The first race is done, the first RTF is also behind me and my membership card for the FC St. Pauli (Cycling Department) I have already received. Now the 2017 season is really getting started!
Compared to last year, I did a little more this year than in 2016, but I actually wanted to do the first ones for a long time 1000km to have come of the season.
Who actually forgot to tell the weather that it's May already?
Honestly: The false winters, which we have here in Northern Germany, just doesn't want that apparent spring soft. Temperatures are still between 2°C and 15°C. For weeks wind and gusts of wind and blue sky can only be seen occasionally. The right mood may not yet arise and for working people - like me - it is very uncomfortably cold in the evening after work. When I think about it, my throat is scratching again. Actually I'm quite good with all-weather clothes equipped, but still shy away from the cold air. The wind is very, very fresh.
Vätternrundan is getting closer
My personal highlight of the season, the Vätternrundan um den Lake Vättern in Sweden, draws inexorably closer. Of course I'm really looking forward to it 300km to cycle around the lake, but of course I also have certain expectations of myself. I don't have to race around there now, but I don't want to take more than 12 hours either. I'd much rather be close to them 10h your turn. In order to do the 300km in a good time and not fall dead off my bike afterwards, I need one thing above all: neat Kilometer in my legs and that's exactly what I'm missing. If I had to rate my current level of fitness, I would rather say: not yet sufficient for endurance performance. As you know, I did focused strength training over the winter (5x5). I worked my body properly and of course didn't skip my legs. As a result of the training, I was of course happy to have more muscles, but unfortunately that also has a few disadvantages.
Muscles are not just muscles
First of all: I notice that I have trained for maximum strength and that in a positive sense. On my training rides I noticed that my pace is a bit better than last year and that I no longer experience such a drop in speed on smaller inclines. What was completely new for me after my first 100km lap, I had one aching. At least I've never had one like this before. A few days later I was running and my muscles were sore again, and I had a different feeling when running. My muscles in my legs seem to follow a different gravity than the last one. My thighs are just a little heavier than they were a year ago. I think that can only be compensated for by frequent endurance training. I just have to get used to the new body feeling first.
So I'm swinging my way from sore muscles to sore muscles.
Stretching and fascia massage
I currently stretch my whole body once a day. I start at the top and then slowly go down, I try to stretch the muscles again. What I also do is a fascia massage. I know buzzword! Actually, I'm always rather skeptical about such modern stuff, but in an emergency you have to try new things and open yourself to new therapies. In the end I don't care what it's called, the main thing is that it helps! In addition, my wife is a Pilates trainer and is very familiar with fascia massages and we are different sizes Faszienrollen have at home.
[eapi keyword="fascia rollers"]
The first time I was skeptical and smiled a little at the rolling on the rollers, but was then taught better - as often happens to me with my wife. Slowly rolling the affected body parts on the foam roller is not the most pleasant type of massage imaginable, but it helps. At least it helped me. I immediately noticed an improvement. Both in the back (I have a history of two herniated discs) and in the legs. So I can only recommend it to everyone to deal with the topic at least once. A lot of pain is simply caused by overloaded and shortened muscles, just try it out.