Make your day count

I've reviewed my posts for the last week and have come to a very important conclusion.

 

I am posting complete and utter *crap*.

 

Wordy, long winded, overly opinionated, and poor creative construction.

 

What happened to my thoughtful, well written posts?  Posts that I was proud of?

 

So apparently it's impossible to write creatively when your job is sucking away your life's blood (ie - creative writing ideas).  I have a couple of HUGE audits coming up, there isn't enough time to get everything done.

 

As work pays the bills and this blog does not....I guess that is a sacrifice I'm willing to make. 

 

Have I mentioned I have a 50 miler in 10 days?  I know - I'm as surprised as you.  Already 6 weeks since our 100?  Really?  I'm not terribly excited since it's *just* a 50 miler (and that *just* mind set is going to get me in a LOT of trouble if I don't get my act together!) and have a terrible feeling that it's going rain.  I already have a plan if it rains - don't go.  I'll go to American River instead.  Yes, I'll lose the entry fee for Buck Meadows, but honestly, I would PAY someone not to have to do another rainy ride so soon after that rainy 100....

 

Yes, all you people like AareneX who deal with rain on a daily basis can squawk like chickens at me.  I'm. Tired. Of. Being. Wet.  and cold.  and miserable. and chafed.

 

Today's topic concerns how you are a *e-rider even when you aren't riding....

 

**e-rider = endurance rider.  It's my new favorite term, right next to BBs (blog buddies).  I really should start a "terms list" on the sidebar.

 

How do you prepare your body during your normal, daily activities to ride well (balanced, centered, calm, focused)? 

 

In comparison to the total hours in a day, we spend very little time in the saddle.  Our habits during the day can influence how productive our saddle time is. 

• There's the obvious - nutrition and exercise. 
• I want to talk about the less obvious - being centered and balanced.

While riding I want my weight to be even and centered.  I want to be balanced in the saddle.  During my warm up I have a check list (heavily influenced by the concepts of Centered Riding)

• Are my "blocks" in line? (head, hips, heels.  My head has a tendency to thrust forward)
• Does one leg feel tighter than the other?
• Can I feel both seat bones equally?
• Is my lower back straight?
• Am I breathing through my stomach and into my lower back?
• Are my arms hanging from the shoulders
• Is there equal pressure in the stirrups?

This week I started using this check list while doing other activities and what I found was very disturbing - Other than my riding time, I spend VERY LITTLE time being "balanced".  I'm really focusing on spending more time in my daily life "balanced", hoping that it transfers to my saddle time.  Here's a partial list of what I'm working on.

 

At work

• I put my computer (lap top) up on a product box to bring the screen on level with my face so my head can be in a neutral position with my shoulders and hips.
• I raised my chair so that my forearms, shoulders, and wrists are in alignments
• I am buying a new chair (and foot rest) so that I do not have to be perched on the edge of the chair in order for my feed to reach the ground AND my back can be against the back of the chair, AND has no arms so my chair actually fits under my desk.  I think a lot of my problems will be solved by getting a new chair.  Right now it's IMPOSSIBLE for me to actually sit at my desk without crossing my legs or putting a leg underneath of me.  My feet don't reach the ground and I have to lean too far back and as a result my shoulders and back are ALWAYS tense.
• When I stand up to talk to someone, I focus on keeping equal weight in my feet and not slouching

While walking

• Keeping my body in a neutral position, breathing through my stomach.

While biking

• Making sure that equal weight is in the seat bones
• I'm pushing each pedal with equal force
• When shifting, I'm not causing the up or down shift to ALWAYS correspond with the same side of my pedal movement
• Keeping my shoulders down and relaxed.

Anyone else?  I've already noticed I have less back pain this week than "normal".