The 1st Century

For many people, riding 100 miles is a 1 day workout.  Even more do this as part of a weekend ride.  For me, it took 3 weeks. I gained so much strength in 3 weeks of riding. I'm at the point where a 10 mile ride goes by fast, and I can push hard for a mile at a time.  These are accomplishments that I had taken for granted before. Through January, I should end up at 140 miles. That would be just shy of 4% of my goal, and just under 1/2 of what I need to average per month.  I've dug myself a bit of a hole, but over the summer, I should be able to crank out some of the long rides that I'm used to, and make up some ground.  on to some updates on my injury. 

I have continued PT, and some body weight strength exercises.  These seem to help me.  I'm doing much more light stretching and starting to add in ab work.  overall, the goal is to gain core strength and stability.  In addition, last week I went for an EMG test.  I've you've never had one, they are a treat!  First, a doctor puts electrodes in various places on your legs, then uses a Taser to send lightning through your nerves. your legs and feet "jump" as the muscles are activated.  It really didn't hurt, but it wasn't comfortable either.  When this is done, they insert a needle into your hamstrings, quads, calves, and finally FEET. Then they make you flex that muscle.  You really don't feel the needle, till you flex, then there's a good deal of pressure and pain.  However, I never, ever want a needle in my feet again.  That genuinely hurts. 

At the end of the EMG, the doctor said he will share my results with the specialist. i'll see him again next week to review them.  He confirmed nerve damage to both legs, with the left side being worse.  He did say that it looks like the nerves are starting to regenerate, and that the strength returning to my calf is a good sign. He timetabled my recovery at another 8-12 weeks. 

That's all the updates I've had.  For now, I can't run, but I'm walking normally again.  Pain levels are at a 2 consistently, but they are manageable.  I'll keep on the bike, start eating better to, hopefully, take off some weight, and keep trying to get stronger.  All progress is positive progress!  

50 Miles Down

Yesterday was an off day for me.  I had three days in a row where I really went after my goals. i'm adjusting to the recumbent bike, and learning to appreciate the extra back support that it provides. It doesn't hurt that no one wants to use the recumbent at the gym.  I've solved the age old problem of gym goers vs. New Years Resolution gym goers.  6 weeks of recumbent biking for regular gym goers!

Happy to announce a major milestone, which you can see at the top of the page. As of the time of this post, I've surpassed 50 miles. Many more to go, 3600 to be exact, but for just starting out, 50 feels good, and so did the 12 mile ride that got me there!

I resumed Physical Therapy today.  I showed off the renewed strength in my calves, chatted about triathlons, upcoming doctors appointments, and potential future treatments. The therapist actually asked me if I thought PT was helping.  Of course I do! Plus, a free 20 min lower back massage 2x a week is not something I'm about to give up.  (Shh, don't tell Sue).

Back at it tonight. Aiming for 60 min tonight, my longest session since I began this journey.

Till next time, Happy Spinning

(I feel like I need a sign off.  I'll keep working on them)

Off Day

On Saturday, Sue and I took Caleb and Ella to see Dinosaurs.  "Real LIVE" Dinosaurs. We headed over to Discover The Dinosaurs at the Boston Seaport World Trade Center. It was a surprise for Caleb, who was being very grouchy the entire way.  He was not pleased to see the line -- stretching nearly a city block -- to get into the mystery adventure. Luckily, they sent an employee out to declare that cash customers had no waiting.  Cash was King, and we had some!

When we arrived at Discover the Dinos, there was a line as far as the eye could see.  like good little lemmings, we queued up.  After a few minutes, we learned that this was the line for people who needed tickets (us)  but that there was no line if you were willing to pay cash.  Great news!

After a few more minutes, we were inside the exhibit.  I wish I had video of Caleb as he figured out what we were doing.  As soon as he saw the Pterodactyl,  he was hooked.  We worked our way through all of the dinosaurs on display.  It was not without difficulty for me.  I'm still not steady on my feet.  I was pushing Ella in her carriage, while Sue and Caleb looked at the dinos up close.

Finally, we were into the main part of the display, and there were nothing but lines Everywhere!  We knew we needed a ticket, so that's the first line we went into, but just like outside, we had cash, and cot to cut 100+ people.  Equipped with tickets, we took on the next line. Seventy five minutes later, Caleb was in the bounce house area for 10 whole minutes!

While Caleb and Sue waited in line, Ella and I explored a bit. Everywhere we went, more lines. Ride a Dino, snacks, gift shop. It didn't matter, everything was a 30-60 minute wait. I'm not sure they how they fix that, or, given that they were making money hand over fist, that they cared to fix it.  We were lucky with two parents, we divided time in line between the two of us. and if the gift shop, I waited while Sue entertained and shopped with Caleb. 

The biggest takeaway from the Discover the Dinosaurs was that we were hungry, and exhausted. We couldn't get near enough to the snack bar to get anything without waiting an hour, and Dino Chicken Nuggets are NEVER worth an hour wait. Also, we were on our feet for most of 5 hours, and carrying Caleb for a good portion of that.  As a result, my back and feet were in a lot of pain, and cramping badly.

No Miles logged last night.  I just couldn't do it. so here I am, 6 days into the challenge, and 54 miles off my pace.  There Will be Miles tonight!

Welcome to 2013

Welcome to Project 3650. I’ll be writing here about my quest to log 3,650 miles on my bike this year.  I’ve decided to start this blog to keep myself accountable, and also to share my experience. First, by way of background, a little about me.  I’ll be 32 this year. For the past 4 years, I’ve struggled to maintain a schedule of training, career, and family obligations.  I’m a husband, and a  father of two. My wife and I are generally active, and in the past few years have raced everything from 5K to Half Ironman distance road races and triathlons. In 2013, My wife, Sue, will be taking on her first Marathon. My season is in question though.

On November 18th 2012, I sneezed. Hard. I sneezed so hard that a jolt of pain went down my back and into my legs.  I was unable to move for 15 minutes.  Even with assistance, I couldn’t stand up till nearly an hour later.  There was something wrong.  I’ve dealt with back pain for several years through core exercises (not enough) and chiropractic visits.  This was not typical pain for me.  The following day, I saw the chiropractor, and two days later, had an MRI.  Diagnosis: Bulges at L3/L4 & L4/L5, and a ruptured L5/S1.  The days and weeks following “The Sneeze” were not easy. Meanwhile, with an appetite that hasn’t come down much from the time of daily workouts and an active lifestyle, and the plethora of holiday eating, I’ve been gaining weight quickly. My health has declined fast, and I’ve lost energy and focus. I’ve been unable to work out, and uncertain of what to do about my back issues while I awaited a meeting with a spine surgeon.  

on January 2nd, I finally met with the surgeon. I did not get the final answer I was looking for, and will have to go for a follow up in 30 days. In the mean time, for the first time in 6 weeks, I was given the ok to resume working out. There’s not much I’m able to do.  I’m unsteady on my feet due to numbness in both legs and feet.  I also lack muscle control and strength in both calves. Running is not an option, but the doc gave me the ok to Bike, Swim, or Elliptical. Excited that I could finally do something (anything!) I came up with the idea for a bike challenge. I’m challenging myself to ride an average of 10 miles a day, for the entire year, and complete Three Thousand Six Hundred and Fifty Miles.

I don’t know if I’ll make it all the way through this challenge.  I have no idea if 3650 is a realistic goal, too easy, too hard? It could be that I meet with the surgeon again next month and go under the knife. Either way, I’m determined to regain my health, drop the added weight (and then some!) and enter 2014 ready to resume triathlons, and take on my 2nd Half Ironman. I hope you’ll follow along with me, and feel free to share your story in the comments.