Posted in Cycling
Tagged with: saddle, sore, cycling, rusty
You may notice a slight gap in posts here at Angry Cyclist - I'm afraid to say I've been somewhat sedentary over the last 6 months, reverting to my normal work of web development at home rather than the office - removing the need to commute to and from work daily. Needless to say - if I'm not cycling I run of things to write here in no time at all.
But, all is not lost! Having recently resumed the 9-5 grind I'm back in the saddle, despite cold temperature and early darkness. But all is not as I left it…
Needless to say, if you avoid any form of exercise for an extended amount of time one's cardio-vascular system takes a break as well. Just 6 months break from cycling and I'm wheezing like an asthmatic sloth on the morning slog to work. I've quickly regained most of my form, but if you slacken off the mileage, don't expect to be able to resume where you left off should you fancy a cycling sabbatical.
Further to the additional physical effort required, saddle soreness makes an unwelcome return as well. Despite having cycled relatively consistently for the last 10 years or so, a short break is all it takes for the cringe-worthy pains to return. Thankfully it's short lived, but for the first week or so it's a consideration. Perhaps it's just my saddle?
Whether you're riding your bike or not, the mechanism will still need TLC after 6 months. Air leaks from tyres, things fall out of alignment and generally stop working as well as they should do. Much like one's fitness and state of body, the bike itself often needs attention after an extended sabbatical.
Things are getting easier though - it's now been a couple of weeks, and I can feel the aches and pains fading and my fitness returning. If only it would stop raining!
