I woke up this morning with a nasty sore throat. It’s been almost 3 years since I’ve felt less than 100%. Oh well, the streak had to come to an end at some point. And now is better than a few weeks from now, when I ride the Mt Washington Hill Climb.
So the question is, should I get on my bike and ride today? Or not? Hmmm, that’s a tough one. I’m sure you can relate to my predicament. As dedicated athletes, we want to be training every day and we feel a little bit lost if we don’t.
On the other hand, we also know that we’ll get no benefit from training and that we’ll probably get healthy quicker by not adding any more stress to our body as it fights whatever’s going on.
It seems like a pretty easy decision when it’s right there, in black and white, doesn’t it? Today’s stage in the Tour should be fantastic, so I’ll watch it, see how I feel and decide at that point.
I think I know what I’ll end up doing today. J What would you do?
Tell me in the Comment section below, then GET OUT AND RIDE!
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I would not ride.
I would do some type of strength training. lower back for starters then work on abs and the rest of the core.
Hello Bob,
You should rest! Like you said… you will heal faster and able to train harder in a couple of days!
On the week of my Double Century… I pop my back [lower back] on Sunday during a sprint… only 5 days left before the 202 miles ride on the following Sat July 11th… I was sad!
I did not ride for 5 days… and have to take 4 Iboprofen (200mg) just to kill the pain from Mon-Wed 3-4X a day … then Thur… I did not take any pain killer just to see what will be my real pain is??? Wow! not too bad! I end up put on a Thermal Heat Wrap on my back Friday… and felt so good… Guess what?
I put another Thermal Heat Wrap on my back on Sat… and did my Paul Bunyan DC … and broke my old record! Last year I came home 1st 10hrs 59min total elapse time…
This year I came home 10hr 10min elapse time… 9hr 41min riding time.
Wow! That might be the benefit of the 5 days I did not bike (Mon-Fri)… I never done that before! I always rode until 3 days before the event.
Thanks for sharing your though!
Today stage was awesome! Lance ride for Contador… Contador will end up winning and Lance will be 2nd… but you never know the master mind Lance!!! One you are Champ you will always be the Champ. I think he is getting better and better as the tour go on compare to many other guys! He did test his power of bridging today… Maybe a breakaway coming up next? He did pick a section with stiffer ~8% to bridge so NO one can follow his slip stream!!! He was thinking! and smart thinking from fresh mind NOT tired mind! right?
Also I am training for serious climb! please share some serious climbing training that you are doing! I Only have 3 weeks of training for 300K-22000ft of climbing… you know where it is right? I am not a climber at all… 5’9″ 168# to be exact… so suffer will be the exact word! I will try to get 4-5# of fat off the next 2 weeks.
Look Outside Man! No clouds, light winds, cool temps! How can you not go out for at least an easy hour. Follow your own prescription: GET OUT AND RIDE!
Hello Bob, Good luck as you prepare for your final weeks (or days?) before your Mt Washington Hill Climb. Your notes, advice and stories helped inspire me greatly as I got ready for my 300-mile ride to Madison during the early Spring.
I used plenty of your advice, and had a great ride! Hoping the best for your INVIGORATING climb!!!
Pat