First bike climb

14 yrs ago this week, I ran my first 400m race in a D1 college track meet at Vanderbilt.  56.71. 

Got my bike back Wed and it is sweet.  An expanded crank ratio 52-34, 160mm crank arms, big flat spiky pedals and a complete tuneup and lube.

After Sewanee's SAS conference track meet, I was inspired to attempt my first post op climb of Roark's Cove Rd.  I did it.  It was hard.  I think it was beneficial.  Today, the day after, my knee feels better than before I did it, and I cranked my HR to max and burned some calories.  

I really took my time on this climb, very slow but due to my present shape, very hard.  The 34/34 gearing and shorter cranks make the low gear quite doable.  I was climbing the steeps at just 3.5 mph.   My HR was really high.  On a course where I could routinely do in 23 min (PR 18:40), it took me 29 min.   I'm glad I did it, here's the data:

Max HR - 188

Avg HR (including a 6 min recovery) - 167

HR over 164 - 23:54 

HR over 170 - 17:00 min

HR over 180 - 6:15 min

Avg Speed - 4.6 mph

Total climb time 29 min 

This is pretty extreme due to my low V02 max.  I think this was a new max reading of HR over 170 and 180.  It may be unhealthy.   However, it is interesting that I never felt super winded til. near the end.  As I was hitting max HR, I was not using anywhere near full lung capacity as I do when long sprinting.   It's really a weird dichotomy. 

Have pretty much maxed out on body weight.  was 148.5 lbs at the time of the workout.  Just a lb lighter this morning.   

Soon, Roya will be leaving and after Friday, I will officially be on summer vacation and alone for probably a while.  I plan on visiting parents.  

My dad turns 85 on Tues.  I was trying to get him to compete as a shot putter in his new age group but he won't commit to anything in the future.  Just an 8 meter throw of a 6.6 lb shot is world class for M85 and I think he could that with very little training.  I even bought him a shot last fall.  O well.  

I'm still concerned with the medial knee pain but after yesterday's climb, it feels better.  The only thing hat hurts is my ass, even with the padded seat cover.  Think I may double up and try another.  

Probably should start with no more than 2x week of these climbs.  Will be 11 weeks post op Mon.

  

bike, gym, rest

Last Friday I went on a brief but fairly hard bike ride on my heavy mountain bike as my Cervelo is still in the shop, mostly flat but included some sprints.  First time my HR was pushed near max in 4+ months.  I went to the gym later in the evening and did some resistance.  Sat. I went to the local track meet - the one I had raced in just last year and did a more gentle bike ride.  

Apparently, the bike session was too much as my knee became sore for the next few days.   Need to back off a bit.  

My data for the Fri bike ride:

total moving time: 19 min

Avg HR - 140 (including 2 short rests)

Max HR - 179

The high max HR is a function of me being out of shape as much as anything.  I did only 2 hard 300m sprints, standing up just half the time.

I guess I need to be more patient.  Will be getting the Cervelo bike back by Friday.  In the mean time, I got my old Japanese Miyata bike fixed as a backup.  

Looking forward to including swimming, water running, and rowing by next month pending Drs meeting in about 2weeks.  

Weight holding steady about 146 lbs.   

hike / bike

 My first hiking into the Shakerag wildflower trail and my first aggressive stand up biking.

I was able to make it down the steep rocks from Greens View to the heart of the wildflower area.  Perfect day.  I didn't hike far, just a half mile, but it was nice to be there.   It was a little hard and I was super cautious.  I am certain that hiking is far riskier than biking, due to terrain.

I did a little aggressive biking and was able to get my HR up over 170 for the first time 4 months.  I only biked for 4 miles but did 2x300m sprints where I was standing about half the time, hitting 26 mph top speed.  I was only over 164 HR for less than a minute and peaked at 173.   Avg of 137 including a 10 min walk.  This was done with my existing bike setup.  The new parts go on tomorrow.  Should be an interesting comparison.  

Now that I know that I can do this, I'll start doing it once a week.  I probably did a bit too much today but it was fine, don't feel as if I hurt myself but was a little stiff by evening,  

Woke up lighter, 146 lbs.  A ways to go.  

first road bike

 

Perfect spring weather, 68º and sunny.  First leisurely biking and it went well.  9 weeks post op, seem to be recovering at the same rate as last time.  

I didn't push real hard, stayed seated at all times, reached a max speed of 19 mph on the flat and only biked about 4 or 5 miles.  Felt fine.  In fact, it's really easier than walking.  

I have not received my new bike parts yet.  I can't believe I spent $140 for shorter crank arms... like 1/2" is going to make a difference.   (The difference between 155 and 160 cranks is 0.20").    So, I'm getting the 160mm crank arms, a 34t front chain ring (to replace the 36t) and some larger flat pedals.  Should make the climbs a bit easier.  I'm hoping to commence some climbing and more aggressive biking in 2 or 3 weeks, or after I meet with my Dr. in 3 or 4 weeks.   

I just heard from my bike climbing friend Bill M., he had a resurgence of his Afib and has been forbidden to do strenuous biking, so I'll be back to soloing it.  I really think Bill's Afib is due to genetics, life long endurance training, and alcohol use.   He told me he had cut back to "4 beers a week" and only 2 cups of coffee a day instead of a whole pot.  He told me there were years where he was drinking up to 3-4 beers/day 5 days a week.  

By next week, maybe I'll try standing on the pedals and raising the HR.  My R calf is still significantly smaller than my left.  The one additional thing this non-weight bearing has achieved is that the arthritis in my R foot has improved.  I can do 30 bodyweight calf raises with that foot in bare feet lightly supported with my hands.  No way could I have done that before the surgery.  

Tomorrow, will do my first wildflower hike of the season.

Peaked this morning at 149 lbs so I'm really needing to watch my weight.  

This is what I used to look like when I was a track athlete... May of '21, 140 lbs, during that glorious championship WL season.   I'll get back there, soon after I can start aggressively rowing and biking.  

not competing kills

I was ok til about 3 weeks ago.  I was managing to stay about 144 lbs but in the past 2 weeks, I've eaten things I never eat, especially this time of year which, for the past 14 yrs, has been competition season.  

The worst things are fried potatoes (4x), once I ate wheat pasta.   I'm probably hovering around 147-148 lbs.   At least I've refrained from buying any large bags of chips, and I haven't made pastry since last summer.  I have been eating way too much fruit.  

When competing, I eat minimalist and never eat these types of things.  I sustain body fat of between 9-12% for more than half the year.  I live like a pro athlete doing something physical everyday.  I weigh myself 3x a day, fast til after workout, one main meal.   Take all kinds of legal supplements (L-carnitine, L-citulline malate, tribulis, niagen, tongkat ali, NAD, arginine, and others).  They probably don't do much, but just an indication that I try to squeeze every bit of performance out of my body.  

Now, without that motivation, I lapse into a state of decay.  It is shortening my life.  I need to get into Ulta labs and assess my damage.  

I had read a study that says what you eat in your 30s,40s,50s can influence your disease risk by age 70.  Maybe that has worked in my favor. 

I am looking forward to committing to playing concerts again and being a musician.  Something I got enthused with over the holiday but lapsed after my surgery.

Unfortunately, I am not anywhere near being able to aggressively bike.  I'm going to try and do some easy flat biking this weekend for the first time, and some cautious hiking, probably with the brace.  When I'm at work, wed and thurs, I'm walking around and climbing stairs and my knee still hurts afterward.  Last time, I didn't water run for 3 months, so that would be another month.  Last time I was doing some easier bike climbs by 9 weeks.  Monday will be 9 weeks.  

I need to accept that this will heal SLOWER than last time due to my age and a more complex repair.  I need to accept that I may not be doing the things I want to for longer.  

Trying to decide if I want to commit to a hiking in Europe this summer mid Aug.  Should be good to go by then.  A sign of the times however, Roya is afraid to leave the US because she was born in Iran, and even though she's been a citizen for 40 yrs, she fears the now oppressive authoritarian regime in the US may not let her back in.  Sad.  

Gym / bike

Did 20 min on the recumbent bike again with some resistance.  2 sets of add and abductors, glute machine, calf raises.  I think I may try some very careful hiking in about 1 to 2 weeks.  2 weeks, some light biking, and water running.  

It's coming along.  The good thing is that it feels better after PT than before.  Probably will go tomorrow again.

Beautiful time of year.  No running til at least August sounds like an eternity.  

Gym / bike parts

 Did 20 min with light resistance on the recumbent bike.  Never got my HR much above 100 though.   I was happy to see they fixed the rotary hip machine.  So I did both that and adductors and abductors as well as some ham bridges and calf raises.  The recumbent bike is about the only PT that truly makes my knee feel better.   When I go to work and am on my feet, it still hurts.  I have about full range of movement.  

Ate really bad on Thurs after work.  My sin was a half lb of fried potato wedges. Today was better, a large plate of kale with carrots and tomatoes.  

Will be back in the gym tomorrow night I think.  Slow progress.  Hard to believe that I will not be able to run til Aug.

I ordered some new pedals and 160mm crank arms for my road bike.  They should make climbing even easier, even with my 52-36t crank.  Was thinking about a 50-34, but the shorter arms should make the hills a bit easier without going to a 34t.  Apparently my Shimano 105 2x11 crankset is outdated and extremely hard to find parts for.  I got the 160mm crank arms from Canada and they weren't cheap, over $100.  Probably won't be able to reach as high a top speed with the shorter cranks, but that's ok.

According to tibia measurement, 160mm is definitely appropriate.  I could have gone 155mm but would have needed to go off brand.  Probably won't get the parts before next weekend, so biking will probably start in 2 weeks.  Gently.

first gym session

First time in training shoes in 7 weeks, and first time in gym.  Didn't do too much, just some light recumbent bike, ad and abductors, body weight PT exercises, and upper body.  Just one set.  

It was encouraging.  The knee feels better afterward, not worse.  

I have to keep reminding myself, I'm only 8 days off crutches and to be patient.  My right calf muscle looks really small compared to my L.   I do think this also has been good for my foot arthritis.  I can do 30 single leg heel raises, lightly supported with weight on hand with the right foot without (much) pain.  Before, I couldn't do any without significant pain.  I can definitely see light biking and hiking in 2 weeks.  

I was disappointed to see the ancient rotary hip glute machine was broken.  No one uses it and I will go in there and try to fix it myself.  It's at least 35 yrs old.  The cable has come off the main cog.  I really wanted to use that machine.  It's so old, the company doesn't support that model nor is there a manual available.  I'm really not sure how to attach it, fixing it will be trial and error.