Bike Sprint

 One of my fastest, hardest 2.5 mile mtn bike sprints.  I think this was my second fastest.   I needed it.  A lot of butt time and a few extra lbs.  

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 9:36

Avg speed - 14.1 mph

Max HR - 175

HR over 156 - 9:49 (inc 1 min recovery at end)

HR over 170 - 4:12

Avg HR - 166 

I hit the turnaround at 5 min flat, about 5 sec off record pace.  It was hard, standing up most of the hills.       

hot climb

Needing to burn some calories today after overeating yesterday.   I waited til the hottest part of the day and did the Roark's cove climb.   It was 95º at my house with a heat index of about 100º, but was a few degrees cooler on the shady north side of the mountain.  Training in the heat is great as long as there is shade.

Roark's Cove bike climb

Total time - 23:41

Avg speed - 5.9 mph

Max HR - 182

HR over 170 - 11:13

HR over 180 - 2:00

HR over 156 - 19:08 

Avg HR - 163

Happy with the time considering conditions.  Stayed seated the whole time.  HR over 170 for 11:13 but it was probably over 167 for several minutes more.   

My Hume pod says I'm at 12.0% body fat, which is inaccurate because I know I've been leaner and lighter than I am now and it said higher.  I have been able to slightly increase muscle mass with a very small about of work, less than 5 min a day, but every day.   Just one set of 21-23 pullups, and 30-35 pushups, (and ab wheel or hanging abs sometimes, dumbells sometimes).  

 

 

 

But lately... this has been my workout.   Flamenco falsetas are good for you, do them daily:

Yet another bike sprint

Needing a quick compact workout, I did the 2.5 mile bike sprint again and it was exactly the same time as yesterday, same split at the halfway point, and same exact finish time.  Very weird for an event lasting almost 10min.   Oddly, the avg speed was 0.1 mph slower.  

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 9:53

Avg speed - 13.7 mph

Max HR - 173

Avg HR - 161 (inc 1 min recovery at end) 

HR over 156 - 9:44

HR over 170 - 0:19

The only major difference was the HR over 170 was much less where the avg was about the same.  

Was 3 lbs lighter today than yesterday, 146.3 yesterday, 143.4 today.   Yesterday, my main meal was a blueberry and chia pudding with almond milk.   Tonight, cod and salad.

Was practicing at the church yesterday at 1:30 am, so I got to bed by 4am, which is ok, was up by 10:20.  

 

Hard bike sprint

Pushing 90º at my house late this afternoon.  Nothing but 90º weather and dry days in the forecast for this week.  I was feeling bad about gaining some weight so I did a hard bike sprint.   Perceived effort felt close to max, very hard, but still 14 sec slower than my previous, although HR data very similar.  Seat was too low, had it adjusted for Roya but I'm off the seat about 20% of the time anyway.

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 9:53

Avg speed - 13.8 mph

Max HR - 172

Avg HR - 160 (inc 1 min recovery at end) 

HR over 156 - 8:37

HR over 170 - 2:21

Night before last, I stayed up til well past 4 am practicing.  I've reasoned it's not good to do that and lose my entire morning, so I think, be to bed by 2:30 ish, unless I'm recording in the church.   

Will work on my diet.  The problem is I often use drinks like tea and ices coffee as appetite suppressants. Not the healthiest thing.  

145.8 after workout.  3.4 lbs heavier than when I did the same workout 9 days ago.  My Hume pod still tells me I'm at 12.2% body fat which is bogus.  When I'm lighter it says higher.   

bike climb, easy

 It had been a 5 days since I was on the bike.  Still doing the daily pullups and pushups but a lot of time on my butt practicing, the musician lifestyle not as conducive to fitness than the full time sprint training lifestyle.  I've often said there are great parallels between music training and athletics, but where they are different is time.  Even in the most intense week of sprint training, I might up put in to 12 hrs a week between track, bike, and weights... 6 days a week.  For concert preparation it can be easily 30+ hrs a week and always 7 days a week.  There are no days off.  It's repetitious and methodical.

Have gained significant weight.  Was waking up at 142-143.  This morning hit a month long high of 146.8.   I'll be able to correct that.

Bike climb yesterday was not "easy" ... never is, but I didn't push hard as I did last week.  Wanted to keep my HR lower.  It was cooler, heat index in mid 80ºs instead of mid 90ºs.  

Roark's Cove bike climb

Total time - 25:10

Avg speed - 5.6 mph

Max HR - 176

HR over 170 - 4:54

Avg HR - 159

Last weekend, HR on this climb was over 170 for 11:37 vs 4:54 min by comparison, and over 180 for 1:36, and almost 3 min slower.   Afterward I went to the track and did a little stretching.  

I need to do a more 2.5 mile sprints on my road.  On Thurs had a weird issue with my left knee, I did some squats before I went to bed and it was sore when I woke up, almost bad enough to cause a limp.  It went away and feels fine now. 

Weather continues like summer, 90ºs forecast and no rain for the coming week.

Bike interval sprints, running test on turf, WMAC

Cooler today, 70ºs by evening.  Got the bike out to campus to do the 400m sprint intervals.  Hard workout and not as fast as usual.  I even failed to remain standing for the full 400m on the bike.  Did go hard though. 

4x400m bike sprints w/ 2:30 rest

top speed: 27.6, 26.1, 26.0, 26.2

Max HR -164

Interesting that again, max HR recorded after reps, not during. 

At the track, did my usual warmup and stretches.  Then put the offloader brace on for some run testing.  Started with some drills and high knee running on turf.  Then accelerated out of the high knee drill cautiously for short distances, 20m of actual running.  Felt fine.  Did it again.  Felt real good in fact.  So I did the same thing one final time and accelerated to sprint speed and held it for about 40 yds.  It was awesome!   Felt zero pain for the first time running in a while.  I really wanted to do more but I shut it down.  

Hopefully, and cautiously, more running to come.   However, my return to running is going to be super slow, especially as I enter concert season.  I'm thinking once every 2 weeks or so, maybe something like 4x50m on turf w/ 30 sec rest to test the waters.  Then ramp up slowly.  

Ate REALLY poorly last night, carbs.  It put me down into a very sound nap, I woke up at 9pm, made tea (gave up my caffeine fast), and practiced for 3+ hrs.  Then at 1:30am, went to the Cathedral to play my program, got home at 3:30 am, finally got to sleep about 5am.   Musicians lifestyle not real healthy.  Got to fight that.  It was my first test of the high strung guitar in All Saints.  I'll post some video on my other blog at some point.  

Just a day of poor eating and I gained a few lbs,  was about 145 when I woke up.  

WMAC:

I've heard people saying that if more former elites were involved in Masters track, people like myself wouldn't be winning championships.   Probably true, but here's an interesting data point: 

This year's WMAC M60 400m champion, Tim M. was an elite, part of the World Championship 4x400m relay team for the Bahamas, and Bronze medalist Olympian.  His winning time in Daegu was 56.24 at age 60.  I ran 56.23 at age 61.   Just saying.... 

bike climb, hard and warm

When I left the house, the heat index was over 105º, but I really think it was at least 10º cooler on the N side of the mtn where I bike up Roark's cove rd.  This was a strong effort, I think my 2nd fastest of the yr.  

Roark's Cove bike climb

Total time - 22:14

Avg speed - 6.3 mph

Max HR - 181

HR over 170 - 11:37

HR over 180 - 1:36

My post op PR was back around Memorial day when I did a 21:38.  I was pretty tired toward the end of this and didn't do much stand up sprinting.

Was pretty light for this climb which helped, probably about 141.5.  

Today, I have a miserable job to do when I should be protecting my hands and practicing.  Have to go to Murfreesboro and clean out my newly rebuilt shed and throw a bunch of stuff away while the dumpster at my house is still available.  It's not even noon yet and the heat index is already 111ºF.   Better to do this today and not closer to my concerts.  First concert 3 weeks from Tues.  

hard bike sprint

Went out into the hottest part of the day to do a hard bike sprint.   Heat index over 100ºF.  This one was closer to a max effort and I have now resumed stand up sprints on the bike.  I didn't do the entire 9:39 standing up but maybe 15% of it on the climbs.  

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 9:39

Avg speed - 13.8 mph

Max HR - 172

Avg HR - 162 (inc 1 min recovery at end) 

HR over 156 - 9:46

HR over 170 - 2:23

My 3rd or 4th fastest run of this circuit, and hard due to the weather.  Just 18 sec off my PR.    

I feel I can now do stand up biking without stressing my knee and can do it often.   This is my 4th biking workout in 5 days.  

142.4 lbs this morning.    Did my usual workout, 22 pullups, 35 pushups, dumbells.  

My body fat is at 12.2% according to the Hume Pod.

Things are coming together, I have now 5 concerts set up in the 4 weeks beginning Sept 29.  More on MUSIC and GUITAR that on my other blog.  Actively posting again on Bill's TN Paradise.

Biking in the heat wave, WMAC

Did my usual 2.5 mile bike sprint course today and yesterday, not all out but hard.  The heat index briefly hit 101º today when the temp spiked to 94º hottest since July 3.  

Yesterday's seated bike sprint 

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 10:38

Avg speed - 12.9 mph

Max HR - 171

Avg HR - 155 (inc 1 min recovery at end) 

HR over 156 - 6:37

HR over 170 - 0:04

Today's bike sprint with a little standing 

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 10:11

Avg speed - 13.4 mph

Max HR - 164

Avg HR - 152 (inc 1 min recovery at end) 

HR over 156 - 4:12

HR over 170 - 0:00

It was well over 90º heat index but it didn't feel like it on my shady road.   

Been eating carbs again.  Had a paella yesterday and quinoa today.  Was over 144 lbs today for the first time in a while.   

Heat wave is supposed to continue and peak on Friday or so.   Temps in the mid 100ºs in Murfreesboro, could reach the mid 90ºs here.  I like the heat.  Maybe I'll do a bike climb during the hottest part of the day Friday.  

Last two tests came in, ApoB high 127, Lp(a) low <10.   About what I expected.   May test homocysteine on Thurs to see if my coffee / tea abstinence had any effect.  

WMAC Daegu

My age group 400m finals were as expected,  WR holder John W. ran alone winning in 57.71.   Second was Richard W. in 60.07 and Christian S in 3rd with 61.46.   If I had recovered as I had hoped, easily would have medaled considering I was running 62 with just 6 weeks of training 10 mo ago.  

Bike climb

Sunday, cooler weather, in the 70s, did another seated bike climb, the usual...  up Roark's Cove rd.  Was amazed that it was more than a minute faster than last time and with less effort.  HR over 170 - 5:58 min compared with 9:17 last time.  Avg HR was the same.  

Roark's Cove bike climb  

Total time - 23:38  

Avg speed - 6.0 mph  

Max HR - 182  

HR over 170 - 5:58 

HR over 180 - 0:32  

Avg HR - 160

Felt fine afterwards, rode some more with Roya, stopped at Greens View.

Watching the results come in from World Masters in Daegu.  Miss being there with my colleagues.  It's a magnificent stadium.  

I remember having to park there on the morning of my 400m world indoor final in 2017, because the normal route to the indoor track was closed due to the marathon.  What an intense time that was.  I was lucky to find a bus ride and a good samaritan to get within a half mile of the stadium, so I didn't have to walk 2 miles to my race.  I got there an hour before race time.  during my warmup, I remember texting with a friend who had just successfully beaten bladder cancer.   And what a race it was.  55.17 for Silver, and Benoit beat me in final 40m finishing in 54.39, faster than his M55 national outdoor record which still stands.  I went out in 25.5 in that race.  Probably the peak of my speed as a masters.  Ran 3 rounds of the 200m there, 2 of them in 24.84 and 24.82.  

Looking at it from afar, it just doesn't seem as important as it used to.  Especially with the juxtaposition of seeing videos of the races in that 95% empty stadium.  (Stadium holds 64,000... there might be 1000 in attendance for the WMAC).   John W is unbeatable, at age 67 set another WR in the 100m at 12.03.   I wonder how long he'll be doing it.  He knee was strapped with a ton of K-tape.  

Another friend of mine is 69 and just ran a 5k race in 23 min just 11 mo post op from a total knee replacement.  Too soon imo.  He's really overzealous, I hope he doesn't mess it up.  (I beat him at nationals in the 800m back in '21).  

Today I did a short 20m test run up a hill on my walk.  Felt fine.  Will wait 4 more weeks before I try to run at all.  

141.4 lbs 

 

 

bike sprint, test results, performances

The usual bike 2.5 mile bike sprint with the offloader brace.  A good effort, a few seconds slower than my last one. 

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 10:04

Avg speed - 13.4 mph

Max HR - 170

Avg HR - 162 (inc 1 min recovery at end) 

HR over 156 - 9:29

HR over 170 - 0:40

Felt a bit harder than it probably should have.  My previous was 10 sec faster with higher HR.  I stood up to climb most of the short hills.  

Started the day with 22 pull ups.  Did a  15x slant board squats after the workout and some step downs.

Test results showed improved lipids, not optimal but improved.  HDL is too low (35), Triglycerides too high (157), but a big 40 pt reduction in total cholesterol to 177, LDL from 147 to 115.  No folate or B12 deficiencies measured.  Marginal kidney function and the worst result was an increase in homocysteine to 18.6.  Possible remedies for this are B6 and B complex vitamin supplementation and eliminating coffee and black tea.  Need to test for B6 deficiency and possible thyroid cause.  

Otherwise, relatively healthy, 141 lbs.

Just got cleared to perform a concert in the big cathedral Oct 19, and MTSU next day.  Possibly the Villages on the 10th.   Practicing a lot.  School starts next week and I'm performing for the Convocation, which is a big deal.   

Bike climb

Needed some good cardio work so Tues, I did a seated bike climb up Roark's Cove Rd.  Not trying to set any PRs, just a good strength workout, burn some calories.   Not as hot yesterday, heat index in the mid 80ºs instead of upper 90ºs.  

Roark's Cove bike climb

Total time - 24:49

Avg speed - 5.7 mph

Max HR - 180

HR over 170 - 9:17

HR over 180 - 0:24

Avg HR - 160

Afterward I went to the track and did some stretching, resisted the temptation to run and did some skips.  Knee really feels better.  Did my first slant board squats in a while, much less clicking and popping.

After weighing less than 140 lbs past couple days, I was 140.8 lbs this morning.

Awaiting on one final test result from my recent batch.  Will post about it next.  So far, lipids markedly improved, kidney issues continue.  Nothing severe.   Claude AI has been really helpful with the interpretations and recommended next steps.  

Ate a little more tonight, a stew with a little shrimp and quinoa.  

 

bike sprint

Back to standing bike sprints with the offloader brace.  I need this fitness level workout.   Not all out PR-seeking, but a strong effort, especially considering the upper 90ºs heat index.  I was going to swim today but I foolishly melted my goggles by mistake in the drier with my towels. So I punished myself on the bike for my misdeed.  

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 9:54

Avg speed - 13.8 mph

Max HR - 176

Avg HR - 168 (inc 1 min recovery at end) 

HR over 156 - 10:19

HR over 170 - 4:49

I definitely feel this brace was what I needed to resume to stand up biking.  No knee soreness at all.  

After yesterday's first stand up bike sprint with the new brace, it got me using the glutes again and I started feeling the soreness on my sit bone from the old proximal ham injury.  Something I haven't felt in a while.  Need to start doing the band work again on my hams and hip flexors.  

I should have been using this thing a year ago.   Looking forward to my first runs with it in 5-6 weeks.  Hopefully not sooner but I'll be tempted.

Donjoy Nano OA offload brace

Still really light.  ~141 lbs.   

Water running, swim, bike sprint trial w/ the offloader

 Two days ago, I hit the lake and did a set of water running, and a swim.  Pretty good workout.

Water running

60 (R/L) steps x 6 w/ 1 min rest

Max HR 158

Avg HR 129

Lake swim -  340 yds

I was happy to have the lake by myself. ... since a casual visitor to the lake who would see me water running might think I was struggling, maybe drowning. lol

This morning I tried 'strict' pullups - all from full extension, only 18.  Definitely different than the 'near full extension' pullups I normally do.

Today, I got the DonJoy OA Nano offloader brace today, free with my insurance.  I looked it up, it generally sells for over $600 new.  I tried it out on a bike sprint with some brief standing hills.  Yea, it works.  It seems to prevent 180º full extension - maybe allowing up to just few degrees short of full extension, and corrects the valgus/varus angle, shifting load off the vulnerable compartment.  It has to be worn tight or it doesn't work.  Unlike the Ossur offloader, this one seems pretty solid and doesn't slip.  I think it could even be affixed more securely with K-tape.  Not really super comfortable to be worn for hours.  

I did the usual bike sprint and even though I didn't time it or measure HR, that first hill where I'm standing for 30 - 35 R/L strokes is FAR more engaging to the cardio vascular system than anything I could do in a similar stretch sitting on the saddle.  (True, Joe).  Knee felt great afterward, but I'm not going to dive into standing bike sprints right away.  A little at a time.  

The pretty young nurse that fitted me with the brace just graduated from Auburn and is a friend of  Ja'Kobe Tharp, new world record holder in the 110H, and Adidas track pro.  It was fun talking track.  

I'm definitely eventually going to try running with this thing at some point.  

Still really light, mid 141s this morning.  Meeting postponed so my next blood work postponed til Mon.  

I joined this popular FB group called the "Great Cholesterol Conspiracy" and wow, the debate continues.   Seems to me when you have research tools like Claude AI,  people shouldn't have so much belief in unscientific notions.  More on that next post.  

Bike sprint, resistance, diet, life change

Doing bike sprints while seated is really a difficult thing, to not stand and engage the glutes, strongest muscles in the body.  Much more of a quad workout. However, that's what I'm doing during this healing phase of my workouts.  Still doing daily resistance, 24 pullups this morning.  Becoming routine.  Situps, ab wheel, pushups, dumbells, hanging abs are my routine.  Stopped doing the slant board squats for a while.  The 2.5 mile bike sprint was a 'seated' PR.  Almost a minute slower than my regular PR. 

2.5 mile seated mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 10:09

Avg speed - 12.8 mph

Max HR - 165

HR over 156 - 4:07

Avg HR - 150 (inc 1 min recovery at end)

Decent workout but not the real max HR sweat dripper that I'm used to.  Really helps to have the glutes to get to that intensity.

Had a swim yesterday at Scott's party.  Also ate some party food like chips and brownies, ice cream, but not a lot.  Still 142.7 for today's weigh in.  

I feel like my life has entered a major transition as I've now committed to playing full solo concerts starting in Oct.  The lifestyle of a musician that I led for so many yrs is quite different than the lifestyle I led after the pandemic pushing toward athletic championships.  It actually got a bit unhealthy during the peak as a performer in my early 40s.  Was probably 10-12+ lbs heavier, didn't watch my diet as much, exercise wasn't a priority, occasionally ate poorly, spent a lot of time sitting and practicing, up late at night and drinking too much tea and coffee, even beer, occasional light use of cannabis - (which actually is proven helpful in the interpretive and creative process).  Also, performing itself is quite stressful.  When you say you're a guitarist, usually the next question is, 'are you in a band?'   There is no more difficult, challenging, and stressful situation for a guitarist than doing hour long SOLO classical concerts in an academic or concert series situation.  Period.  

I did find a shirtless photo of myself from that era before athletics when my life was only guitar.  I looked somewhat lean, but weak.   

This is about 24-25 yrs ago, (about age 41-42ish).   I was doing some very serious hiking then, so I wasn't by any means significantly overweight.  This photo was during a boat trip with Lisa at Fontana.  At one point, we did a 25 mile day hike with a nearly 5000' vertical climb, as well as a 16 miler with a 3300' climb in the same few day trip.   I couldn't come close to doing that today.  Only maybe if my life depended on it.  

The parallels between training as a sprinter and as a concert musician are really remarkable … “trust the process” as they say.  I haven’t played a full hour solo program in almost 8 yrs I think. (Shorter programs yes).  Now concerned with hand health, but that is generally ok.   Where athletics and music training differ is in time spent. Physical adaptations for the hands seem to take more daily time than relatively brief intense track workouts, because a lot of the practice is slow and methodical, and it’s every day.  Both are long term commitments taking months, not only in learning to execute, but doing it on the spot in a performance, which is more the mental aspect.    Not that it's impossible to do both as I did in 2015, but my 2015 tour was in the fall - off season for track.

Anyway, since I started this blog 15 yrs ago, it's going to remain about training, fitness, wellness, etc... and I'm going to begin at some point, moving my discussions on music to my somewhat neglected other blog which I started nearly 20 yrs as mostly an adventure, outdoors, travel, music, and photography blog.  https://tnparadise.blogspot.com/

I'm really liking my life right now.  Have settled into a pleasant routine where I stay up late and practice, sometimes go to the cathedral, wake up early and go back to sleep, usually getting out of bed by 9 or 10am, do a few scales on the guitar, do my pullups, pushups, a brief walk, weigh in on my scale, drink a liter of water, sit in the hot tub, get out and start my daily practicing ... which will go for hours.  I have my first coffee about noon and a light snack, usually Wasa crackers with fig jam mixed with psyllium husk.  I eat my main meal which is a large salad sometimes with fish, or chick peas.  Sometimes a vegetable stew with zucchini, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, garlic, basil from my small basil tree, and whatever other vegetables I have available.   Really low carb.    These types of main meals don't have enough calories to make it and I've been snacking on walnuts and blueberries, occasionally Wasa crackers of Royo bread with sunflower butter, and dried cranberries.   When I do eat meat, it's usually flounder, salmon, organic chicken breast.  I will also occasionally eat other types of fish like cod, shrimp.  So with a relatively narrow diet, it's not out of the possibility that I may have a folate or Vit B deficiency so I'm testing for that on Friday.  Easy to remedy.  Due to my CKD, I was told to be cautious with Vit C, and I did see my collagen supplement had 100mg of Vit C.  Should be ok.  

Living in nature and getting most of my vegetables from the local organic market, the low stress job, the commitment to health and fitness I have now should help make a healthier transition back into concert performance.  Older and wiser.  

Bike sprint, pullups, fast

 I've been taking time off the bike until today, I couldn't stand it anymore I did a bike sprint but not full, effort.  I also have been doing the usual few exercises and I'm regularly able to do 21-23 pullups every morning.  Been walking a mile+ every morning including walking backward up hills.  

I'll see what the new ortho Dr. says about recovery next Tuesday.  

I'm fasting and purging for tomorrow's colonoscopy.  Yesterday ate a 'low residual' diet which was new to me.  Stuff I never eat, like simple carbs... specifically white rice and bananas.  That's the stuff I probably should have been eating before races instead of high fiber bread and cereals.  I should be able to drop close to 140 lbs by the time this is over.  I had to drink a 2 L of polyethylene glycol solution around 6 pm, then another 2 L at 1:00 am.   I'll be up most of the night.  Fun.

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 10:16

Avg speed - 13.3 mph

Max HR - 165

HR over 156 - 4:10

Avg HR - 150 (inc 1 min recovery at end)

I stayed seated most of the ride back, HR certainly wasn't up to what it normally is during this workout.  

Hard to tell if these types of rides are degrading to my knee.  The feels good afterward.  Sometime I get a slight soreness later in the night or next day but usually not.  Probably shouldn't do anything for a month with my legs, but I definitely would feel vulnerable to CV disease without pushing my HR, hard to do without legs.  Maybe be forced to swim only.  Water run at the most.  I'll see what the Dr. says but I'm sure less is more at this point.

Judging by the comments, some people don't apparently understand that 'jogging' - running with heel or midfoot strike is more damaging to my knee than high knee running, stairs, hills, or running with forefoot strike on the ball of the foot in sprint form.  FWIW, even when I raced 800s, my heel never touched the ground and I wore the same spikes as I would for a 100m race.  Anything faster than a 72 sec 400m is a sprint for someone over 60, and that would be about my slowest 400m split in any of the 800m races I ever ran, my slowest being 2:22.  Transitioning from high knee running gradually to full stride is the way I've been getting prepped for sprinting post injury.  

Anyway, hopefully my colon is ok.  Find out tomorrow.  

bike sprint, MRI

Did my first training involving legs since last Saturday's running.  Just a neighborhood bike sprint.   Got the knee MRI.  Definitely a mess.  

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 10:01

Avg speed - 13.6 mph

Max HR - 173

HR over 156 - 5:05

HR over 170 - 5:18 

Avg HR - 166 (inc 1 min recovery at end)

Slower and higher avg HR but lower Max HR from last time.

Knee continues to feel better and will allow recovery til I do make any running attempts.  

As expected, MRI showed a lot of problems.  It seems that the game should be to expect trauma and to allow recovery.  

On the plus side:

"Intact root attachment.... prior repair of vertical tear in the posterior horn which remains intact. Intact anterior root"

On the minus side:

"recurrent macerated tearing along the free edge of the posterior horn/root junction creating a small free edge flap with intact posterior root. Degenerative undersurface tearing of the meniscus at the posterior junction and partially extruded body segment without flap displacement ...  Prior repair of vertical tear in the posterior horn which remains intact. Intact anterior root with reactive edema or root sprain. Diffuse chondral loss throughout the central and posterior weightbearing femoral condyle at least 75% chondral thickness with stress related marrow changes diffusely throughout the femoral condyle associated within

evolving subchondral fracture in the posterior weightbearing aspect measuring 0.7 cm transversely with evidence of remotely healed subchondral fracture in the more anterior weightbearing femoral condyle. Partial chondral loss in the tibial plateau centrally at least 50% chondral thickness with mild stress response peripherally and posteriorly... Full thickness chondral loss in the central, with highgrade partial chondral loss in the inferior medial trochlea with chronic stress response and preserved cartilage in the lateral trochlear facet."

Summary impression:

1. Prior medial meniscal repair posteriorly with recurrent free edge tearing of the posterior horn/root junction, undersurface tearing of the peripheral posterior horn extending to the body segment with intact root attachments demonstrating degeneration/sprain and progressive arthrosis in the compartment at least moderate severity with increased stress response throughout the femoral condyle associated with a evolving subchondral stress or insufficiency fracture of the posterior weightbearing aspect, likely a pain generator.

2. Intact lateral meniscus with degenerative fraying along the free edge and relatively superficial focal chondral loss without significant compartment arthrosis.

3. Intact cruciate, collateral ligaments without acute injury or tear, early mucinous degeneration of the ACL.

4. Patellofemoral arthrosis, moderate severity with chronic stress response related to highgrade chondral loss in the trochlea.

5. Moderate size joint effusion with chronic synovitis more pronounced suprapatellar fossa, medial compartment. Small loose osseous bodies in the posterior superior medial femoral recess measuring up to 0.5 cm.

Seems that the worst cartilage loss is not on the tibial or condyle surfaces, but behind the kneecap on the medial trochlea.   Anyway, it sucks.   

hot bike climb

Went out in the heat today for a bike climb, 92º and exceptionally humid, dewpoint 78º, heat index 107º.  Hottest part of the day.   I got Dr. Scott an endurance runner a few yrs younger than me to motivate me.  We finished together.  

This was the hardest I've ever pushed my HR.  The overall time was not exceptional, but the effort was due to the conditions.   Faster than last time.  I did very little sprinting off the seat.  Scott did more than I did.  

Roark's Cove bike climb

Total time - 23:11

Avg speed - 6.1 mph

Max HR - 190

HR over 170 - 14:59

HR over 180 - 4:15

Avg HR - 166

Had a nice swim afterward.  Scott lives right at the top of the hill and on a lake.  Got to hang with friends for a few hrs.  Roya joined us.

It was supposed to rain today, even possible severe storms, but nothing came.  Nice lightning and thunder in the distance. 

Roya's day off tomorrow so we'll go swimming.  I want to hit the track during the heat and do some weight pulls.  Could be hotter tomorrow, and certainly will on the reflective turf field in full sun.  

bike sprint - PR

This was a hard effort.   Massive PR by 17 sec.   This one will be hard to top.

2.5 mile mountain bike sprint - Laurel Branch Trl

Time - 9:21

Avg speed - 14.3 mph

Max HR - 177

HR over 156 - 9:51 (inc 1 min recovery at end)

HR over 170 - 3:53

Avg HR - 166 

I hit the turnaround at 9:56 about 4 sec faster than last PR.

Have been eating more meat (chicken breast) lately.  Weight holding steady in the 142s.  Doing daily strength so seeing a little difference.  

For whatever reason, my MRCP / MRI read may take another week.  I've never known a report to take this long.  I really think this Vanderbilt medical center isn't what it used to be.  When it was a single centralized teaching hospital back in the day, it was top notch.  Now it has taken over numerous other smaller hospitals and facilities, it's losing quality for quantity.  I may look elsewhere in the future.  The Vanderbilt medical name was always very well respected.  Notsomuch now, judging by online reviews.  

The weather has been awesome so far, cool for this time of year but a heat wave hits on Sunday and continues without rain for about 4 days, temperatures in the lower 90ºs... which means near 100º in the cities.  

I expect I'll be swimming and water running everyday beginning Monday.  

Yesterday before my bike climb, I did an 80yd sprint on the track.  It felt ok. Kind of chompin to get back to some limited running.  Maybe do some drills and high knee runs in the heat next week 

Bike climb

Early morning bike climb on Roark's Cove Rd.  I had to take my mtn bike in so while I was out, I did the climb.   Today, didn't put out real hard, tried to keep HR low and no stand up sprints.  Still, not a bad time.  

Roark's Cove bike climb

Total time - 23:51

Avg speed - 5.8 mph

Max HR - 175

HR over 170 - 4:42

By contrast, my previous climb was just 1:21 faster but HR over 170 was 14:27, compared with only 4:42 this time.  

My mtn bike repair was only $19.  Happy with that.  

I think I'm going to rearrange my HR zones on my watch to make it more specific to my HR and  training.  

6: >179 

5: 170-179

4: 156-169 

3: 140-155

2: 120-139 

1: <119