Winter miles = summer smiles

I hardly moved the MTB over the last few months. A combination of lack of motivation and being bored of riding the same places.

Been using the hybrid, which weighs a ton, but only for 8-9 miles every 2 weeks or so.

Did 37 miles on the hybrid on road and trail paths yesterday and it took me ages compared to what it used to, 4 hours nearly to do the 37 miles.

Threw in a route on the way back with a Steep hill and ended up in lowest gear. Previously have done that stood up in middle ring on front.

Still good to get out again though.

There are genuine physiological reasons why you always feel disproportionately bad after some time off the bike to do with blood plasma volume, all of which is on top of genuine fitness loss. It’s why you often seem to get a rapid boost in fitness quite quickly after returning from injury, so there’s a chance that things’ll feel better quite quickly if you carry on riding regularly. All according to Faster by Michael Hutchinson.

Fwiw, trail conditions round here anyway, are some of the least pleasant I’ve encountered since the early 90s. I have no idea why, but it doesn’t make mountain biking an attractive prospect. Hurrah for cross bikes and back lanes is what I say.

I cant be bothered with all the mess either.

I’ve had a knee issue for the past few years which has affected my cycling and left me hanging on the back of a group as oppossed to trying to be at the front on any climb, and feeling a bit hacked off about it.

But very recently. as part of doing some exercises to make my glut muscles a bit stronger to help my knee, I have started to ‘feel’ how I used to ride, which was using the glut muscles much more and when riding in that manner I am much stronger, and there is less pressure on my knee. Feeling like my thighs were just pumping up and down and the lower legs ‘following’ along, rather than trying to slog downwards through the knees.

Could it be the same and you have forgotten how to ride efficiently ?

I,ve got problems with my knee.What are glut muscles?

What are glut muscles?

Gluteal muscles :

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluteal_muscles

Thread from the dead.

So on Wednesday night I did the same route with some of the lads.  It was a bit of a pea souper weather wise, but an excuse to try another light I’ve bought.

Overall I was a fair bit quicker, and crucially, I was a lot less knackered.  According to Strava (which I use to track my progress), I’m still miles off my older pace, however I managed 14 achievements over the same route, so yeah, a month of working through with regular rides when I’ve not been ill, works.

Anyone who’s struggling after a winter off, don’t worry, you’ll get bike fit with regular rides.

Know how you feel.I,ve been doing some weight training to try and strengthen my body a little.

If I’ve been off the bike for a while I regard the first ride as one to clear out the lethargy sludge that has coagulated throughout my body.

Burning lungs, sore legs = good, because tomorrow or the next day will be easy.