DOMS

Muscles are back-stabbing little monkeys. You finish a great workout (or in this particular case, a great day of racing) and you feel awesome; endorphins are flowing, mind is buzzing and if it was reeally good you get that slightly twitchy uncontrolled mini muscle spasm thing going on just after - brilliant.

Even the next day, you feel surprisingly fresh and lively so you might throw in the odd lunge here and there to celebrate.

Then it gets you. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Yesterday at work, two days after racing, my legs were screaming every time I used the stairs. Usually I appreciate the three flights we have and all the stair-climbing action throughout the day, any extra exercise is a bonus! Yesterday however, I just wanted to sit downstairs in a bath of frozen peas.

I will accept some responsibility. Normally I am religious about stretching after exercise and in all the excitement of the weekend I did completely forget. Not only that but because we had time to rest between each bit, you end up cooling down and then suddenly shocking your muscles into firing up again.

I've found in the past that if you're a bit sore muscle-wise a bit of gentle exercise and a good stretch tends to relieve it, but my quads are not currently keen to engage in gentle exercise at all. I think I shall be able to manage a swim and leave these useless limbs trailing behind!

Lessons for next time: Remember to warm up, remember to stay warm and remember to stretch afterwards... and keep frozen peas in the house.