Not relying on a car (other than the occasional lift from DW), one of the things I have to worry about is overtraining(*) especially given that I’m not 20 anymore. The fact that I’m mostly moved by muscle power means that I have a rather real sense of how far I can go and how much I can do.
This week I will log the following
- Monday: 13 miles bike (commute). This is my standard commute.
- Tuesday: 25 miles bike (commute + noon ride + evening ride with DW). I took up noon rides a while back. Outdoor endurance sports are incredibly popular in NorCal and around noon the streets are filled with guys (and some chicks) on expensive bikes in faux team wear.
- Wednesday: 1 hour inline hockey, 5 mile run. Verily, when the weather forecast says rain, I get a ride from DW in the morning, and then I run home. This is done trail-style with a snug backpack. (I use a camelbak).
- Thursday: 5 mile run. Pox on the rain!
- Friday: 1 hour inline hockey, 13 miles bike commute. This is a nasty combo. The ride home is almost always done bonking all the way. Since I follow the warrior diet, I’m a rather efficient fat-burner. I hit the wall slightly earlier than the Gatorated six meals a day blood-sugar addicts, but I don’t hit it very hard.
- Saturday: Off day, yay! Sunday morning, my legs are 100% again.
- Sunday: Hockey league game. Boom!
(*) Conversely, I don’t have to worry about gaining or losing weight or other things that haunt the car-locked crowd.
In short, my legs are pretty much fried most evenings. They just get a chance to regenerate to 85% before they get hammered again. This means that I often have to budget how much capacity I have in the tank, that is, my current recovery level, lest I not be able to perform when needed (the games).
That’s me on the right. Might give you some indication of what the guy behind ERE looks like should you ever meet me on the rink 😀
The benefits of all this? How about a body that is the functional equivalent of a Lexus – sorry stupid car analogues 😛 . Normal physical labor is rarely exhausting. Movements are smooth, being is painless, comfortable, and nothing aches. Metabolism is sky-high (think furnace). Falls don’t result in broken bones. It is easy to keep up with younger people (inactive people start slipping once they turn 25 and natural HGH levels decline). Oh yeah, and most clothes fit like it was tailor made. It also comes with great health care benefits. I haven’t seen a doctor is almost five years. I’m not sure about the last time I was ill — I think it was a 24hr stomach flu 4 years ago. Want one? You just have to work for it. Ditching the car helps, but just getting off the couch helps too.
Originally posted 2008-04-04 07:40:49.
