Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Should have listened to the leg...

Didn't do much yesterday, I have a minor injury to the back of my right leg. I believe I may have pulled my hamstring. It's definately not the good sore you get from a hard workout, it's the bad sore you get from an injury. This morning I wanted to commute by bike to work. As it turns out, this didn't go so well. I'm convinced now that I should have listened to the leg...

Problem number one. I spent about 20mins trying to cram things into my trunk bag and then get it to attach to the rack on my bike. I could not for the life of me get it fully zipped up or attached to the rack correctly. I ended up bungeeing it. Husband has a bigger bag and pannier racks. Next time I will try his out. If that works for me I'll get one of those and sell mine on ebay.
I was a little behind schedule when I took off toward work. About a half mile in, I realized that I forgot my badge. This is not good. I need to scan the badge to get into the fitness center (to shower and change). I also keep my bike lock key and my desk keys on my badge. So I had to turn around to pick up my badge. Drat.

Second time out, things were going pretty well until I got to the hill. There is a parking lot about half way up, just after the steepest part. I turn into to sometimes to take a water break. Today I couldn't make it that far before taking a rest. I know I can do it when I get back into the commuting habit, but not today.

Eventually made it in, showered & changed, rode the bike another mile or so from the fitness center to my parking spot (in street clothes now). I was a bit late getting into the office, but all was well.

That is, until the end of the day when I realized that I had a flat. The flat had been caused by a goat head (grrrrrr) and even though I had goo tubes in, it just wouldn't hold air so I needed to change the tube. No problem, except that I could not for the life of me find my tire irons (you may call them tire levers). How the heck do you get a tire on/off without them? I guess you don't. Time for plan B.

I called Son who just got his provisional license on Saturday. He was happy to get a chance to drive on his own to come rescue me. We got the bike loaded up in the SUV and then stopped to pick up extra set of tire irons on the way home. Of course, I found mine in my bag later. Go figure,. I guess it never hurts to have extras.

While fixing the flat in the comfort of my own home - which is much nicer than doing it on the side of the road - my cross necklace caught on my something on the bike and the chain broke. GASP!! Anyone who knows me well knows that I *ALWAYS* wear my cross. I never take it off. I just don't. And now the chain is broken. Sigh. It's a rather dainty chain and I neither Husband or I can fix it ourselves so I need to get it repaired at a jeweler and/or replace the chain. That was about enough to put me in tears.

Yeah. Pretty much a crappy day. And to think I did this to myself by deciding to commute by bike to work. Should have listened to the leg!!

I'd be out of character if I didn't at least try to find the positives in the situation. So here we go:

1) I got 8.1 miles of riding in today.
2) Son had the opportunity to put his new license to good use.
3) I now have extra tire irons.
4) Put a brand new goo tube in the front tire of my Giant. Should be good to go next time.
5) Had another chance to practice changing a tube. Apparently I need practice, because it took a long time.
6) I don't have to go a without my cross (whew!); I found a cheap chain in my jewelry box that I can use until I get the other one repaired or replaced.

23 comments:

  1. Thats a rough one! I tried the commute thing today and loved it. What kind of tools/parts to you usually carry while commuting? I would hate to get stranded due to a flat.

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  2. Great job in finding the postives in such a challenging day. Kudos to you.

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  3. Wow...Rough day. Its great you are at least able to find the positives

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  4. Lisa - well, atleast you got out there and gave it a shot. Sorry that today ended up being a loser day.

    I'm sure your son loved the chance to drive!! woo hoo for him.

    Hope your leg heals quickly.

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  5. What a crappy day! Thank goodness it's over now, AND you can still wear your chain.

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  6. Lisa, give those hammies of yours a good rest. Hamstring injuries take a very long time to heal so no messing around with that! You got it right: Always listen to your body!

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  7. Sounds like a trying day, but you got it all done. Well done. Take care of that leg. Hamstring strains are miserable.

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  8. Hope your leg is healed soon. Good that you can find the bright side to such a tough day. Glad you found another chain.

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  9. Here's another positive... today is hump day!

    I would love to be able to go to work by bike ... too bad our elementary school doesn't have a shower in it!

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  10. I *heart* your posts Lisa :-) I don't think I would've been able to see any positives in that day. You so rock!! ;D ;D

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  11. Wow-one of those days you wish you had not gotten started on the bike. i have had those! Gotta fo up from here!

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  12. Sounds like your karma was taking a beating :-) I love that you found the positives in it! THAT is good stuff!!

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  13. Sorry it was such a crappy day!

    Rest that hammy!

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  14. Theres only one word for it. Horrid!

    Hope today is a better day, and that your hamstring is already on the mend.

    You never know, maybe you got a whole load of bad karma out the way, so its plain sailing for the rest of the summer. Fingers crossed. :)

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  15. Sometimes you have to second guess your judgment in decisions, but at least, like you said, you found a positive out of all the bad. As for the hamstring injury. I've had 3 micro tears in the hamstring (not serious but they do hurt). Even if it is a micro tear, it will be sore (not strained feeling, sore) for a while and take a while to heal, so be patient and test it from time to time. Nothing much you can do with it but let it heal. But I'm hoping that's not it!

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  16. UGH!!! That does sound like a hard day. I don't understand why we have to deal with these tire issues. Come on, don't we have enough on our plates with biking? :>P

    Hope today is going better!!

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  17. That day was sent to test you and you excelled with flying colours!!

    Amazingly there are always positives if you dig deep enough...glad you didn't....give up that is..........

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  18. Wow, Lisa, that was some day! I'm glad you found a chain to wear your cross on :)

    Great job getting out there to commute on the bike, and I know that hill you go up is mighty big!

    ...yesterday must have been jinxed...I got really sick all of the sudden late in the afternoon. It may have been something I ate for lunch?? I'm still not up to par :(

    Hope today is much better!

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  19. Always best to look for the positives and discount the negatives. Nice!

    Take care of that leg.

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  20. Yeah it looks someone "up there" was trying to tell you something. But glad to know you can focus on the positives of that rough ride!

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  21. Sometimes bad things comes in waves.. At least the son enjoyed driving... Score mommoy points for that..

    Rest up and ice that leg..

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  22. Rough day, but I love that you managed to find the positives in it!

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