Achy knees after fitting....(long!)

[KathiCville]

Hi Emily.....I'm based in Charlottesville, about 20 miles from where Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway meet (Afton, off I-64). BRP heads south at that point; Skyline Drive heads north. Jane is about 40 miles north of me, in Madison County, so she's close to where Route 33 crosses the mountains and Skyline Drive.......I'm still a pretty slow/new rider, but Jane and her gang are speed demons, LOL!

[IFjane]

Hi Emily.....but Jane and her gang are speed demons, LOL!

WHO???? *lol*

Emily - no we aren't!

I am originally from the Northern Neck, and I know another TE'er who spends weekends there. The nothern part of the NN is about 1.5 hours from here (Madison); and a little more from Kathi. In fact, Charlottesville is exactly 100 miles from my mom's house (she still lives in the NN in the house where I grew up).

Please keep us posted on your travel plans - there are several of us up here and we'd love to hook up with another TE'er!

[KathiCville]

Someone commented recently in a post that TE'ers often hear about people's bike-related problems, but rarely about the outcome. So I thought I'd report back that my knee ache resolved itself very nicely and very quickly.

All it took was moving my seat back a bit, taking it easy for a few days, and following the excellent advice of the LBS that did the fitting: icing the knee, wearing long tights until the weather warms up, and not trying to up my speed and mileage simultaneously, LOL! Good lesson learned! I need to remember that my almost 50-year old body isn't quite as resilient as it was at 25! (Doh!) For good measure, I've added a knee strengthening exercise to the core strengthening stuff that IFJane and others have recommended. I'm already noticing a big difference in how much better I'm sitting on the bike, thanks to the fitting and the exercises. Amazing, what a bunch of mechanical tweaks of bike and body can do!.......So, a verrrrry happy ending! Thanks, Jane!

[Starfish]

Hey KathiCV, what a wonderfull outcome! Very nice of you to post, too. Thanks!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I need to remember that my almost 50-year old body isn't quite as resilient as it was at 25! (Doh!)

I started roller skating 3 months ago at the age of 54. Even though I bike thousands of miles a year, my knees were quite sore after skating for the first few weeks. I was just using my knees slightly differently than in biking (you need to skate with your knees slightly bent) and it took a while for my knee strength to catch up. But it did and now I have no knee issues when either skating or biking.

[KathiCville]

Coool, Lisa! .... I'm beginning to think that the teeny knee episode was actually a blessing in disguise. Once I started doing the knee exercises---maybe 10 days or so ago?---I'm noticing already that my knees feel better when I'm just walking or going up and down steps. Makes me realize that I've probably been walking around with slightly weak knees all along and just accepted a bit of twinging as normal. Ditto my lower back--the core exercises are making a huge difference there, too.........Yet another great reason to get back into cycling, eh?? By the time I get myself into good biking shape, I'll probably be more fit than I've been in my whole life....

[IFjane]

Kathi - First, I apologize for not emailing you back last week. Long, whining story but last week was.....well....I'm glad it's over! I have been on TE only long enough to post a few times. I have not emailed anyone much at all.

But.....I am sooooooooooo happy you are feeling better on the bike! yay!!! The core strength is key - keep it up! Can't wait to see you again - **Jane is doing the Happy Dance!**

[KathiCville]

No problem on the lack of e-mail, Jane! I figured you were either buried at work...or working on your wedding...or running around weeding...or probably all three, LOL!

I'm hoping to get in a couple more 20+ milers before Sunday! That's when I have to pack my bike for delivery to UPS on Monday for its trip to Mississippi in time for my birthday trek! (Happy dance, happy dance!)