No, my heart rate monitor isn't broken. I refer to a recurrence of the Iliotibial Band Syndrome that nearly blighted my award winning participation in the Big Ben Nevis Triathlon last year.
I had stopped attending Spin classes early last year due to a niggling pain in my right knee. The pain then stopped immediately, only returning briefly after bounding down hills without any knowledge of the damage I was inflicting upon myself with my exaggerated gate, at least until I actually learned how to run properly. Tonight it has reared its ugly head for a second time after expending 326 calories on one of those reclining gym bikes. I can feel the itch under my right knee cap.
I've been worrying about the complete lack of bicycle training for the past two weeks due to the malfunction of a spoke on my rear wheel. The situation is not helped by the age of my bike; I'm almost old enough to be its father. I was advised by my preferred local bike shop to pay a visit to their competitor since they hadn't been in business long enough to have the necessary tools. Their competitor, on the other hand, has been around for 125 years, so presumably they'd be able to find something at the back of a drawer. Probably a hammer and a screwdriver, I suspect.
I don't care, so long as it comes back fixed. They did kindly suggest "fitting" a mountain bike rear cog onto my wheel to allow me to properly cycle up any incline greater than 1 in 100, which is about all I could manage with the tiny 19 toothed devil that was the original large sprocket. It might also stop bicycle shop staff laughing at me when I show them my wheel and mention the word hill. Hopefully the new cog, presumably "fitted" with the aforementioned universal adjusting tools of hammer and screwdriver, will negate my current urge to trade in my car for a full carbon Trek monster. All it requires is a new rear derailleur and chain. And then possibly just new wheels, saddle, crank, pedals, tri bars, brakes, gear shifters, front mech and an upgraded full carbon frame.
The moral of the story - Gym bikes are knee killers. Get outside on a proper bike, even if it is constantly dark, snowing and minus 5 Celcius.
Current weight is 13 stones 2 pounds (184 pounds / 83.5 kg).
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A record of one man's mission to shed the weight of another.
3 comments:
I've no sympathy for those that deviate from the 'Rat' Plan.
Most top women triathletes spend up to 3 hours on their own bike with a proper turbo trainer watching the omnibus edition of Eastenders, no doubt.
Also I'm not convinced anymore about after hours cycling in built up areas, unless you want to meet nurses.
Nurses are quite willing to "lend a hand" in many respects, so I understand.
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