30 in 30

[hairygrump]

Okay, so I realized on the way in to work yesterday that cyclocross season in Minnesota starts in about 5 weeks. After realizing that I realized that I haven't ridden nearly as much this summer as I did last summer, and that as slow as I was on a cross course last year I was going to be even slower this year unless I put some miles in. I don't care about winning, but faster is funner and there's probably more action up near the front with the sandbaggers. Combine that with the fact that I've been feeling a little bummed and tired for no reason besides boredom and having gone to Las Vegas and it's time to try something new.

On the way home I thought of something Mayor Stevil of Drunkingham wrote about on HTATBL (http://www.howtoavoidthebummerlife.com/weblog/archives/2006/11/30_rides_in_30_days.html); doing 30 rides in 30 days, so that's what I'm doing. In case you don't want to read what he wrote, it's simple: Every day, for 30 days straight you ride for at least an hour, for real. Commuting, bar crawls and errand running don't count. Rollers do, but they're obviously punishment for bad planning. Every day you kit up (in whatever's appropriate) and put an hour in, or you start over the next day.

I'm going to do this, probably mixing it up a lot between MTBing, road riding and SSCX riding down paths into the suburbs. I also figured I'd push my commitment to the premise a little farther by abstaining from alcohol... partly because I wonder if that wouldn't improve what's put me in such a funk lately. Or just to prove I can do it. Either way. Maybe both.

Anyway, that's the goal. 30 days riding, 30 days dry. Blow it on either count and the clock starts again. If I'm strong enough, my first beer will be drunk while yelling at the Cat 3s on September 14th and it will taste like an orgasm made of sunshine.

Anybody care to join me?


ASIDE: Holy crap... a post about riding!

[phlatlander]

Why would you choose to be so liberal with your riding but so conservative with your alcohol consumption? You confusing, logical centrist! This thread belongs in the politics forum. Somebody get a moderator...

Anyways, seriously this is a cool goal — If I hadn't screwed up my ITB on last weekend's Katy Trail ride I would still be in training for this coming season's cross racing. Had a road race tomorrow then a 12hr the following week. Scrapped.

Off the bike for 30 days + 30 days drunk for me... I will be your yang. ;)

Good luck.

[PutAwayWet]

That sounds like just the challenge I need to help out with the less fat thing - except that I won't be able to ride for about two weeks. I've got faith in ya. I think the 30 days dry part will be the hard one. I don't drink nearly enough anymore, but at least once a week there's a night where a good beer is just what the doctor ordered (at least when I'm not on high dose antibiotics - my friend came over tonight and drank two of my Long Trails (http://www.longtrail.com), and I just had to sit there and watch)

[RickB]

Anyways, seriously this is a cool goal — If I hadn't screwed up my ITB on last weekend's Katy Trail ride I would still be in training for this coming season's cross racing. Had a road race tomorrow then a 12hr the following week. Scrapped.


Ouch. Been there. After about a week of nothing, I'd recommend giving a weekly massage a try. Someone who really knows how to strip down the IT band and related tissues. It'll hurt like a MOFO, but will definitely help get you on the way to recovery.

[fxdwhl]

I did it last summer with only a couple of tough days. First attempt I reached 27 days before helping friends move and breaking the streak. Next day started back up again and hit 30. So really it was 57 in 58.

I did count commuting though since 50 minutes each way adds up. You'll be extra hungry and tired at first but the body adapts suprisingly well.

Good luck to ya!

[phlatlander]

Ouch. Been there. After about a week of nothing, I'd recommend giving a weekly massage a try. Someone who really knows how to strip down the IT band and related tissues. It'll hurt like a MOFO, but will definitely help get you on the way to recovery.

Right on, Rick. Several years ago when this issue first manifested itself, I went through months of PT (no cortisone, though) with them treating only the area of pain — which was around my knee. Then I returned a year later after another flare up and this old-school massage therapist lady showed me how to release that entire muscle that attaches up at the hip. Much better.

I gotta baby this thing because I have some climbing in the San Gabriels (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWwZn3t7L2c) (on a road bicycle, though) I want to do next month. ;)

[PutAwayWet]

Have you tried a chiropractor, Phlat? In the past I've had issues with both sides, usually brought on by poor sitting habits (either at a desk, in a truck/car, or a bulldozer). I'm not really a fan of traditional chiropractic 'snap shove pop' forceful manipulation, but I found a woman who does more 'applied kinesiology' than forceful scary shit. All of her manipulations are gentle and the only thing I've ever heard crack in one of our sessions was her elbow. Anyway, both times she identified problems with my sacrum and lumbar areas, which had rotated and were causing supporting areas to try and compensate. Hence the tight IT bands. Both times she's helped my body fix itself pretty quickly, and if you can find someone like her I highly recommend it...

Back on topic, I think once my knee heals from the bursa sac infection I'm going to give the 30 in 30 a try myself.

[hairygrump]

The first four days went just fine, though the third was kind of stupid. Deciding to start your "at least an hour" 90 minutes before your rec league soccer game and figuring you'll just take the SS crosscheck on a hard spin burbward is a bad idea. I thought the I was like pedal pedal pedal... oh, shit. I have to be 10 miles from here in 35 minutes.

So I got to ride a singlespeed time trial to be 2 minutes late for the starting whistle, changed my shoes and put my guards on, then played a 50 minute smoker's league soccer match. Then rode home. A beer probably would have tasted really good, but I must stay strong.

The next time I do this I'm going to think harder about the "commuting doesn't count rule." But I'm on my bike for at least an hour a day anyway, and the point was to try to ride more.

No significant leg complaints yet, besides the obvious being totally flogged from the big Sunday. For right now it's more just finding the time... especially considering school starts in a couple weeks which is a lot of pressure in a household with two educators in it. Plus we just got a new rescue pit bull that needs a lot of work. Still... Nothings killing me, so I must be getting stronger.