I've been back to a regular running routine for about five weeks now. Looking back, I first got out of that routine last Fall after running too many ultras in too short a time for me. I regained ground over the winter and then fractured a vertebra in my neck in a mountain bike accident in April. After the bike accident I never really found my groove again, mentally or physically. What finally worked for me was to just start getting out there and running regularly, whether I wanted to or not. After a mere two weeks it had become a habit again and I hated to think of missing a day.
In addition to six days of running, I have been doing three mountain bike rides of 1-3 hours and two weight training sessions each week. The weight training is tolerable. The mountain biking is an absolute joy. I love sharing this passion with Kevin. I can't describe how much fun we have riding the trails! My mouth hurts after we ride because I smile the entire time I am on the mountain bike.
Yes, my muscles feel it too. I use my core strength, my arms and shoulders, and all of my leg muscles. Kevin voiced surprise that I tired out before he did while riding at Bradbury yesterday, since "you can run a hundred miles." The truth is that on the mountain bike I have to work to get over those rocks and logs and big roots, while Kevin has enough skill to just roll or hop over very effortlessly. This gives my quads, glutes, and hamstrings a tough workout when we ride on rougher trails like they have at Bradbury. This hard work seems very complimentary to my running fitness. The mountain biking has also vastly improved my balance and coordination and my ability to read a trail and pick a good line. Those last items are very helpful with my trail running. I haven't been falling while trail running anywhere near as often as I used to!
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