I’ve been quiet lately. Quiet enough that my dad messaged me and asked what was up, quiet enough that a friend and non-cyclist asked why I haven’t blogged lately. This post is a stream of consciousness tale of how things have been going. On the surface, it may seem pessimistic but the good news is I’ve managed some level of balance and kept all of the really important, most time-critical things going.
Category: Updates
Boiling Over: a story about high blood pressure
I was motoring along steadily on the trainer like the diesel I am, and suddenly my power output dropped to 100 watts. I slammed on a few more gears and cranked hard. The power numbers barely rose and I watched my virtual teammates speed away. Well, I thought, if I keel over on my bike at least those that know me knew I’d die happy.
Spinal Fusion: 18 months Later
18 months after lumbar spinal fusion, I finally feel like I’m on a steady upward trend. More miles, weight loss, and I’m hosting group rides again!
Getting Over My Fears
Last weekend I decided that I should go on my former normal Saturday morning group ride and try to get over my fears. It had been months since I had gone. The last time I went, I hammered to stay attached, got dropped, and ended up with back spasms. Not good. How did it go this time?
Elimination
I’m in the middle of an elimination diet. Even though it’s thoroughly irritating to execute properly, I’m learning great things. Have you tried an elimination diet? What did you learn, and how did it affect your cycling?
Comeback Ride
I had been itching for a long ride for months, maybe even a year, and I decided it was time to test the systems and strive for a comeback ride. April has been a great time of testing out my body and its limits. Calf surgery to remove a muscle and release an artery was in early March so I’m quickly moving away from that fiasco. My spine and core muscles have been feeling solid with all the extra physical therapy. A few early tests went very well, so I planned a series of rides to further push my body Read More
Onward and Upward
I’m a little scared to say it out loud, but my first attempts at actual training are going really dang well. I feel like I’m finally able to train, add intensity, and PUSH my body without something failing. I’m cleared from a calf and spine perspective! I still have a wheezy cough which makes me sound like a dog’s squeaker toy, but thanks to nebulizers and albuterol I can still get rides in without dying. This Week This week brought about 7.5 hours on the bike. The rides included sprints, a difficult outdoor group ride, and a 2.5 hour Read More
A Year Later
What a difference a year can make. It was this time last year when I started falling down the stairs, unexpectedly, intermittently. At first it was subtle …
“How Much Biking is Too Much Biking?”
At the end of my post-op appointment, I tentatively asked the surgeon “How much biking is too much biking?” He looked me straight in the eye and said …
Vulnerability Sucks
I know exactly why I told pretty much no one that I was having surgery until a few days prior. I can actually say it out loud now that I’m on the other side.