The Last PT Visit

I've graduated from physical therapy! Actually, I graduated on April 17, but forgot to post that I had finished. Here's the lowdown--
4/17/06 Routine 9

• New Stretches
• Knee to chest (right and left knees)--pull knees as far as possible toward chest
• Cross Ankle--across the opposite knee, sitting upright in a chair. Do with both legs.
  
• New Exercises
• Continue the hip flexion exercise where I lay on my back, right leg hanging off, with weight. Lift the leg up on bench with knee bent.
• Hip flexion at gym--with knee bent, lift weight up with quad parallel with the floor
• Lunges--use a 30" stride by marking the length on the floor with tape. Do with both legs and add weight as I become stronger.
  
• Step ups--on an 8" step, one leg "floating" over the ground, drop the leg until the heel hits the floor, then straighten the leg on the step. Do with both legs.
• Heel to Hand--standing, bring the right heel up to the left hand quickly and return heel to floor. Work this to improve fast twitch muscles in both legs.
• Heel Lifts--1 leg at a time, add weight as I become stronger
• Things to continue from previous Routines--
  
• Leg Presses
  
• Knee Exercises
• Advanced Stability Ball
• Pulleys

Cruising Along the Beach

Great day today...sunny, slight breeze, perfect for riding along the paved bike trail along the beach in Santa Monica! So I cruised up and down it's entire length. Unfortunately, it was shut off at the end of Venice Beach for some construction. I still got in a good hour of pretty fast pedaling, so I'm pretty happy with that.

It's cooler than I thought it was going to be, but it's still very nice. Matt and I have been hanging out for the most part. Matt's still recovering from his Mullholland Double Century. He ended up getting 8th place! His friend David, got 7th. That's pretty darn awesome considering the broken front derailler he got at mile 70!

We're at Barney's Beanery now, enjoying Happy Hour. $2.50 Blue Moons! Can't beat that. We were planning on just surfing the net since they have free wireless internet. Maybe we'll just get drunk instead.

Tomorrow we're heading home. I'm enjoying myself too much to really want to go home, but I guess all good things must come to an end. Bummer...work awaits me. Eck, I think it's time to go buy another lottery ticket.

Waiting...

It's Saturday and Matt's riding the Mullholand Double Century. He should be back in a little over an hour. Since I'm still a cripple, I'm hanging out. But hanging out ain't so bad, really. There are much worse things to do. So this morning at about 5:50 AM, Matt and I headed out the hotel room to the 6:00 AM mass start. Matt's riding with Dr. David, so we found him and the guys got in line. Not much of a line since most of the group decided to start earlier than the mass start, but there were at least 20 there. I took some pics, said hi to Bill (a guy I've seen at all the DCs Matt's done so far), and then headed back to the room.

Took a leisurely ride from Agoura Rd to Las Virgenes to Mullholand Hwy. What a beautiful road to ride on! This entire town is just made for road riding! Lots of long, smooth roads that wind through trees with very few stops along the way. I had a great time riding, even though my gearing still isn't working. Bike World took a look at it and thought we'd fixed it, but no. Found that out when I was climbing today. What the f&*% do I have a 27 in back for if I can't use it?!? The second to largest cog in back didn't work either, so I was climbing in a not so easy gear. I managed okay, but it definitely cut the ride short as my hip wasn't up for the challenge. Managed to get in 21 miles, 13.4 avg speed, 34.6 max speed, 1 hr 34 min ride time, 1 hr 45 min total time.

I immediately went for a soak in the very HOT hot tub at the hotel. Hot enough to bake me from the outside in, but it definitely felt good! Laid out in the sun a bit and took a nap. It was partly cloudy, so I wasn't too worried about turning into a lobster. I've been biking in knickers lately, so I got a really messed up tan line I'd like to get rid of soon.

Tomorrow we head for Santa Monica! I love that place. We're gonna risk it and try the low-end Bayside Hotel. We'll see if it's worth it. It's closer to the beach, so we thought we'd give it a try over our normal Sheraton that we stay at. Keep your fingers crossed!

Bosque Biking--Take 2

Biked the Bosque paved trail with Paige again today. As usual, another great NM day--a bit windy though, but that's just a part of living here. We took the paved Bosque trail as far as it went and then headed back. Ended up with 35.6 miles, 13.5 mph average (we got a headwind going both ways! another unique NM feature), 2 hr 38 min ride time, 2 hr 47 min total time.

We planned on doing a light spin on the way out (since we were going into a headwind), staying in our small ring and averaging 15 mph--I guess this is a coaching technique Paige had learned for recovery rides--I was still recovering from my Foothills ride yesterday, and the spin seems to help loosen up the joint and the muscles. On the return, we'd hit it a lot harder in the large chain ring. The wind of course changed that plan, but we still had a great time. Not as many people out on the trail as last weekend.

Paige, Sue and Denise came over for brew and chat at around 5 PM. We hung out, hoping Matt would get back from the San Ysidro Dirty Century soon so we could eat. Unfortunately, nobody had eaten much since riding (Sue and Denise were at the White Mesa today), so the stomachs only had so much patience. We threw on the burgers and chowed away...waited for Matt "just like one pig waits for another" as my Grandpa used to say.

Matt got back as we were finishing up, so we threw on another burger for him and poured him a cold one--Il Vicino's IPA, no less for a man who has just come back from a 105 mile ride!!

What a great way to end the day. We all sat out on the deck and watched the sun set. The wind had died down, and it was warm enough to be outside with a jacket on. That's the way life's supposed to be.

"Spend everyday casual, but industrious; Every moment alert, but relaxed." --Guy Finley

Foothills Fun

I took the Intense out for a spin in the dirt today. First time I managed to get in some good singletrack!! I did make one big mistake though. I forgot that Matt and I hadn't dialed in the fork or shock, so that was definitely not good for the gear. I rode pretty light today, so I hope I didn't do any damage.

Took the paved Tramway Trail to Simms Park Rd and rode the dirt trail up to the Elena Gallegos check-in building (you can see the trail along the road in the pic). Headed right on Tr. 365 and took that to the parking lot off Montgomery. Turned back, then headed down toward Bear Canyon Arroyo and took a short cruise down there. By the time I hit Bear Canyon, my hip was pretty sore and the muscles were getting stiff too, so I took a short spin through there and headed back on the dirt trails that parallel the paved Tramway trail. Cut into another dirt spot to the hood and took the back streets home.

Overall, a great day!

Ride time: 1 hr, 46 min
Total time: ~2 hrs, 15 min (I had to stop a lot)
Total miles: 15.32
Average speed: 8.3 mph

Going for a road ride with Paige tomorrow on the Bosque paved trail. Then at 5 PM, we're having a girl party--Paige, Sue and Denise are coming over for some brew and chat. Matt will be coming back from the San Ysidro Dirty Century at the White and Red Mesas around that time, so I'll make some food for him and we'll share what's left of the brew. ;o)

Road Toads

So, I don't know if they were toads or not, but I saw 3 of them smashed on the road during my ride this evening. Poor toads...they really need to look both ways when crossing the road.

They're as bad as the suicidal bunnies running around on the mountain bike trails and the roads in my neighborhood. I'm constantly worried that what happened to the poor little squirrel in the picture will happen to Thumper when he inadvertently runs into my path when I'm cruising through the hood.

Lots of roadies out tonight. The weather was great, as usual. My bike computer marked the temp at 77 degrees F. I decided to ride down to the casino on Tramway (first time since the surgery). Turned around at the casino and headed back. Managed to keep my pace at between 10.5-11.2 mph on the way back up until my chain slipped off on a steeper part. That slowed me down and I rode around 8.5-9 mph along that short bit. Continued on Tramway, turning on Simms Park Rd to the checkin building. Turned around and took the neighborhood back home, skipping the really big climbs and taking Tramway Lane back to the house.

Stats for 4/12/2006

• 13.6 mph average
• 36.8 max speed (I could have sworn I hit 39)
• 16.4 total miles
• 1 hr 16 minutes ride time

Let's see, yesterday I did the PT exercises and stretches, then Monday, I went to Defined. Did 30 minutes on upright bike, 30 min on recumbent, then all the upper body weight lifting I normally do and the pulleys. I'm up to 20 lbs for extension and abduction; 10 lbs for flexion and adduction.

Gonna go riding with Paige and maybe Lisa again this Saturday. Friday is a 9/80, so I'll ride hard that day and make Saturday my light spin day. I hope to ride Sunday too. Before I know it, I'll be good as new! I think I may start trying to hit the mountain bike again.

Biking in the Bosque

Got to go road biking along the Bosque today. It was another gorgeous NM day, providing absolutely no excuse for staying indoors. There were lots of people out enjoying the weather, but we had no issues with sharing the trail today. That was a pleasant surprise right there!

Met Paige and Lisa in the Alameda parking lot, and we took off for our ride. I took off from the house wearing my long-sleeved Crazy Cat jersey, but quickly shed that for the short-sleeved version once I got to the parking lot. We did 20 miles at a nice, leisurely pace a bit past the bio-park and back. We dropped Lisa off and did a harder ride for about 10 miles. It was a great way for me to get in the miles without the pain that usually goes along with it.

Stats for the Ride:

• 11.7 avg mph (I know it's slow, I'll pick up the pace next time--I'm drinking my milk, remember??)
• 21.5 mph max speed
• 31.4 total miles
• 2 hrs, 40 min ride time
• 2 hrs, 53 min total time

Matt and I headed out to the usual for food and beverage. I could have cooked dinner, but I just didn't feel like it tonight. Not sure what I'll do tomorrow. I've got a bag packed for the gym, may just do upper body to give the hip joint a rest. It's sore now and I'm back to depending upon the cane, but it doesn't hurt as bad as the last ride. I'm either building more strength or riding smarter. Who knows?!? I'm riding, and that's really all I care about anyway. The rest will come in due time.

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."

-- John Quincy Adams, U.S. President

Big, Big, Big, BIG Rabbits!!!!

Can you believe the size of that rabbit?!? His name is Roger, and the guy holding him up is his breeder. By the way, according to a website on Giant Rabbits, Roger's owner is being a jerk, as holding giant rabbits by the scruff of the neck is "painful and stressful". Apparently, there are some brits who really get a kick outta these massive bunnies and even show them in competitions. There's even a Rabbit Rescue for these bohemoth beasts that need to be adopted "because rabbits deserve better".

What the hell does anyone need a rabbit that size for?? How on earth do you breed a rabbit to be that big??? Well, news on the street is that some of them are running wild and are wreaking havoc on local London gardners. More power to them, I say...stick it to the man, Bugs!!

Bright Sunshine

Okay, so maybe I'm not quite at this pace yet. In fact, I'm probably more along the lines of this pace.....
But it's all riding and it's all good. Today was an awesome day! The sun was out, temps were in the upper 60s to lower 70s during the ride, and the wind was light. Matt was in Gallup, NM at the Dawn Til Dusk bike race with Dan. They decided to race duo on their singlespeeds. Since I was on my own today, I went at my happy-go-lucky slow as a snail pace today. It woulda driven Matt nuts! ;o)

Woke up, had a light breakfast, surfed the net...got bored. Too chilly out to get on the bike yet. Okay, so it was in the mid 50s. I could have handled it, but I was too lazy to dig out a jacket and then layer so I could strip down as the temps rose. So, I sat out in the sun on our deck and read a book for awhile. We have some evil birds living in the walls of our house that kept me occupied part of the time. They chase each other out of their nests, then kill each other's babies. It's really sad. I found an egg out in our driveway that had been tossed out of a nest.

I started to get ready to head out for a road ride around 11:30, but I didn't hit the road until 12:30. I got distracted...finding clothes, doing some laundry, filling up water bottles, talking to Isabel, the neighbor...it all adds up. Anyway, geared up with shorts, short-sleeved liner under the SS jersey, and arm warmers, I was ready to hit the road!

I headed down Tramway Blvd, and ended up meeting 2 other women riders, Rita and Lynn. Rita works where I do, and Lynn works as a PE teacher. Pretty cool. I ended up riding with them to Tramway and Central. We turned around and headed back. They dropped off at Tramway and Live Oak, and then I hit the neighborhood for a little bit of climbing. I needed to really test out the gearing as Matt was sweet enough to put on a 27 cassette in back for me so I can wuss my way through some rides while the hip heals. I noticed a slight difference. For one, I could actually use my hardest gears, whereas before, it was too difficult to pedal. Had some slipping in the 3rd and 4th back ring (from the largest in). Otherwise, not bad!

I tried not to climb as hard as I did last time, and it paid off. I'm sore and have to definitely use the cane to walk, but I don't hurt like I did last time. Plus, I'm good to go for a light ride tomorrow. Paige and Lisa are going to go riding with me on the paved Alameda trail. I'm looking forward to it!

Stats for today--
Ride time: 1.5 hours
Avg. mph: 13.8 (don't laugh, I'll get better--I'm drinking my milk!!)
Distance: 20.3 miles

Working Out

This quasi-working out thing is starting to get to me. I can't wait until I can ride for real and for as long as I want without paying for it the next day by not being able to walk straight...well enough complaining. Time to get out and do something about it, so here's the work that's going to get me to that state.

Tuesday, 4/4/06

• Stationary bike at the gym (upright) 30 min, 6-8 resistance level, around 80-90 rpm
  
• Recumbent bike 15 min, 4-6 resistance level, around 90-100 rpm
• Leg press, 3 sets of 6, 45 pounds, on each leg

Wednesday, 4/5/06

• Trainer, using the Giant, 1 hour
  

Riding the Paved Trail

Well, another new milestone has now been met. I got in my first road ride since the surgery on the Giant TCR1. I was ready to head out on my own, but Matt decided to warm up for his big ride with me. So we headed out on Tramway Blvd and then turned off toward the Elena Gallegos entrance. Got to the check in building and headed back down, taking the neighborhood streets back to the house. The weather was great! Lots of sun, temp at 68 degrees according to my bike computer, slight breeze. I wore my very cool Crazy Cat gear. I have a long sleeved jersey with wind block in the chest. That's one of the coolest piece of clothing I own!

So I don't forget, here's the route:

• Simms Park Rd NE (Elena Gallegos Rd)
• Rt on Eagle Ridge Ln NE
• Lt on Eagle Ridge Rd NE
• Rt on Rockrose Rd NE
  
• Rt on San Rafael Rd NE
• Lt on Bobcat Blvd NE
• Lt on Deer Dr. NE
• Rt on Tramway Lane NE (I'll pass Bobcat Blvd)
  
• Rt on Big Horn Ridge Rd NE
• Lt on Big Horn Ridge Dr NE
• Rt on Juniper Hill Rd NE (cross Tramway Rd NE)
  
• S on Juniper Hill Rd NE
• Rt on Cedar Hill Rd NE
• Rt on Tramway Lane NE
  

I could have continued on Juniper Hill Rd, but the hip had really started hurting, so I sent Matt on his way and headed back home. There was a lot of climbing on this ride...more than I probably should have done for a first ride out, but it sure was fun!! I was weak enough in the hip muscles at the end of the ride to make it impossible to put full weight on my right leg (pain level 6 out of 10) and walk without the cane. I'm still sore and stiff in the joint, so I'll take it easy tomorrow. I need to still work on strengthening the muscles around the right hip. I've started the leg press, so that should help. Standing in the pedals was very difficult too. This was a good baseline for future rides.

Total Ride Time: 1 hour!

Rain--Yeah!

It's raining today. I thought the weather was supposed to be beautiful like yesterday. Well, Sunday is supposed to clear up. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. We really need the rain!

So, it's probably a good idea to record a follow up report on how I feel today since yesterday was a monumental milestone in my recovery.

• Sore and stiff hip joint, mostly with flexion, adduction, abduction and external rotation movements.
• Muscle soreness in all the adductor muscles, especially in the gracilis.
  
• I need the cane for walking right now; walking on my own is uncomfortable when bearing weight on the right leg. Pain is a 4 on a scale of 10. I've had a lot worse. :)