Fred D and Queen Zipp's SWIM, BIKE RUN consistency thread.... CLOSED (Page 27)

Question - does anyone in the group use a foam roller?

I've had one for a couple of years, but been a little lax on using it.  I went to a session last night to learn to use it properly, where they gave us a sequence to foam roller the whole body.  I was amazed at some of the muscles you can get to (never thought the rotator cuff could be got at with a foam roller).  I'm thinking about substituting a couple of my pilates sessions with the foam roller instead.  It requires quite a lot of core stuff, and from what I'm told it's valuable for injury prevention (and a lot cheaper than regular sports massages).  Anyone have any thoughts?

Today I was planning a nice outdoor ride.  Woke up to find an inch of snow on the ground.  Didn't see that coming...  Most of the ride is off road, but there's a 5 mile stretch in the middle to get between the two trails, so I'm going to have to go and check out conditions and then maybe reassess. 

Question - does anyone in the group use a foam roller?

I've had one for a couple of years, but been a little lax on using it.  I went to a session last night to learn to use it properly, where they gave us a sequence to foam roller the whole body.  I was amazed at some of the muscles you can get to (never thought the rotator cuff could be got at with a foam roller).  I'm thinking about substituting a couple of my pilates sessions with the foam roller instead.  It requires quite a lot of core stuff, and from what I'm told it's valuable for injury prevention (and a lot cheaper than regular sports massages).  Anyone have any thoughts?

Today I was planning a nice outdoor ride.  Woke up to find an inch of snow on the ground.  Didn't see that coming...  Most of the ride is off road, but there's a 5 mile stretch in the middle to get between the two trails, so I'm going to have to go and check out conditions and then maybe reassess. 

Question - does anyone in the group use a foam roller?

I've had one for a couple of years, but been a little lax on using it.  I went to a session last night to learn to use it properly, where they gave us a sequence to foam roller the whole body.  I was amazed at some of the muscles you can get to (never thought the rotator cuff could be got at with a foam roller).  I'm thinking about substituting a couple of my pilates sessions with the foam roller instead.  It requires quite a lot of core stuff, and from what I'm told it's valuable for injury prevention (and a lot cheaper than regular sports massages).  Anyone have any thoughts?

Today I was planning a nice outdoor ride.  Woke up to find an inch of snow on the ground.  Didn't see that coming...  Most of the ride is off road, but there's a 5 mile stretch in the middle to get between the two trails, so I'm going to have to go and check out conditions and then maybe reassess. 

I'm sure you'll get varying opinions on this topic, but my sports med doc (also an avid bike racer and triathlete) suggested that in the off season when I'm on the trainer that I spend more time on the hoods than in aero.  His reasoning was to give my back a break and work some other muscles.  As Spring hits, I make the transition back to aero before hitting the great outdoors.

I'm feeling a bit frustrated this morning.  During my run yesterday my left calf started getting tight.  I stopped halfway through the run and did a few minutes of stretching, then kept going.  With about 1/2 mile to go at the end (about the 3.5 mile mark) the calf tightened up again.  Since I was so close I just kept going, then stretched after the run for 5-10 minutes.  It was REAL tight at this point.  A few hours later it was still tight, and there was some mild pain/discomfort in my heel when walking barefoot.  Thoughts of plantar fasciitis ran through my head! (I've never had it, but read enough horror stories to be afraid...).  I spent the rest of the day in running shoes with a soft heel insert (not my actual running shoes, just another cheap pair I use for daily stuff) and had no heel pain, but man the calf never loosened up.  

I skipped last nights planned bike, and instead spent about an hour with a frozen water bottle and a golf ball rolling the bottom of my foot, and did a bunch of lower leg stretches.  It all felt good when I went to bed, but the calf is tight again this morning!  My arch is also sore, but that may just be from the rolling with the ball, which it is not used to.  Anyway, I hope I'm overreacting here, but I'm worried.  Going to try a short run on the treadmill tonight (all I'll have time for anyway), but will shut it down if there is any pain.

I feel like I've been pretty conservative on my running, all super easy and I'm following a slow volume build.  Maybe still too quick considering I'm coming off such a long layoff of no running?  Hopefully I'm just making too much over a simple tight calf and it will be fine in a day?  I hope so anyway... 

I'm feeling a bit frustrated this morning.  During my run yesterday my left calf started getting tight.  I stopped halfway through the run and did a few minutes of stretching, then kept going.  With about 1/2 mile to go at the end (about the 3.5 mile mark) the calf tightened up again.  Since I was so close I just kept going, then stretched after the run for 5-10 minutes.  It was REAL tight at this point.  A few hours later it was still tight, and there was some mild pain/discomfort in my heel when walking barefoot.  Thoughts of plantar fasciitis ran through my head! (I've never had it, but read enough horror stories to be afraid...).  I spent the rest of the day in running shoes with a soft heel insert (not my actual running shoes, just another cheap pair I use for daily stuff) and had no heel pain, but man the calf never loosened up.  

I skipped last nights planned bike, and instead spent about an hour with a frozen water bottle and a golf ball rolling the bottom of my foot, and did a bunch of lower leg stretches.  It all felt good when I went to bed, but the calf is tight again this morning!  My arch is also sore, but that may just be from the rolling with the ball, which it is not used to.  Anyway, I hope I'm overreacting here, but I'm worried.  Going to try a short run on the treadmill tonight (all I'll have time for anyway), but will shut it down if there is any pain.

I feel like I've been pretty conservative on my running, all super easy and I'm following a slow volume build.  Maybe still too quick considering I'm coming off such a long layoff of no running?  Hopefully I'm just making too much over a simple tight calf and it will be fine in a day?  I hope so anyway... 

I'm feeling a bit frustrated this morning.  During my run yesterday my left calf started getting tight.  I stopped halfway through the run and did a few minutes of stretching, then kept going.  With about 1/2 mile to go at the end (about the 3.5 mile mark) the calf tightened up again.  Since I was so close I just kept going, then stretched after the run for 5-10 minutes.  It was REAL tight at this point.  A few hours later it was still tight, and there was some mild pain/discomfort in my heel when walking barefoot.  Thoughts of plantar fasciitis ran through my head! (I've never had it, but read enough horror stories to be afraid...).  I spent the rest of the day in running shoes with a soft heel insert (not my actual running shoes, just another cheap pair I use for daily stuff) and had no heel pain, but man the calf never loosened up.  

I skipped last nights planned bike, and instead spent about an hour with a frozen water bottle and a golf ball rolling the bottom of my foot, and did a bunch of lower leg stretches.  It all felt good when I went to bed, but the calf is tight again this morning!  My arch is also sore, but that may just be from the rolling with the ball, which it is not used to.  Anyway, I hope I'm overreacting here, but I'm worried.  Going to try a short run on the treadmill tonight (all I'll have time for anyway), but will shut it down if there is any pain.

I feel like I've been pretty conservative on my running, all super easy and I'm following a slow volume build.  Maybe still too quick considering I'm coming off such a long layoff of no running?  Hopefully I'm just making too much over a simple tight calf and it will be fine in a day?  I hope so anyway... 

Yesterday's ride landed up being a bit of an interesting experience, with the weather definitely getting worse before it got better.  I got to the high point of the ride and had the option of cutting it short.  It was snowing ever so slightly, but I decided to keep going.  And of course as soon as I was past the point of no return (down a steep hill that I really didn't fancy cycling back up) the snow started coming down really heavily.  I landed up stopping at a cafe at the bottom of the hill for a hot drink and a cupcake while I waited for the snow to clear up.  Fortunately it improved after about 20 minutes, and by the time I got home all the snow had melted and the sun was out.  The 2nd half of the ride was definitely more enjoyable than the first!

And since people have been sharing photos, I took one yesterday, but now I've forgotten how to put them into posts.  Any tips?

Yesterday's ride landed up being a bit of an interesting experience, with the weather definitely getting worse before it got better.  I got to the high point of the ride and had the option of cutting it short.  It was snowing ever so slightly, but I decided to keep going.  And of course as soon as I was past the point of no return (down a steep hill that I really didn't fancy cycling back up) the snow started coming down really heavily.  I landed up stopping at a cafe at the bottom of the hill for a hot drink and a cupcake while I waited for the snow to clear up.  Fortunately it improved after about 20 minutes, and by the time I got home all the snow had melted and the sun was out.  The 2nd half of the ride was definitely more enjoyable than the first!

And since people have been sharing photos, I took one yesterday, but now I've forgotten how to put them into posts.  Any tips?