The Last Word on Knees

I've become something of a connoisseur of articles on knees. You know -- that concatenation of bone, ligament, muscle and tendon that separates your shins from your thighs? Endurance athletes tend to have a lot of trouble with 'em. I'm certainly no exception, as Velophoriacs know too well from early posts here, detailing part of my odyssey with knee issues.

In my Firefox bookmarks folder, I must have over forty articles on knees: Physiology, strengthening, stretching, self-massage, blah, blah, blah. But ever since I recently bought a nice pair of running shoes and started fooling around with trying to run again, I've done a bunch of research on knees in the running literature. That's when I found this gem. I was surprised; I'm disappointed by Runner's World's tendency to print quickie sidebars entitled something like, "Five Tips for Joint Health." Useless. Nonetheless, this full-length piece is the best (and most enjoyable) summary of all the thinking, past, present and cutting edge, about knees I have read so far.

If you have any good ones yourself, feel free to post in the comments section.

Crossing Paths and Cyclocross

Wonderful bike-related incidents in the last two days: A first in-the-flesh meeting with No One Line, who has moved to my part of Massachusetts (lucky me!) and a visit to the Cycle-Smart International cyclocross race in Look Park (in Northampton, MA) where local boys Jeremy Powers and Jamey Driscoll once again laid waste (as Sri Bobke would say) in the Elite division.

That last race was all I was able to make, but it was great fun, including an insane rock-and-root-strewn run-up, where I stood with No One Line and his friends, cheering and ringing a free cowbell from Mavic (score!). As fun as it is to watch, I never fail, within the first 30 seconds of attending a 'cross melee, to have the same reaction: "This isn't what bikes are built for!" All the more amazing then, no? As NOL put it, those guys are "lean and mean, but all fast-twitch." The wattage level they put out for a solid hour is amazing.

The whole retro-boho-beer-sippin'-facial-hair-and-handmade-cycling-cap-sportin' 'cross culture was on full display. With one foot firmly on the road to geezer-hood, I love being around the energy, creativity, haughty self-consciousness, and pure athleticism. A heady mix, delightful for short bursts of time. It was a lovely day for 'cross: 50 degrees and sunny. Well, okay, the wannabe Belgians probably would have preferred 40 degrees and raining, but it was sure a good day for standing around watching other people burn up glycogen like it was goin' out of style...

Stop by tomorrow -- a beautiful day predicted and more cycling insanity for those willing to pay the measly $5.00 parking fee. Me? I'll be out on a ride, inspired by the studs I saw today.

Giro Promoters Lose Collective Minds

First they move the Tour of California to May so it conflicts with the Giro (?!?#$%?), now this absurd proposal.

It's enough that winter is coming. Do they have to mock and torment us so?

Indoors is Good

Ages since my last real post. Part of the reason for that is the weird experience of having an actual burn-out this fall.

Since my training for the first two years was constantly interrupted by injury or illness, I ended up effectively training for two straight years –when not actually riding, I was obsessing about recovery, how/whether to ride injured, and pining for the bike. Hence the full-on burn-out this fall.

The mental burn-out (accompanied by good physical health – a rare combination for me) has afforded me the luxury of cross-training, something I’ve been wanting to try since I (re-)started cycling. I’ve been enjoying fiddling around with running, to very mixed success. I love it, but my knees are rebelling and it looks like I’ll have to pull back a lot.

I’ve also been enjoying my new gym. Most folks complain about how boring the health club is; I have a long history as a gym rat. I spent a good portion of my very expensive liberal arts college career in the rather low-rent campus gym, pumping iron and talking technique with linebackers twice my size. Some of my fondest college memories.

What’s more, I don’t mind being on an elliptical machine for 45 minutes. I tend to thrive where others die of boredom. It allows me to get deep into a movement groove and get a serious, finely-tuned burn going. (I also am working on a theory that it is great cross-training for the bike, because it works hardest the muscles that I increasingly find useful for biking: the glutes and lower back). Road cycling is much more fun and stimulating, but it rarely allows that deep groove, what with all the hills, curves, potholes and scenery here in Western Mass.

Best of all, when I got on the bike last Sunday after a couple weeks of this, I rode harder, longer with more excitement and less fatigue than I have in weeks. So, for right now, I’m enjoying the cooler, wetter weather. I’m thrilled that I don’t have to despair when it’s crappy out. I have a powerful workout waiting for me seven minutes away in a warm, dry, inexpensive, stripped-down-but-totally-functional place.

Come January, I’ll probably be sick of it and dying for a road fix. For right now, though… I can watch college ball while I’m maintaining my VO2 max.

Think You've Seen Fixie Tricks?

Freakish. Gorgeous. Impossible.