Sunday:
Beginning last Sunday, I pushed out over 5 miles at 4min/mile. 15MPH is pretty spot on for me when I'm healthy. Some day, I'll get a proper bike fitting and gear ratios that would allow me to spin up at 20MPH, but for now, I'm happy where I'm at. This ride was the night before leaving for a work trip. I wasn't sure if/when I'd be able to spin on the road, so I made sure to get something in. It was excruciating. I nearly stopped several times on the bike, and climbing off was no small task.Monday:
Monday was a travel day. From Boston to Cincinnati via Charlotte. I walked what felt like miles, and the result was what I suspected would be a great deal of pain the next day. After nearly succumbing to tears, I was finally given the relief of a cab ride, and a hotel bed. I lived to ride another day.Tuesday:
As it turns out, that other day was Tuesday. After a day off, and before heading out for happy hour, I got in a quick ride at my hotel. This was my first time on a recumbent bike. From a pain stand point, the experience was night and day. When you have a combination of pain and numbness exactly where you make contact with a bike seat, switching to what amounts to a recliner is... well, relief isn't a strong enough word, but it's getting there. in 30 min, I pushed out 6+ miles. There are two tradeoffs to the comfort of a recumbent. First, there's a lot more power generated from your calf. This is a problem for me, given that I have very little at the moment. Second I've never been a high RPM guy. In various spin classes, I turn about 65-85, while the rest of the class seems to be in the 85-100 range. I can ramp it up for short bursts, but generally my strength is in maintaining 65-85 at a higher resistance. I need more time on the recumbent to find that resistance vs. cadence sweet spot.Wednesday - Thursday:
I took two days off. Though I didn't want to. I had a work commitment Wednesday night, and a travel day Thursday. I did walk from the office to my hotel Wednesday. The walk was about 1.6 miles. If felt ok, but I paid for it. I also forgot to take my meds Wednesday night. By the time I woke up Thursday, the combination of soreness and exhaustion meant there would be no morning ride.Friday:
After work Friday, I was determined to push myself. I'd had 2 days off, the airports and plane rides weren't bad Thursday, and the kids and Sue were all in bed. I went down, got Netflix set up, and settled into the saddle. 45 minutes later, I'd hit my quota for the first time. 10 miles flat! at 4:30/mile, and a struggle for the last 3 miles, I know I've got a long way to go, but I will get there. 10 miles was once a warm up. Now it's everything I can give. Friday was also the outlet of a great deal of stress and frustration I've been carrying over my job. Putting out a little bit of sweat, and taking a few deep breaths really made a difference for me. Finally, Friday night, after my ride, I did a calf raise. This is a significant milestone for me; The first tangible proof that strength is returning to my lower leg.Saturday:
My final workout of the week was back on the recumbent. I haven't been to the South Shore YMCA since before my back injury. What a day to go. Resolutionists and prime time classes meant the gym was packed. Sue had to sign up for three treadmills to get her 8 mile run completed. Good thing no one uses the recumbent. Once again, I struggled with power and cadence. I was over 4 min/mile, but I put in a solid 10.8 in under 50 minutes. That's right 10.8! Back to Back days at or over my quota. I knew from the start that there would be days that I had to go over 10 miles. For a while, I wasn't sure I was going to get there, but I'm making strides. I feel a little better every day.So that's the week for me. 32 miles out of a projected 70. I'm not even 1/2 way to meeting my weekly goal, but if I can ride more than 10, I can make up lost ground.
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