Diary of a Medic-on-a-bike – October ’11
October has been a month for a bit of rest and relaxation – from a cycling point of view… to begin with at least!
After a couple of weeks of easy riding following the “Ras”, I managed to escape from work and had a fantastic week riding in Mallorca. This is my all time favourite place to ride. I can’t really explain why… probably just lots of great memories. And this time, as ever, I didn’t want to leave.
The first ride of the week was a struggle and I was a bit disheartened. Had I lost all the fitness I’d gained over the summer? It’s surprising how quickly it comes back, though and by the second day I was feeling strong and fit once again.
As usual, I was the token girl in a group of men old enough to be my Dad/uncle/grandad. Unfortunately my “youth” card trumped “I’m a girl” and I found myself riding on the front of the bunch rather a lot! This had its benefits and was a great opportunity for some one-to-one coaching on cornering, descending and riding with no hands. Consequently, my brake pads are happy that they will not need replacing this week and my bike handling skills have improved.
Two rides stand out as being particularly epic: Our first ride into the hills took us over the Orient, Little Soller and then Puig Major. Over 7000 feet of climbing. I have to admit I was close to tears on the final climb. One of the guys was encouraging me to smile (apparently this relaxes the upper body) but all I could manage was a grimace! I collapsed in a heap of exhaustion at the top.
Our second epic ride took us over Valldemossa and back over Little Soller from the opposite direction. The views over the coast were absolutely stunning. The gentle ups and downs, windy roads and fantastic company made the 100 miles pass easily.
During a week of solid riding like this, recovery is key. This week I was lacking one key component: massage! There were actually two masseurs on the trip… as well as a sports psychologist. Sadly, they all made it very clear that they were on holiday. I did point out to them that I was also on holiday but if there were an accident or a medical emergency, I would not just stand and watch!
So now the hard work begins… Winter is the time for long, steady rides: always a challenge when it’s cold and dark outside. Thankfully, I’ve discovered the local gym and have overcome my fear of weights and power-lifting men. I recently read that muscle strength training could help providers of CPR to improve patient survival after cardiac arrest. The ability to provide effective chest compressions is affected by the rescuers’ physical fitness.* Maybe a short gym session should be built into every junior doctor’s working week…
*European Journal of Emergency Medicine 2011;18:251-6
Photos courtesy of Mark Paveley
