K has been treating my ITB intensively in the lead up to my holiday in France in order that I could manage to avoid cycling looking like an old French man with onions around my neck and knees protruding outwards. It looked like weeks of hard work paid off. Firstly, the right leg was tracking beautifully and right adductors and a stronger right hip meant that side was functioning completely normally and biomechanically correctly. The superiority of the right side exposed the remaining flaws in the left side. The adductors are not functioning sufficiently enough, neither is their good enough control of the medial aspect of the hip which is why the left leg is still prone to wondering laterally. However, it was definitely better than it was. The knee is still not tracking in a straight line, and remains on a minor deviation to the left, most probably owing to the dominance of ITB and the weakness in both abdominals and medial hip. Despite this, there was minimal knee clicking and VMO was definitely activated. I tried to observe what was going on with the left knee and keep it in line, but didn’t want to try to do too much to it too soon in case of negative repercussions and no K to help out.


I noticed that I was generally more stable on my bike, which was a new one this year. I had control of deep abdominal, and in particular, the muscle that I had worked so hard on to isolate from July of 2010. I was also able to securely hand-signal to the left for the first time and feel in balance and in control. This is a result of improved abdominal function and tone. I felt more confident in cycling than I had done before and simply more efficient. My upper body felt more relaxed and I was not fixing with shoulders in order to get control elsewhere. I also felt that I had more power, and even though it was my first cycle since last September, and there was a strong head-wind, I felt stronger, fitter and more proficient.

Prior to going cycling, I had done my physio exercises and a little ballet. I am now feeling exhausted, but it is the first day of my holiday and the last few days were very long, stressful and so I will just succumb to the fatigue that is heading my way like a tidal wave, and know I can stop. I was sensible about my activity and allowed myself to cycle in easier gears – this was an improvement on previous behaviour patterns. I will allow myself to rest and will do less tomorrow if it is necessary, without feeling guilty as I know my body is very tired.

Day 2
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When I first got on my bike today, but my bum was sore, but my left knee really hurt, and that caused me a little anxiety – but I realised that I am really experiencing training pain – which explains also why my lower back is sore. After my 90 minute cycling stint I realised I was tracking my knee really nicely and on walking to the Cafe Du Commerce, realised that my left leg was in total parallel!!!

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Day 3

Still loads of hip and back pain, but to be expected, I think!