Ride-wise, the weekend was filled with subparness. Saturday’s ride was OK, but sadly it ended early when I got chased by an icy cold rain storm at MMCC . My plan for Sunday was to spend a couple hours at Hanson Hills riding singletrack in the yet to turn green woods of north central Michigan, which I did, it just that it didn’t feel all that great.
I’ve been feeling really stiff on and off the bike lately, especially since the crash last week. My low back has always bothered me but lately it’s been worse than usual and now my left hip flexor has been hurting as well and even features a nice “clunk” when I rotate my leg. While things could be worse for sure, all the little pains are adding up and have me feeling like I’m a hundred and two years old. The increased back and hip pains have not stopped me from riding over the past couple years, but I’m not riding as far, for as long and the experience is way less enjoyable. Probably yet another reason while I continue to fail at my weight loss goals.
Since giving up riding is not an option, doing more stretching of my glutes, quads and hip flexors is. So, I have been (by that I mean I started today) doing more stretching. It doesn’t feel great and I can name quite a few other things I would RATHER be doing than stretching my hip flexors, once done there was is some mild relief. I can only hope that if I can make this a routine, things will get better and my riding will become more enjoyable and my miles will increase (glutes crossed).
Despite the dull back pain, I did get 20 miles of singletrack riding in and got to do a tad more climbing and descending than I can get at MMCC. The woods are just now turning a tad greener up there, but there is still no signs of the usual ferns and the trees are week or so out from having leaves. If this is what it’s like just an hour and a half north of here, I reckon the U.P. will get leaves on the trees by July or August this year. Ha!
Later.