The proclamation is heard in the office, on social media, at the bar with friends; “It’s leg day.” When someone utters “it’s leg day” the accompanying tone of resentment and even dread is usually followed by an audible “ugh”. This exasperation belies one fact, the person making the utterance is not a cyclist. It’s likely they are a part of the Crossfit cult or on a fitness regimen to tone up and look good in a swimsuit. My immediate thought is, no shit it’s leg day, isn’t every day leg day?
As Cyclists, we cultivate our legs ritualistically. They provide the power that propels us deep into the pain cave, to freedom and to exaltation. Sure, we can talk about building the engine that is our heart and lungs. We do intervals, hill repeats, and sprints to increase aerobic capacity but the act of pushing on our pedals is what makes us move. It is our guns and our guns only that provide the visual evidence of our deposits into the V-Bank. The following is a simple list of acts the Velominati partake in that demonstrate that Every Day is Leg Day:
The Pros go to great lengths in not using their legs to power anything but their bicycles. Coppi used to have his soigneur carry him up flights of stairs to the hotel room. Hincapie would make sure his phone, remote, and other personal needs were at arms’ length on Recovery Days so he wouldn’t have to get off the couch. I wonder if he looked for apartments in Gerona with the toilet in the living room.
Of course most of us are endomorphs who look to be prepubescent boys with bald legs, baby smooth faces, and farmer’s tans. But our legs, our legs are bronzed and chiseled works of effort that would inspire Michelangelo and be worthy of any swimsuit edition (as long as it focuses on the waist down). So regardless of our buggy-whip arms and pencil-necks, let’s celebrate. The next time you hear someone bemoan their own personal leg day hell, remember that for you as well it is leg day. Take pride in the fact that you are a Velominatus and that for you, Every Day is Leg Day. Because on that day, regardless of the day of the week or where on your training calendar it lands, you have done something to honor your pins.
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@Spider
"Develop a relationship with a specific beautician"
Already done! She does it for free, feeds me beer during the process so she can take as long as she likes!
As a minor non cycling related update her statement last night was. "This weekend the six nations has all 3 matches back to back on Saturday, shall we just get twice as much beer as last time and do a Leo Sayer?"
I mean if Carlsberg made girlfriends......
It looks like a perfect Saturday. The forecast is good for once, temps are up so it should be shorts and tan lines only. Early morning ride followed by an entire day with the VMH watching Le Grand Finale of the Six Nations Rugby with vast quantities of hop related recovery beverages!!
And none of this is ringing alarm bells?
@RedRanger
Red Ranger,
see the link Teleguy57 kindly provided. This will be my third C-R. Well worth the effort!
Can someone let me know the secret of where to stop shaving on the leg or how to blend? I don't really want to stop at the shorts line as it will end up looking like a pair of hairy boxer shorts/underwear whatever you guys call them over the pond. Should one blend? If so, how?
Many thank (Confused) ;-)
@the-farmer
Such a cynic!
@Paul 8v I go all the way.
@Paul 8v Electric trimmers with no attachment to get things manageable, then shave to the top of the thigh. One thing: I get brutal razor burn and in-growns if I shave against the grain on the thighs, especially the backs, so it's against-the-grain smoothness below the tan-line, with and gently (diagonally) across the grain above, being careful as the grain goes in different directions on all four sides. And coconut oil might be the best alternative to shaving cream I've seen.
@RedRanger
Plucked chicken? Never mind, I don't want to know.
@Paul 8v
@McSqueak nailed it when he said something to the effect "start at the toes and stop at the eyebrows".
@Paul 8v [ George Clooney voice as Fantastic Mr. Fox ] "You might try taking everything!"
"Blending is not a good option."