After a 6500-mile bicycle tour in 2015, a half-Ironman in 2016, some 5Ks and a 140-mile bicycle ride in 2017, last year I got married and started a new life after losing my wife to pancreatic cancer in 2015. I want to get my now 61-year-old body and mind back into a consistent training cadence that allows me to improve and compete without injury.
My biggest obstacle has been my low back. I hurt it when I was 25 (on a gym back machine, reinjured a year or two later on a leg extension machine) and the years of intense training and performance from 2014-2018 have taken their toll. Sciatica and it's attendant hamstring, calf and foot pain have prevented me from getting back into training shape, much less training for an event. Massage and chiropractic have helped, but I wanted to have better tools to manage my own care.
The NextRoller Infinity Ball and Foam Roller are helping me target and loosen specific areas of my back and legs on a daily basis. It's great to be have tools to work on my fitness and health that are always available. And the units are really high quality, so I expect they will serve me well for a long time.
Don't underestimate your hydration needs, including electrolyte and vitamin-B complex supplements. Pre-hydrate and make sure you have enough with you when you train. I live in New Orleans, so from April to October it's usually very warm or hot, and almost always very humid. I love training in it because it challenges my mind as well as my body. I know how important it is to be properly hydrated, so I almost never cramp and have managed to avoid heat stroke.
You can find Eric on Instagram at @rederic5.