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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Thanks to all for your words of wisdom/encouragement/beratement. I will take it all under advisement.
@Beers
I'll have to take that one up with my therapist...
@Kyle
Nipper's not due til September, so that would mean an entire season of inaction on my part. We'll see how it goes...
I'm planning on being there for the Cheesehead Roubaix. That is, if I can ever get some goddamned road miles in before then. But, as @wiscot said, this weekend's looking pretty hopeful.
That has to be one of the longest streams of advice I've seen here for quite some time.
@KW we'll be looking forward to confirmation of your clean shaven status.
@frank
Very excellent point. There are just plenty of things I enjoy doing that involve exercise, so it's hard for me to understand doing something you dread and paying for it. But yes, as long as it gets them moving.
I'm sure someone has come up with one and I'm not a tech fella and I don't even own a very smart phone...but there must be something like Strava to get people exercising & competing with mates/co-workers/family members, right? (off the bike stuff - walking, jogging, movement)
Great read Marko.
Heading to the shower last night, I asked my flatmates if they needed to use the toilet before I took over the bathroom. My female flattie then asked, without any condescension, "are you shaving your legs?" She knew that I might be a while in there...
@KW
I'm in for the Cheesehead Roubaix, boys. See you there. I think we can get a nice group going.
@KW,
One of the wisest pieces of advice I've ever been given is this, "It is far better to beg forgiveness than to ask for permission." After riding for several years Chewbacca-style, I began shaving after being punished for straying from the road on an MTB with a nasty case of poison oak. It's no bullshit that caring for abrasions is much less painful when shaven. My girl didn't even notice for probably a month. Just pull the trigger & don't sweat it. You're about to have a kid together, so you'll both have fatter fish to fry & you're probably not getting any play for awhile to give her an opportunity to notice anyway. It's not as though you're thinking of taking up snorting coke or shooting heroin is it??
Just been given the go ahead from the better half to shave my legs (I showed her this thread) and I'm racing for the first time at the end of the month. I may however have to race cyclocross during the winter to be allowed to keep shaving all year around (a small yet incredibly painful price to pay?!).
Greetings Velominati, I'm new in these parts. a short intro, I've been on the bike a few years now. I've been lurking, laughing and learning from this site for a while recently, gradually ticking off compliance of rules.
@KW
I decided yesterday to commit properly to cycling with rule 33. Many hours in the saddle today and the appearance of tan lines already - March in the uk. My joy of cycling has gone up significantly.
@frank
I went to see Rocky Horror Picture Show during the week....sooooo....is it ok to wear fishnet stockings and a garter belt under my bib shorts?
I realise that the G string is a no no due to the no undie rule.
It's no wonder this convo turned largely into to shaving. Fair enough, discussions take on their own life around here and shaving is certainly part and parcel for Velominati. That said, it's also about the negative space between training and living our lives. The thought we put into our guns when we're not riding. Also reveling in the pain we put our legs through that everybody else who exercises seems to loathe. Maybe the sequel will be "No Day is Arm Day."