MY COVID BODY

 To be clear, I have not had the virus, this post is about gym work and how I got to where I am currently.  First, a bit of background.

My bike racing is fortunately divided into five-year age groups.  But the older you get, even a few years makes a difference.  After the 2019 racing season, I targeted 2022 as the year to be competitive since I'd be the youngest in my category.  To that end, 2020 and 2021 were to be build-up years.  It's not like they were throwaways, I'd still be racing, just not winning.  There are a handful of faster guys who I would leave behind in 2022.  The plan was to strengthen my core and hone my racing skills doing criteriums at The Driveway.  So in the winter (2019-20) I started doing planks and push-ups and got ready for criteriums.  On March 12, 2020 I did my first race of the year at The Driveway.  It was also the last.  I had just started the automated trainer, Activtrax, at the gym.  After my initial workout, the gym closed.   So much for plans.  I kept riding, but strength training suffered.

The gym reopened in late May, but I was hesitant.  By June I had a plan in place.  For years now I've been waking up at 3:00 am or so.  Fifteen years ago I'd use this time to write my books.  A good night would have been sleeping in until 4:00.  The Y opens at 5:00.  That seemed to be the most efficient time to workout.  As it turned out, there were only about five of us at that time of the morning and for the most part not even in the same section.  In the six months I've been going that number has grown to maybe ten.  With their Covid protocols in place, I rate this as a very safe place to exercise.

I was surprised at how really weak my upper body had become, excluding triceps which benefitted from doing push-ups.  From 2008 or so to 2016 I'd been going to Gold's for leg work and spin class.  When I stopped, I could push 400 lbs on the leg press machine.  After a few days in June, I finally got it back up to 200 lbs and after six months I'm doing 320.  Old age and muscle manufacturing are at odds with one another, so it will take time to build back.  But remember, my goal is 2022.  And I don't need to have a strong upper body, just stronger (than I was).  So far, so good.  Given the current pandemic outlook, I have another six months or more before life loosens up a bit.

I have no illusions about developing a six-pack.  There are two things against me: age and diet.  Were I to eschew carbs for a month, maybe some semblance of definition would show.  But I'm pleased with the muscle hidden underneath that thin layer of fat.  There is a side story about why I'm working on my abdominals, but after originally including it in this post, I deleted it as being TMI.

My current routine is leg work on Monday and Friday, various upper body, whatever Activtrax assigns,  on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  This puts to good use otherwise stagnant time early in the morning.  Cycling in the winter is mostly in the afternoon.

One other part of my body is related to Covid.   Apparently I'm spending too much time playing games on my phone.  I've developed what I call a Covid neck.  My neck is killing me.  I spend a lot of time with heat on my neck and shoulders.  My massage therapist gives me a good going over but I think it is more structural than muscular.  I still spend too much time sitting.

As to why this post reflects Covid, it is because with the travel restrictions and at home protocols in place, I've felt the need to do something active other than cycling.  That something happens to be going to the Y, which is giving me a firm(er) body.  The fact that it aligns with my racing goals is serendipitous.  I repeat what I've said many times in the past: exercise is a very easy habit to break.  It looks like 2021 will still be restricted, but 2022 should test my resolve.  Stay tuned.