Knee problems.

I was putting a shoe on when my right knee just “twanged”. I had a sharp pain at the front, below the kneecap to the left. I had the same thing during a gentle dog walk a couple of weeks ago which soon recovered so I took Ibuprofen for 24 hours this time and the discomfort was gone. I wanted to get a bike ride in so set off down the canal bank with the intention that I’d turn off and climb Healey Nab. I could feel my knee wasn’t perfect though I wouldn’t describe it as pain, but in order not to aggravate it, decided to carry on along the canal. I rode to the top lock of 7 at Johnson’s Hillock.

The 7 locks are kept in good and serviceable condition. No commercial traffic has used the canal for over 50 years but it is part of a network of over 2,000 miles of waterways used for leisure. I’m hoping to have the new boat which I’m building on the water within the month. A small boat has to be portaged around the locks but I could hopefully sail as far as the bottom lock.

I had maintained a good speed on the canal bank and continued to put some effort in on the way back. When I reached the graffito which reads “Shirley Animal” I knew the there was a Strava segment ending at Hogg’s Lane where I’d leave the canal so pushed myself, with no pain from the knee. I had to slow to get past a group of around 10 walkers at a bridge. My time of 3 minutes and 12 seconds was my third fastest ever and only 8 seconds behind my best. Curse those walkers! Though it would have been a rather tiny victory to set a new PB.

I was happy to have got a good training ride in with glorious blue skies, even if it didn’t have any significant hill climbing. Hills always require more torque as opposed to spinning the pedals at speed and therefore build muscle strength. I hope to be back to climbing tomorrow.