Finally got my bike off the trainer and outside for a ride today. Ended up putting in 25 miles around local neighborhoods, including some challenging hills. I'm learning that my hill running is better than my hill cycling. Hopefully I can change that before my race.
Now...I've got a couple of questions for you. Lately, after getting off the bike, my lower back has been very tight and very sore. In fact, the two weeks I didn't ride, I slept better than usual because my back didn't bother me. Well, now the back pain is back. I've never been "professionally" fitted on my bike, but have adjusted the saddle, handlebars, etc, based on what I've found online. Do any of you more experienced cyclists have any words of wisdom regarding why my lower back isn't liking the bike lately?
The other question is more frivolous. When I was a kid riding with my dad in our car, my sister and I used to play "slug bug", where we'd punch each other when we'd see a Volkswagen Beetle. I once commented to my dad that I never realized how many VW Bugs there were on the roads until I played that game. From then on, he'd refer to that phenomenon as "you just have to look for the Volkswagens and you'll see them". I know there's a term for that, but it escapes me. Okay...all that said to get to this point: I've been noticing a LOT more runners on the roads this year than I have in a long time. Yes, I started running again in Jan. of this year, but even the years I haven't run, I was still tuned in to noticing them, being a long-time runner. I think I read or heard recently that running seemed to increase during times of economic downturn. Not sure if that's the case or not. Are any of you noticing more people running lately, or is it just me?
Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy your weekend!
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ReplyDeleteMy bad. The real post is up now!
ReplyDeleteI have noticed more runners, but I too am a new runner, so . . . Additionally, I also read/heard the bit that running increases when times are hard - no gym fees, little equipment, good distraction, etc. _I_ believe it's more than jsut perception this time.
ReplyDeleteBTW, only slightly related, I've also noticed a lot more people riding motorcycles since last year's gas crunch - and I've ridden for 14 years, so it's not just that I'm noticing more.
I know what you are talking about - the same reason that you don't know anybody with a certain name until you name your child that.... then they are everywhere! or when you buy a new car and it seems like every other car you see is your car. Not sure what it is called, but it is real.
ReplyDeleteNow - on to the runner question. I have not really noticed that myself. It does seem that at different times of the year I see more out on the roads, but I can't say that I have seen anymore this year than last, just different ones.
I, too, have read the bit about more runners during economic hard times (probably read it in Runner's World, though). I see lots of runners lately. . . probably the good weather! I've only been running for 5 years myself, so maybe I notice them because I'm a relative newbie. Definitely see more runners out and about before the big races in my state, too. In my little community, though, it's been the same few runners for the last 8 years, no one new out on the roads these days.
ReplyDeleteI think in economic hard times, people look for more economic ways to feel better about themselves. Just one example - they have shown that womens make-up sells increase drastically when the economy is bad.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I failed to mention in the post is that most of the runners I'm seeing lately are running on...sidewalks. Ugh! They may not be around too much longer if they keep that up. Thanks for the comments!
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