"Just Plain Stupid!"

My wife was doing an exercise the other day with one foot against a wall and the other out front, but with the knees bent about 90 degrees. I commented on how difficult that looked. I tried the exercise and found it rather easy. She then said shift your weight to the front of your foot, and at that point it became much more difficult. No, this exercise was not just plain stupid, that is a comment she made to me when discussing core strength.

I noted that when one has planter fasciitis, tears in the tendons of their feet and ankles getting such support on the foot is difficult. The wife noted that it is not so much the foot as the core muscles. She intimated that my core muscles must not be where they should be. I disagreed. 

Bike bridge where I do most of my
hands free biking

I have been doing varied core exercises as part of my bad feet routine for almost five years now, and one given to me early this year involves what is like, so I was told by PT, a reverse plank. I think that has helped my core. I used to do bird dog, but PT told me stop that. In response to my wife and her intimation that I need to do more core work, I said I can ride my bike more than a quarter mile without having my hands on the handle bar. She seemed incredulous that a 67 year old man would ride his bike as if he were a fifteen year old, and commented how I knew I could not have done it last year. I said, I tried and could not get near as far. She then said, "Well, that is just plain stupid!"  I am pretty sure that she shook her head in disapproval, a mannerism with which I am familiar. I am not sure which part she was referring to as stupid, that I tried to ride without hands last year but did noy get too far, was riding without hands, or doing it for a quarter mile? Maybe it is both of the latter. But, I chose not to ask. Better to let it be. 

Now the frequency of when I ride without hands is dependent on a variety of factors, where on the bike path I am, how crowded or busy the path is, the wind and even temperature, and how my feet and ankles are feeling that particular day. I could probably go longer, but a curve, or people get me to put my hands back on the handle bars. I like to think I am rather safe riding my bike. Seldom do I ride in the street without hands, but I have done it on Exchange Street coming back from swim. In fact, last Friday it was a nice day and after crossing the street from the pool drive and getting some speed, I biked hands free most of the way from the pool drive to Farwell St, a distance of just under a quarter mile. When there is a fellow swimmer coming by in their car, then I keep the hands on the handlebar and pedal faster, as if I could beat a car. My favorite place to bike hands free is on the Lower Yahara River Trail, mainly the bike bridge, but also portions of the trail west of the bridge. In fact, on Tuesday, with a strong wind and cool temperature, on my way back from Lussier, I rode hands free, according to Google Maps measurements, just under a half mile (2,300 ft). I would have gone longer but came upon a mom with a stroller. When I come upon people, I grab the handle bars. Most of my distance is limited not by me, but by coming upon someone else. Yesterday, likely due to weather from McDaniel Park to Lussier and back, I only say 8 walkers and 2 other bicyclists.

Part of .9 mi bike bridge

The wife may not have remembered, but earlier in the summer, perhaps August, we were on the front porch and for some reason a similar topic came up and I mentioned that I have ridden my bike for over a quarter mile without hands. I was the recipient of a different statement: "That is not something you should be telling your spouse." I guess it was an overshare in August, but in October it became "just plain stupid." Now, I know that certain things, what they are I am not fully sure, I should not tell my wife. And, in her mind, some of the things I do are just plain stupid!