Spring Break - Week 8

Eight weeks into my training plan for the Red-Bell 100 century ride in June, and I haven't been logging the mileage I intended, but I'm making up for it this week and expect the weather will be more conducive over the next ten weeks. To avoid over-use injury, I'm trying to be conscientious about stretching and doing yoga, and I've been wrapping my left ankle at night to self-treat some tendon problems. I read something online about an inflatable boot to be worn at night to treat plantar fasciitis; it keeps the foot flexed to prevent shortening of the Achilles tendon. I didn't want to bother trying to find and purchase the boot, I'm just wrapping loosely with an ace bandage 3-4 nights a week, and it seems to help.

I suspect one thing that contributed to my tendon problems was riding improperly with clip-in pedals. Unfortunately, when I first tried using clip-ins, the advice I'd heard was to pull up on the pedal, and I think this is partly what hurt my ankle. Later I read that you should think of pedaling in circles, rather than up and down, and just try to keep pressure on the pedal half-way into the backstroke, rather than pulling up.

Riding with clips supposedly can create up to a 30% increase in power on the pedal stroke, but I had two other reasons for clipping: first, once I get them fine-tuned, the clips will hold my foot in position and keep my foot, ankle and knee in alignment, and second, they keep my foot from slipping off the pedal, which has been a problem with my new Giro shoes when it's wet or on fast downhills.

I'm using the Shimano pedals which are flat on one side and have a clip on the other, and for this week I've been riding with only one foot clipped in at a time so I'll always have one foot free in case I get stuck or forget I'm clipped in. It's very common - nothing to be embarrassed about - for riders to roll up to a stop, panic when they find their feet are stuck to the pedals, and fall over sideways in the street. Perfectly normal. One thing I learned is to try to fall over to the left, so you don't bend your rear derailleur. It happens.

Today I rode a 35-mile round trip to Birch Bay, for the first time since last summer, and discovered a few changes at the state park. Some sort of meeting room or conference building is almost complete near the main restrooms across from the beach. And an automated check-in system has been added at the entrance to the camping area, along with digital vending machines to purchase the Discover Pass, which is now required for vehicles using Washington state parks.

I'm not sure whether bicyclists who camp at state parks are required to have the pass, but at last year's price of $30 for the year, if I decide to take any camping trips this summer, I will be glad to throw in my share to support the parks system. Unless a vehicle license plate number is required.