2012 ACF Commuting Challenge (AT) Endomondo

[jasonc]

Look after your sore back Gretaboy...

I have a could of stretches I do on a daily basis for my lower back. the main one is this:

1. lie flat on your back
2. bring your left knee to your chest.
3. hold the outside of your left knee with your right hand
4. lie your left hand/arm parallel to your shoulder
5. pull your knee down/across towards the floor on your right hand side keeping both shoulders on the floor, and doing your best to keep your hips on the ground.
6. hold it there for 10 seconds or so
7. repeat process for other leg.

EDIT: I also go to chiro once every 5 weeks to keep everything aligned

[gretaboy]

Look after your sore back Gretaboy...
Some advice - which even I am yet to take up - is to stretch the hammies (and all else of course).. but tight hammies = tight back/neck/shoulders.
Yes I rode again today - but my avg speed was just under 24km/h which is about 10-15% slower for me on the roadie.
(Note - my Endo app is not set to auto pause so my avg speeds are based on total time not just the moving time.)

The initial hurt wasnt from riding...last weekend finished building a billy cart with my 10 year old. It doesnt have any brakes and when I had a go I used my feet to try and stop and ended up jarring my lower back. Have ridden everyday since and its only been the last couple of days that have hurt. I have been doing stretches but yesterday was a killer. The pain killers really helped on the ride home.

It feels like it is bruised, so just got to take it easy this weekend. Will be taking anti-inflammatory's all weekend to try and calm it down. But come monday will be back on the bike regardless.

[jasonc]

But come monday will be back on the bike regardless.

anything to stay in front of me gretaboy?

[gretaboy]

But come monday will be back on the bike regardless.

anything to stay in front of me gretaboy?

Jason....look at it this way. I am putting the challenge out there for you to ride longer, which in turn can only benefit you...without it you possibly wouldnt have the desire to get on the bike when it is wet and cold

but yes...must stay in front hahahaha, cant give up this hard earned lead so easily

[Kenzo]

Off the bike again today... muscles around the middle of my back are spasming occasionally. Rest rest rest...

[gretaboy]

Off the bike again today... muscles around the middle of my back are spasming occasionally. Rest rest rest...

Kenzo...mine hasnt gone that bad yet, but it was a very painful ride this morning, even with two pain killers in the system..didnt help that my backpack was weighed down with my laptop, lunch and wet weather jacket

once warmed up it gets a little better but then the pain kicks in again once cooled down. Am mindful of how hard I push so that I dont make it worse, just time and lots of pain killers will see it get better.

[westab]

Hope both you gents backs get better soon - but please don't push it and make sure that you stretch and warm up as well as you can.

I am very lucky (touch wood) that I havn't had any back issues yet and hope I don't - mrs westab does (due to three large babies) and she does alot of exercises to keep things going. I would suggest both of you get some exercises and do them even when your backs are good again.

Up to 12th today after logging my weeks rides. Lower kms than last week due to some rain and having a cold - hopefully back to 120km this week. Next target 11th probably a month or more away.

[matt_h1]

Decided to try cycling to work every day this week (As it's only a 4 day week for me), why did I pick the week it's particularly wet and cold

So much grit had flicked into my chain by the time I hit Anzac bridge that my chain slipped off >.<

[gretaboy]

So much grit had flicked into my chain by the time I hit Anzac bridge that my chain slipped off >.<

Yeah got to love the wettish weather....was lucky this morning that it didnt pour, but roads were wet enough that I picked up enough dirt on myself and the bike this morning that I reckon I could build a raised vegie garden with it all

did an extra 13 k's as well today, this is the start of me trying to do 100 k's a commute day

[Kenzo]

Decided to try cycling to work every day this week (As it's only a 4 day week for me), why did I pick the week it's particularly wet and cold

So much grit had flicked into my chain by the time I hit Anzac bridge that my chain slipped off >.<

Mudgaurds/fenders Matt... cheap and effective.
Highly reccommend the Crud Road Racer for road bikes for keeping the bike's drivetrain somewhat protected from the grit...
http://www.crudproducts.com/products

Keep going on the commuting Matt - I used to cycle over the Anzac bridge, lived in Ashfield and worked on Market St in Sydney's CBD.

I'm still resting today and probably tomorrow too even though I felt good enough to ride this morning, I figure it is better to heal further and keep stretching rather than literally prolong the agony.

[gretaboy]

Tailwind....I have got the gap to be under 1000 at the moment, most probably go back up over due to me not riding tomorrow but it is a start

This little red engine is slowly chugging away

[jasonc]

Tailwind....I have got the gap to be under 1000 at the moment, most probably go back up over due to me not riding tomorrow but it is a start

This little red engine is slowly chugging away

anything to keep in front of me overall.

[gretaboy]

Tailwind....I have got the gap to be under 1000 at the moment, most probably go back up over due to me not riding tomorrow but it is a start

This little red engine is slowly chugging away

anything to keep in front of me overall.

of course mate...got to remember I do little riding on the weekends, if at all, and lose fridays and mondays every second week...so you have your opportunities

but big month for me..after this arvos ride I will have done just over 1600 k's for the month, missing a day this week stopped me from getting 1700...

[jasonc]

but big month for me..after this arvos ride I will have done just over 1600 k's for the month, missing a day this week stopped me from getting 1700...

that is amazing - that's 20000kms/year pace.

my biggest month ever, if i ride home this arvo (please hold off rain), i'll click over 1200kms
weekend riding will drop down for me the next month. hoping for around 1000kms for june.

[gretaboy]

but big month for me..after this arvos ride I will have done just over 1600 k's for the month, missing a day this week stopped me from getting 1700...

that is amazing - that's 20000kms/year pace.

my biggest month ever, if i ride home this arvo (please hold off rain), i'll click over 1200kms
weekend riding will drop down for me the next month. hoping for around 1000kms for june.

just how it worked out really..family commitments, public holidays and so forth were limited or didnt intrude as much...not every month will be like that

however next month may be a big month as well, not as many days, but it looks like I only lose the 11th as a commuting day..and without the partners car, I am forced to ride every day

[TailWind]

Tailwind....I have got the gap to be under 1000 at the moment, most probably go back up over due to me not riding tomorrow but it is a start

This little red engine is slowly chugging away

Yep, the sound of the little red engine is the sound of inevitability.
Not much I can do to respond:

Daily time on bike........................2.0 hrs
Shower, brekkie, prep kit, change etc.1.5 hrs
Work ......................................9.5 hrs
Sleep (if I'm lucky)........................7.0 hrs
After hours work (should be more).....1.0 hrs

Total.......................................21.0 hrs

That leaves 3 hours for family and other bits and pieces.

If I had to try and match your distance, I'd be spending another hour in the saddle on my best days, time which I just can't find.
Not sure if I'm going to get much faster either (allowing for more distance, same time) while keeping it consistent

[gretaboy]

If I had to try and match your distance, I'd be spending another hour in the saddle on my best days, time which I just can't find.
Not sure if I'm going to get much faster either (allowing for more distance, same time) while keeping it consistent

Tailwind...I have given up on the speed factor myself and am now just focusing on surviving the distance. My average for this month is 29.3 so I am relatively happy and anything faster just takes too much out of me

If I travel by car, the quickest is 45 minutes, if traffic is bad then it is closer to an hour. On the bike it takes me usually 1:30 roughly so really not giving that much time away and because I am in early and leave early from work, evening time with family is barely impacted. In the end, the bike would always give way to family if it was impacting too much

plus you work a longer day than me

[Kenzo]

I'm guessing you cannot change your bikejournal goal once you have set it... 'cause your little red triangle looks pretty silly right now Gretaboy....
10'000km is still possible for me this year but I'm no longer aiming for it. Jason - you have only a small gap between us again... I think it is a gap which you will close up over a couple of months as I reduce my commuting and increase the MTBing.

[gretaboy]

I'm guessing you cannot change your bikejournal goal once you have set it... 'cause your little red triangle looks pretty silly right now Gretaboy....

Silly!!!!! Thought it made me look like a powerhouse rider hahaha...yeah it can be changed in bikejournal, so have updated it to be 10k goal...now to see if I can achieve it. I thought 6k would be hard to achieve when I started

[jasonc]

I'm guessing you cannot change your bikejournal goal once you have set it... 'cause your little red triangle looks pretty silly right now Gretaboy....
10'000km is still possible for me this year but I'm no longer aiming for it. Jason - you have only a small gap between us again... I think it is a gap which you will close up over a couple of months as I reduce my commuting and increase the MTBing.

thanks kenzo - i gather once I catch you, you'll change your mind and smash me again.

btw - my bikejournal total looks silly too. But if I change it to say 10k, and the WAF sees it, I'm gone for.

[westab]

Light on week last week - a little shorter than normal due to the rain. I tend to not go the long way home.

But am happy - up to 11th (for a little while at least) hope to go up another place before the end of july but will take alot of extra transport rides.

It is harder to ride as it is getting colder - this challenge is realy motivating.

[gretaboy]

Light on week last week - a little shorter than normal due to the rain. I tend to not go the long way home.

But am happy - up to 11th (for a little while at least) hope to go up another place before the end of july but will take alot of extra transport rides.

It is harder to ride as it is getting colder - this challenge is realy motivating.

just keep plugging away mate....every k helps and it will build up...the challenge will be a major factor for me riding on days that I may not want too...every day I dont ride means Tailwind increasing his lead

[Kenzo]

On my week off from riding (last week) to rest my back - it also happened to be quite a rainy week in BNE. I decided I would be a "fair-weather" rider.... and only occasionally go out in the rain.

It was fun last week on the bus - mainly because it gave me a chance to play some of the games I have on the iPhone - like all the various 'Need for Speed' games with the noise cancelling headphones on hehehe... The people sitting beside or near me on the bus probably had a giggle at my antics too...

[jasonc]

looks like simon will be back next week which means I'll just miss out on passing him temporarily....

[Kenzo]

looks like simon will be back next week which means I'll just miss out on passing him temporarily....

If you ride home tonight - there will be less than 250kms between us Jason...
Only three days of commuting for me this week. Didn't ride today - had trouble sleeping last night and had less than fours hours of z's... I had a nap on the bus on the way in though.