Each week I try to review and reflect on my previous week on the bike. This allows me to see how my fitness and ability is progressing on a wider timescale than day to day. For previous weekly reviews please click here.
Overall an ‘up’ week. I did the most riding I’ve done in a while and enjoyed myself whilst doing it. It’s super warm here at the moment so I’ve been enjoying the outdoors more than usual.
The only downside to outdoor riding is the lack of structure, but I’m not being overly harsh on myself about this. My theory is, for a recreational cyclist such as myself, it doesn’t matter too much what kind of pedalling I do, so long as I do some pedalling.
Here are this week’s rides:
- Monday – Zwift Spring Training: Endurance Escalator
- Tuesday – Where Did That Come From?
- Thursday – Another Fine How Do You Do
- Saturday – Another Very Nice Day Out
There are a few downsides to frequently riding outdoors. One is the risk of getting ploughed by a motorist. Another is the pain I get in my right shoulder which comes on gradually, building up over numerous rides. When I get it, it takes an equally long time of not riding outdoors to go. Right now it’s pretty bad – a constant dull ache, made worse by sitting at a desk, typing all day.
I’m of the opinion that my handlebars are possibly a little too wide, and that the pain comes from bad posture / bad bike fit.
However, if that were the case, would I not also suffer from the same issue indoors?
The only differentiating factor, as best I can tell, is the road surface. Outdoors, with the potholes and undulating ‘tarmac’ (grit), I think the vibrations constantly going through my arms rapidly increase the fatigue my body suffers.
If it’s not that, I’m out of ideas what it could be.
But that sounds like I’m complaining, and I’m not.
At least, not intentionally.
I’ve had a good week all round. Getting out for a longer ride on Saturday was super nice, also. The only reason I couldn’t stay out longer was that I ran out of water, and hadn’t brought any food – nor eaten since breakfast. It would have been nice to get to 50km though.
All in all, I would settle for the same again in the week ahead. One challenge of going out a lot is that I get bored of the routes I do – which again is why doing longer rides is nice, as I can get further away from home and go places I do not normally go to.
There are plenty of routes around here that I deliberately don’t take, due to road traffic or increased danger of getting to them, which is quite sad.
I haven’t – yet – checked the weather for the week ahead. But if it stays this hot, the chances are I will not be riding indoors for a while. Yesterday evening it was too hot to be comfortable playing computer games, let alone sweating my ass off on the bike.
For now, more of the same.