As you know from THIS post, I’m back on the bike and staring down two 70.3s which are fast approaching.  The first one is July 7th, a small event hosted by Ironman, and I anticipate it to be a total bike train wreck.  The little biking that I have done so far (70 miles last month) has not gone well.  Everything hurt.  My knees hurt. My hips hurt.  My neck hurt. My shoulders hurt.  I kept thinking, what did I get myself into?!?! that my return to triathlon was going to be a difficult one.  I did the only thing I could think of doing, I took more Joint ProMotion. 

Okay, let’s be honest, I actually started taking Joint ProMotion.  You would think that as a runner and AdvoCare Distributor I would be using a glucosamine supplement but you would be wrong.   I am now.

Then I started thinking.  More thinking.  I’ve never been a strong biker but there is a difference between sucking not being good at something and having pain.  I never had pain before, this is new.  I am riding the same bike I had Pre-Michael but I felt like it had shrunk in it’s 1309 days of hibernation.  Muscle atrophy?  Probably not.  I “may” have mentioned these problems to hubby and he may, or may not, have threatened me regarding bringing home a new TRI bike.  Sigh….

So I called Trek Schererville and scheduled an appointment to be refitted on my “old” bike.  Aby was kind enough to take a few photos of the process.

Getting Closer…. Hello Team Tough Chik!  I’m actually in this photo…..kinda.   And you can “kinda” see Paul behind me, adjusting the bike.  Apparently the seat was almost 2” too low.

When your seat is too low, you don’t get proper pedal extensions, have less power, and develop aches and pains in your hips and knees.  It also basically folds the bike up on you and the aerobars will feel too short, shifting will be difficult and you “may” develop pain in the neck and shoulders.  Really?  I never would have guessed.

I’m a happy camper now and looking forward to my ride this afternoon.  Cross your fingers for me! 

And as a general rule of thumb, if it feels wrong, it is wrong.  Trust yourself.  Don’t get hurt because you are stubborn or because you think you are a weak biker/runner/person.  It also helps if you buy your bike from a store you can trust, a store who’s employees know your name and number when it pops up on the caller ID, a store that will refit your bike and help you with your mental problems, a store that will service your bike free for life.  Trek.

Side note:  My computer finally arrived!  I’ve been waiting for the Node 1.1 to arrive so that I could have an affordable computer which works on the road and on my trainer, while still being wireless.  This is HUGE.  Now I have zero excuses as to not riding.  NO EXCUSES!

So what’s your excuse for not putting in your miles?  Please share, I need some new ones!

Happy TRI-ing ** Amanda – TooTallFritz ** amanda@tootallfritz.com **