Sunday, November 14, 2010

In training...

Not nearly as exciting as the hiking itself, but I guess just as important...training. Twice this week I've gone on bike rides. The first one, last Sunday, was my first real ride since the surgeries. Well, except for the primarily downhill leg of the Virginia Creeper Trail. I was ecstatic to see at the end of that 7 mile ride that I really had more trouble out of the knee that hasn't had surgery than the one that did. I rode the Ten Mile Greenway here in town with Lynn. It's really a very nice greenway that is nicely paved and has two underpasses to traverse the busiest roads. Only two other street crossings are required and those are not a problem. The trail is well used (enough to feel safe), but not so greatly used that you are continually dodging other people. It goes from Cedar Bluff/North Peters Road to the elementary school on Vanosdale Road. Round trip, the trail is 7 miles.

I rode the trail again yesterday, Saturday, because I couldn't find anyone who wanted to hike and I knew it was going to be a gorgeous fall day. This time I did the trail and then repeated part of it for an approximate 9 mile trip. I want to work my way back up to where 20 miles is fairly easy, which is what I was doing before the knee went out a couple years ago. I LOVE the endorphin rush I can get on my bike. Same one I used to get when I ran in my younger days. I can't really get that rush just walking neighborhood streets or greenways, but I can get it on my bike.

In between the two bike rides, I did a 4 mile walk of the Turkey Creek Greenway on Tuesday. I've got to start keeping track of my time, but I think I'm walking it pretty fast. I was more stiff and sore from the walk than I was from the bike ride. Go figure!

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