back on wheels, now with baby!

You may recall that I stopped cycling mid-February because of pregnancy-related carpal tunnel
syndroms. Well, I had the baby March 11th (the ever so cute Ellen Rose who is asleep in the sling as
I type this) and my hands have been slowly improving. They are now much better than when I stopped
cycling, although still not 100%. About 5 weeks after giving birth I tried going for a short (1/2
hour) bike ride. I had a Cesarean section and they recommend you wait until 8 weeks before cycling,
but when I pressed they said, well, maybe 6. At 5 weeks it was fine, but for the fact that the hands
still aren't great.

Though I could ride a bike, I couldn't ride long because I have to take care of Ellen. So finally
last weekend we got her trailer ready to go. We've had it since before she was born, but we found
that the wheels are defective (tires didn't fit on rims well, resulting in un-round wheels) and we
hadn't figured out how to fit the baby car seat in it. We solved both problems over the weekend,
taking the trailer back to the guy we bought it from (Kevin of D.Tek) who replaced the wheels, and
sewing buckles onto nylon webbing to make straps to hold in the car seat. We took Ellen for some
short rides over the weekend. She really likes it! Well, she sometimes complains a bit as I strap
her in, but once the bike gets going she soons quiets down and then falls fast asleep. Sometime she
does wake up while I'm riding and sqeak a bit, but then falls back asleep.

I've been going out with her almost every day this week. My longest ride was 16.5 miles, which is a
longer ride than I've done since November (Nov-Feb I'd been riding regularly, but only for
commuting purposes, so I'd ride 40-50 miles/week, but only about 3.5 miles at a time). My legs
ached a bit the next day!

So I will work towards slowly regaining my fitness and losing the excess weight. It sure feels good
to be back on the bike!

-Myra

 

"Myra VanInwegen" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> You may recall that I stopped cycling mid-February because of pregnancy-related carpal tunnel
> syndroms. Well, I had the baby March 11th (the ever so cute Ellen Rose who is asleep in the sling
> as I type this) and my hands have been slowly improving.

snip

> So I will work towards slowly regaining my fitness and losing the excess weight. It sure feels
> good to be back on the bike!

Thanks for that Myra. Its good to know you are back on the bike and that little Ellen Rose is so
underwhelmed by the experience that she sleeps through it all

I am sure many of us know how grouchy we can get when denied our fresh air, fun and endorphins --
even for a short period. It must be very different for a woman so shortly after birth -- I suspect
there are many additional feelings/emotions/hormones adding to the mix -- plus, of course, you have
not been cycling (or, at least not freely, for months.

It will soon be time for some more JPGs.

T

PS -- And just remember not to go Bog Snorkelling with your genetic legacy in tow!!

 

Myra,

I got a chronic leg injury in 1987 which kept me from walking, running or cycling for a year. I
thought I'd never get over it, but when I did it was better than ever, and I've never got it back.

You can always get your carpal tunnel surgically relieved if it proves very resistant, or injected
with steroids if necessary.

The thing to do with these things is to do something else. I spent the year in my spare time
becoming a real dab hand at MSDOS.

 

In message <[email protected]>, Myra VanInwegen
<[email protected]> writes
>You may recall that I stopped cycling mid-February because of pregnancy-related carpal tunnel
>syndroms. Well, I had the baby March 11th (the ever so cute Ellen Rose who is asleep in the sling
>as I type this)

Ahh happy days

Nowadays if we try to use the computer for to long with Elinor around she demands to have a look at
the Teletubbies site

>and my hands have been slowly improving.

That's good, hopefully it will continue to improve
>
>Though I could ride a bike, I couldn't ride long because I have to take care of Ellen. So finally
>last weekend we got her trailer ready to go.

>We took Ellen for some short rides over the weekend. She really likes it! Well, she sometimes
>complains a bit as I strap her in, but once the bike gets going she soons quiets down and then
>falls fast asleep. Sometime she does wake up while I'm riding and sqeak a bit, but then falls
>back asleep.
>

It's great fun being out with Elinor in the trailer, nowadays she is more likely to keep up a
running commentary on the trip. Though it would be a good way to get here to sleep. The response
from other people is usually enjoyable to. I do get odd looks from people until they see the trailer
as I seem to be talking to myself.

Yesterday on the way home from the nursery she was commenting liking the 'little wobblies' but not
the 'big wobbilies' - referring to how bumpy the path was.

>I've been going out with her almost every day this week. My longest ride was 16.5 miles, which is a
>longer ride than I've done since November (Nov-Feb I'd been riding regularly, but only for
>commuting purposes, so I'd ride 40-50 miles/week, but only about 3.5 miles at a time). My legs
>ached a bit the next day!

Towing the trailer is certainly a fair bit more effort (esp. with some of our Yorkshire hills),
you'll soon be back up to speed as it were, and at least the summer is coming.

In fact the sun is shining, Elinor has just got up, I feel a ride coming on maybe
--
Chris French, Leeds

 

[email protected] (Myra VanInwegen) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> At 5 weeks it was fine, but for the fact that the hands still aren't great.

You can't keep a cyclist down. Here's hoping they continue to improve.

> We took Ellen for some short rides over the weekend. She really likes it! Well, she sometimes
> complains a bit as I strap her in, but once the bike gets going she soons quiets down and then
> falls fast asleep. Sometime she does wake up while I'm riding and sqeak a bit, but then falls
> back asleep.

I think that's the usual reaction for babies in trailers. I used a hired one during a 2 week
holiday when my children were 2 and 3 years old. They absolutely loved it. Whenever the trailer was
moving Mark, the 3 year old, would fall into a sort of silent trance and Eleanor, the 2 year old,
would nod off.

> So I will work towards slowly regaining my fitness and losing the excess weight. It sure feels
> good to be back on the bike!

It feels good to know you're back on one. You're not training for a race. Slow but steady progress
is the thing to aim for. Sky's the
limit.

--
Dave...

 

chris French <[email protected]> wrote
> Ahh happy days
>
> Nowadays if we try to use the computer for to long with Elinor around she demands to have a look
> at the Teletubbies site

I'm jealous... I like kids. Alot. I've never been too excited about babies, as you can't do much
with them. Ellen is nice, and soft and warm and cuddly, etc, but she'll be alot more fun when I'm
able to talk with her. The strange thing is, though, that despite her very limited abilities, I
sense an intelligence in her. Like when I'm being a bit too slow about changing her nappy, and she
starts screaming. I try to calm her down, patting her head, saying nice things to her, etc. Then
suddenly she looks at me very carefully, as if she's examining me, to see if my response to her
scream is up to the proper standards.

I always thought of babies as not having much of a personality, as being more demanding things than
little people, but she definitely has a personality and is a little person, not a thing.

Anyway, eventually Ellen will be able to talk and I can read books to her and teach her how to draw
circles and all the fun stuff you do with beyond-babies. And then we'll have to start all over again
with our planned #2...

> Towing the trailer is certainly a fair bit more effort (esp. with some of our Yorkshire hills),
> you'll soon be back up to speed as it were, and at least the summer is coming.

I already feel a bit fitter, although it's most likely just an illusion.

But I definitely do feel that I have my freedom back. Before I started riding with her, I couldn't
go into town except by car or bus, both of which are very annoying. Now I can just ride into town
and park anywhere and do my business. I find that people are often amazed when I roll up with the
trailer and pull out, instead of the usual small kid, a tiny (about 10 lbs) 2 month old baby. I find
teenage girls and old ladies are the most enthusiastic about her.

Yesterday I rode out to get some eggs from the egg lady. She's an old, slow lady who walks with a
cane and keep birds (hens, ducks, geese) and sells eggs (free range of course) for a quid a dozen.
She gave me my eggs and by that time Ellen had woken up and started to complain because we'd
stopped. The lady looked puzzled and said "What's that noise?" I said "It's my baby" and of course
she had to come over to the trailer to have a good look at her...

-Myra

 

In news:[email protected], Myra VanInwegen <[email protected]> typed:
>
> I always thought of babies as not having much of a personality, as being more demanding things
> than little people, but she definitely has a personality and is a little person, not a thing.
>

Definitely

> Anyway, eventually Ellen will be able to talk and I can read books to her and teach her how to
> draw circles and all the fun stuff you do with beyond-babies. And then we'll have to start all
> over again with our planned #2...
>

Its a fascinating process which as a computer person you will enjoy. It seems they start with a
basic instruction set and then you can literally see new subroutines being switched on as they
develop. One day they can't do something and then suddenly they can.

Tony

--
http://www.raven-family.com

"All truth goes through three steps: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed.
Finally, it is accepted as self-evident." Arthur Schopenhauer

 

Glad you are back on the bike - and that the wee one enjoys it - also that the hand is improving.

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Clean up the waste & get rid of the trapped wind to send a reply

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~

 

[email protected] (Myra VanInwegen) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...

> I always thought of babies as not having much of a personality, as being more demanding things
> than little people, but she definitely has a personality and is a little person, not a thing.

And is dominating the entire house, no doubt.

> Anyway, eventually Ellen will be able to talk and I can read books to her and teach her how to
> draw circles and all the fun stuff you do with beyond-babies. And then we'll have to start all
> over again with our planned #2...

When #2 arrives it will be even more apparent that each one comes with its own distinct personality
pre-loaded.

--
Dave...

 

Dave Kahn wrote:

>
> When #2 arrives it will be even more apparent that each one comes with its own distinct
> personality pre-loaded.
>

With views and opinions opposite to #1.

And louder too.

John B