(This blog was originally written in November 2008)
I just came back from a bike ride around Boulder Reservoir and am shocked to see that according to NOAA, the wind is blowing at only 39mph. That has got to be wrong–the wells on the lake were at least 2 to 3 feet; it looked like low tide at the Jersey shore! The spray was coming up and over the banks and there was more than one time where the wind actually pushed me six feet over on the road.
At one point, where the path is only a narrow road that is about fifteen to twenty feet above the water on one side and at the top of longer hill on the other, the crosswind was so strong I had to walk my bike. I couldn’t get on for fear of being blown down the hill! When my friend picked his bike up, it looked as if it was a piece of flapping material and would be carried down into the prairie. It was that intense. I’m thinking way more than 39 mph. Way.
I think if I had another bike, I could have got on and tackled the crosswind. But unfortunately my foot hits the fender when I turn my wheel hard. It’s an inconvenience that I’ve learned to live with in normal conditions, but in wind like that where it grabs and turns the wheel at any moment, it’s downright dangerous. I couldn’t get control of the bike without putting my foot down, which didn’t get me far at all. I bought the bike for its price and because without the fender, this wasn’t a problem. When I get my touring bike, I will be sure that isn’t an issue.
But why I’m writing about this on my bodywork blog is because it is during these extreme conditions when it is easy to forget about our bodies. We are so busy tackling the conditions and/or our equipment, we don’t even realize how intensely we’re bucking up against whatever it is that we’re struggling with. Today, as I walked and rode my bike, I was deeply angled into the wind the whole time. It was like pushing up against a big, heavy load for ninety minutes straight.
Although I was aware of what I was up against, I wasn’t aware of the specific stresses on my body until the wind was behind me and I noticed my shoulder screaming into my ear. I also noticed I hadn’t been sitting optimally, either. Or, should I say, I was sitting optimally for the conditions, but not optimally for my body. Normally, I would become aware of these discomforts long before they became issues. But today, it was enough to keep myself from falling over.
It’s important to use equipment that’s right for the conditions: a good-fitting bicycle, skis with edges or skins, clothes that protect you from the elements. (We shiver to generate heat, and that takes energy. We also tend to clench against the cold, which not only uses muscles that perhaps should be at rest, but changes our posture.) If the right equipment isn’t available, then it becomes even more important to remember to give ourselves breaks, especially when we are distracted by extreme conditions. Unfortunately, today, I wasn’t able to because if I set my bike down, it would have literally gone flying. But once I was aware of the strain, I at least did some shoulder rolls and shrugs to keep me from cramping up completely. Afterwards, a hot shower was another welcome way to relax after some deep stretching.
Life is like that, though. It builds and builds until we’re juggling so much we don’t even know we’re distracted. That’s why it’s important to accommodate good habits into our schedules, such as stretching or meditation, so that if we are too distracted to notice our holding, we’re at least addressing it in the midst of our daily grind. And stretching doesn’t have to be some intense pretzel gym workout, either. Try a simple but yummy cat stretch, the kind that gets so deep you almost have to let out a squeak. If you notice you start to cramp up, simply back off and relax before trying again with less intensity. Reach with some extension when you grab a sweater off the closet shelf. Do shoulder rolls and shrugs. Drop a pencil and pick it up with one arm extended behind you. And when you are pursuing your sport, don’t forget to play!
Don’t just do a sport, be a sport. It doesn’t have to be serious.
