getting old

Over a week ago my elbow started hurting while standing up on my ride to work. So instead of taking a couple days off, I decided to keep riding but not to stand up. I also tried to do as much stuff as I could with my right hand. After about a week my elbow was still hurting so I looked up my elbow problem on the internet.

Turns out it is my medial epicondyle that is hurting. If you punch this into google you will find many articles about what is called golfer's elbow or medial epicondylitis. Strangely enough you can get this even if you don't play golf. I got mine by tugging really hard on my handlebars as I stand up to pedal.

Treatment involves rest and ice. Ice is easy, but I don't like the rest part. Some sites say 4-6 weeks. Whatever. So anyways I started my ice regimen and things seemed like they were actually getting better.

Then all of sudden my wrist starts hurting on my other arm. It doesn't just hurt when I ride but all the time. I have no idea what caused this. Maybe my right wrist hurts because I was putting all my weight on my right arm while my left arm was hurt. I don't know.

Anyways I bagged all my rides this weekend. Then I wrapped up my wrist with an ace bandage. So guess which arm I had to use to do everything this weekend? And guess which wrist is now hurting the most?

So I have decided to just stop worrying about it. No more bandages. No more favoring. Let the best wrist win. I will stay off my bike till Wednesday, but after that my wrists are just going to have to deal with it.

If my wrists ever stop hurting I will start adding in some upper body workouts to my exercise routines. I don't see myself joining a gym. I am thinking more about channeling Hershel Walker or Stallone in Rocky IV. Pushups, pullups, carrying large pieces of wood on my shoulders, having my friends punch me in the stomach, letting secret service agents chase me up a snow covered mountain. You know just the simple stuff.