Tired

Because I’m a sucker for anything bicycle-related, I occasionally read popular cycling magazines that offer advice on how to go faster, lose weight, and crush your rivals in the pelaton. Generally, they tell you to schedule the occasional day off in your training regimen so your body can recover and muscle fibers re-knit (or whatever), thus enabling you to come back stronger, faster, and more vicious on two wheels.

Historically, I’ve been skeptical about this. For one thing, I’m not sure I buy any sort of “training” that doesn’t involve a whip and a chair, or at least a whip and a tub of Crisco shortening.

For another, the recovery thing never really made sense to me. I mean, if some exercise is good, shouldn’t more be better?

Of course, my skepticism about this is likely informed by my never having really worked out enough to warrant a day off, anyway, so what do I know.

Today, though, I’m feeling wrung out enough to just maybe believe the line about needing to lay off occasionally.

Last week, I rode more than I have at any time in my life other than when I’ve been on a tour. I logged close to 200 miles back and forth to school and around town during the week, then another 150 or so on the weekend.

And today, even more than yesterday, on which I added a paltry 20 or so, my legs feel especially rubbery. On my way out to school this morning, I felt like an old pipe-smoking Cambridge Don, slowly turning his cranks on the way to morning lecture. Now, that in itself isn’t such a bad thing, but it’s slightly mortifying when you get passed by a six year-old kid riding a bike with training wheels.

(Full disclosure: I was taking off my vest at the time and putting it in my handlebar bag, but still…)

So, tired, yes, but still not quite exhausted enough to drive.