A New Training Routine

Last week I started a new training routine. Previously, I had been running 5 days a week. My legs were often exhausted and I would resort to rolling them sometimes several times a day to try to make them feel better. After talking to Ryan for some time about the benefit of working different systems and cross training I decided that I would start biking some to help in my training. I was quite skeptical about it because I did not want to lose my fitness in the running department, not to mention I haven’t biked since I was maybe 13 years old! So like I said on Monday of last week I started a new workout schedule that has me running 3 days a week and biking 3 days a week.

With me not owning a bike and me not knowing if I was going to like biking I decided to just bike on a recumbent bike that is at my gym for a few weeks. Day one of biking: I have no idea how to adjust the seat for appropriate distance between the pedal and seat. My leg starts to go numb so I shift in my seat which then causes me to hit my knee on the machine. I look down and my knee is bleeding and my skin is hanging off the bike! I think to myself, “Oh great, if I manage to do this on a stationary bike what is going to happen if I get a real moving one?” Day two of the bike: I bring a book and magazine. Quite boring. I watch some tv and I have to get up several times to massage my own butt. Day three of biking: Two and a half hour bike ride. Wow. I read, text, watch tv, anything to keep my mind off the numbing of my right leg. I feel something between my toes like the fabric of my sock. I stop to fix it, but then realize it’s just a tingling sensation of my toes falling asleep. Again, I am up multiple times to massage my rear end. At the end of the ride I decide I must purchase a bike if I am going to continue this workout routine! Saturday night I purchase a bike!

It has been so crazy to me how much of a difference my running workouts have been this week due to the riding. My legs actually felt fresh every run without even rolling! I managed to run faster than previously. I am starting out slow on the bike, but my muscles feel good after biking as well. Last week I learned a lot about staying active daily, yet letting muscles recover rather than wearing the same ones down constantly. I think this will help me when talking to my kiddos this school year about being active! Check back next Wednesday to see an update on how bike riding is going along with what is going on with the next project!