I saw a duck and her ducklings near the path. She herded them into the brush.
First ride: 5.76 miles.
Sunday I walked a couple miles. Took the dog to a bark park by another part of the swollen river. She didn't really want to get in the water, which was probably a good thing.
Monday: I got up early to ride. There's a rails to trails path near my house. I rode for a half hour. 3.73 miles. Yes, I'm slow.
Monday I realized that if I'm gonna keep doing this, I need some butt padding. Yes, my butt is well padded and I'm trying to reduce that padding... but I was still pretty saddlesore. I do have a pair of cycling shorts, but let's just say they used to fit me. So I walked down to a cycling/running/skiing/etc. store a few blocks away.
I ended up with a padded seat...and a pair of Vibram FiveFingers. I'd been looking at them for awhile, and finally took the plunge.
Tuesday morning I put the VFF's on and took the dog for a walk. The shoes felt great. We got to a park near my house, and I decided to try running.
Now, I do prefer running to any other form of exercise, but I've been having knee problems for awhile which have made running hard. Which is one reason why I started riding the bike.
To my surprise and delight, I was able to jog pain-free in the VFF's. I went slow and didn't run far.
Wednesday: Riding on the rails to trails. I felt great and found myself riding a lot faster. 4.44 miles in a half hour. Woot!
I had a couple hearings Wednesday and while I was there, I looked around for a place where I could park the bike. No bike rack, but there is a fence, also I could latch it to a flagpole. So I'm going to start riding to court.
Thursday: Walk/jog with the dog again. Went about the same distance as Tuesday. Felt good...
...until Thursday afternoon. I had no energy, had a horrible sinus headache, was coughing. My assistant told me to go to the doctor.
I called the doctor and made an appointment for Friday. Then I went to bed.
Friday I decided to sleep in. I figured I could ride later, maybe to the doctor. I figured it was just allergies.
Well, I got a surprise at the doctor. He diagnosed bronchitis and a sinus infection. He said, "well, at least you don't have pneumonia...". Apparently it's going around.
He sent me on my way with a prescription for a Z-pack and a steroid nasal spray. I filled the scripts, went home, went to bed.
Probably no riding today. I think I'll take it easy. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be ready to ride and run again.
So. Week one report: 3 rides for a total of just under 14 miles. One 2-mile walk. Two walk-jogs of a mile and a half each.
Not bad for week one, even with the bronchitis and sinus infection.