Hello friends, family and facebookers.
I have recently begun to notice some subtle body changes courtesy of picking up my training and correcting my dietary intake. I have never been the healthiest eater, but I am making some "colorful" changes to my diet. No, I am not dieting, I am changing what I am eating and how much of it. More fruits and veggies and smaller servings of other things.
So with the cooler weather, I have broken out the jeans I have worn the last couple of years and would start moving around the house and have to head back to the bedroom to get a belt. My pants were falling off!!! WOW!!! For me, that's insane. But what makes it more interesting is that I have had this belt for a number of years. When I fastened my belt, not really paying attention, I realized that more of the belt extended beyond the belt loop on the belt and on my jeans... by 3 whole inches!!! Are you kidding me!!
My knees continue to improve, I am getting stronger and healthier than I have been in several years. I am looking into increasing training this week with the walk, still cycling and will soon be adding some swimming. My goal is to head to the lake and start working on my open water swim. Neoprene will definitely be a must, but I also plan to have a safety plan as well, hopefully in the form of a friend in a kayak.
I must admit that I was a little disconcerted earlier today as I weighed in at the gym, which I haven't done for a couple weeks. My weight was still the same but my clothes are getting bigger. Following some research and a visit to my favorite triathlon site forums, I feel better!! What this all means basically is that I am losing fat.
So, tonight for my rest night I enjoyed a movie and time with my hubby, while inside doing the "Happy Dance!"
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
recovery ride update
Okay, following 17.38 miles on a great route, I feel great. I felt strong and fast today.
I did better on the one major climb, I know I was faster on the section I tanked about 11 days ago. I also made a great stretch down towards the end of the ride. I know we were making great time and carrying a decent pace, but right now the new mapmyride.com is kind of making me mad. I was trying to show my husband my improvements, and just couldn't. Have to log out and back in.
My right knee is a little sore today, but no additional swelling or pain.
Night all.
I did better on the one major climb, I know I was faster on the section I tanked about 11 days ago. I also made a great stretch down towards the end of the ride. I know we were making great time and carrying a decent pace, but right now the new mapmyride.com is kind of making me mad. I was trying to show my husband my improvements, and just couldn't. Have to log out and back in.
My right knee is a little sore today, but no additional swelling or pain.
Night all.
Recovery Ride
Okay, so I woke up today feeling something I haven't felt in a while!! SORE!!
It's nice to feel sore rather than pain. I did my ride yesterday, fatiguing my quads and hips. My physical therapist (physical torturer) is working both legs and hips to strengthen them and get me ready to really start running again. He held off going this far while rehabbing the left knee because we didn't want to flare the right knee. Now that both are repaired, we are tackling both legs at the same time. Catching the right leg up with the left and pushing the left to do new exercises as well.
This morning was interesting as I haven't experienced that level of soreness in quite a while. It was that good workout sore.
Today I am headed out on a 17.5 mile ride to a friend's house. She is leaving her house at the same time, we are meeting along the route and then heading back to her house. This is a similar route to my first post-op ride 2.5 weeks ago. We'll see how well the quad and knee do on the bugger hill and go from there. From the 10 mile mark to the end, the route is flat to downhill, which will be a nice end to the ride. I'll follow up and post stats later. BTW, my therapist is quite happy with my progress to this point and has decided that he will continue to push me until he is ready to release me. YAY!!!! I like it when someone aside from me kicks my booty.
Pics later.
It's nice to feel sore rather than pain. I did my ride yesterday, fatiguing my quads and hips. My physical therapist (physical torturer) is working both legs and hips to strengthen them and get me ready to really start running again. He held off going this far while rehabbing the left knee because we didn't want to flare the right knee. Now that both are repaired, we are tackling both legs at the same time. Catching the right leg up with the left and pushing the left to do new exercises as well.
This morning was interesting as I haven't experienced that level of soreness in quite a while. It was that good workout sore.
Today I am headed out on a 17.5 mile ride to a friend's house. She is leaving her house at the same time, we are meeting along the route and then heading back to her house. This is a similar route to my first post-op ride 2.5 weeks ago. We'll see how well the quad and knee do on the bugger hill and go from there. From the 10 mile mark to the end, the route is flat to downhill, which will be a nice end to the ride. I'll follow up and post stats later. BTW, my therapist is quite happy with my progress to this point and has decided that he will continue to push me until he is ready to release me. YAY!!!! I like it when someone aside from me kicks my booty.
Pics later.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
YAY!!!! Multiple celebrations
Okay, if you have gone back in the history and read my blog archive, you will already know that I am not a runner. I was in high school and quit after a knee injury at an indoor track meet my freshman year. I stuck to softball and swimming and just never ran for fitness or fun after that.
Softball is not the best sport for knees, add the positional factor as a catcher and you know my knees were royally screwed up from so many years of catching and the up/down and dropping to block the plate and wild pitches and everything else. My knees have always been a mess. I had my first knee scope at 17 years old. I just had my 4th scope on my right knee four weeks ago and 6 months ago, I had the first scope on my left knee. After a small patellar tendon tear last summer, I walked my triathlon in October and at a followup with the Orthopod, he looked at my left knee for the first time and commented that my left knee was actually WORSE than my right knee. (WHAT????) My good knee is actually the bad knee??? WOW!!!
So I haven't been able to really throw myself into the run training for a triathlon ever because of the pain in my knees when I run.
Last night, I went for a walk that was part of my training plan for White Lake Sprint in May 2010. I decided to see how it felt to jog part of the route. OMG!!! I didn't need my flashlight last night because my smile was so big. I was able to jog, let alone downhill without pain. I was so happy that I actually went further than I planned so I could jog a little more. It felt awesome. I couldn't quit smiling last night.... I think I was even smiling in my sleep.
This morning, I had planned to go out and do a gym ride from my old gym (no membership necessary for the ride.) I woke up with a crick in my back and after many failed attempts on my own to realign it, decided that I'll go ride and it will work itself out later. I pulled in, did my basic ABC check for my bike, clipped in and off I went. For those not aware, an ABC check is Air, Brakes, Crank. Full tires, brake calipers closed, crank looked good, so off I went.
I am admittedly a hill slug, especially at this time of year. It's late in the year and actually, prior to tri training, I would hang my bike after Bike MS and look at it adoringly all winter and then pull it out in April. Today was actually my latest ride ever. I couldn't miss an 80 degree day for a ride. So we set out and knowing at least part of the route has some buggers for hills, (especially post-op) I warned the group that I would be granny-gearing up a couple and that I'd see them at the top.
I finished the ride with 17.49 miles, avg speed of 14.5, max speed of 33.1 and finished in 1 hour 13 minutes and 9 seconds. My speed in the last year has really picked up despite not riding this year like I have in the past...(I don't get it either.)
So, I am celebrating jogging for the first time in 18 months, my latest ride of the season and my furthest ride following surgery. PLUS!!!! I have crossed the 50 mile mark post-op. I am planning for a 100-150 mile month. Well, off to PT to share the celebrations with the man who has gotten me back to this point. THANKS MARC!!!
Softball is not the best sport for knees, add the positional factor as a catcher and you know my knees were royally screwed up from so many years of catching and the up/down and dropping to block the plate and wild pitches and everything else. My knees have always been a mess. I had my first knee scope at 17 years old. I just had my 4th scope on my right knee four weeks ago and 6 months ago, I had the first scope on my left knee. After a small patellar tendon tear last summer, I walked my triathlon in October and at a followup with the Orthopod, he looked at my left knee for the first time and commented that my left knee was actually WORSE than my right knee. (WHAT????) My good knee is actually the bad knee??? WOW!!!
So I haven't been able to really throw myself into the run training for a triathlon ever because of the pain in my knees when I run.
Last night, I went for a walk that was part of my training plan for White Lake Sprint in May 2010. I decided to see how it felt to jog part of the route. OMG!!! I didn't need my flashlight last night because my smile was so big. I was able to jog, let alone downhill without pain. I was so happy that I actually went further than I planned so I could jog a little more. It felt awesome. I couldn't quit smiling last night.... I think I was even smiling in my sleep.
This morning, I had planned to go out and do a gym ride from my old gym (no membership necessary for the ride.) I woke up with a crick in my back and after many failed attempts on my own to realign it, decided that I'll go ride and it will work itself out later. I pulled in, did my basic ABC check for my bike, clipped in and off I went. For those not aware, an ABC check is Air, Brakes, Crank. Full tires, brake calipers closed, crank looked good, so off I went.
I am admittedly a hill slug, especially at this time of year. It's late in the year and actually, prior to tri training, I would hang my bike after Bike MS and look at it adoringly all winter and then pull it out in April. Today was actually my latest ride ever. I couldn't miss an 80 degree day for a ride. So we set out and knowing at least part of the route has some buggers for hills, (especially post-op) I warned the group that I would be granny-gearing up a couple and that I'd see them at the top.
I finished the ride with 17.49 miles, avg speed of 14.5, max speed of 33.1 and finished in 1 hour 13 minutes and 9 seconds. My speed in the last year has really picked up despite not riding this year like I have in the past...(I don't get it either.)
So, I am celebrating jogging for the first time in 18 months, my latest ride of the season and my furthest ride following surgery. PLUS!!!! I have crossed the 50 mile mark post-op. I am planning for a 100-150 mile month. Well, off to PT to share the celebrations with the man who has gotten me back to this point. THANKS MARC!!!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
WOW!!! What a weekend already!!
I have to say it again. WOW!!! What a weekend!! And we still have another day to go.
I was able to get my 10 minute walk in yesterday afternoon, and then attended the le Tour de Femme Ladies Night at Cycling Spoken Here. If you aren't aware, Tour de Femme is a women's only bicycle ride in Cary, NC. The ride benefits the LIVESTRONG Foundation and The Angel Fund at Rex Hospital. This is my second year cycling in this event. Last year I rode 15 miles solo, (no teammates.) I had a race the next day and didn't want to burn my legs doing too many miles in too high of a gear to stay with my teammates on the 32 mile route. It was the right decision for me as I was able to hammer the bike leg at my tri, cutting six minutes off my bike split from the previous year and then gave nearly all of it back on the run, ( which I walk).
This year, I decided on the 15 mile route for several reasons. One of which being that I consulted with my PT regarding distance to ride. I am almost 4 weeks out from surgery and while yes, I am back on the bike, my quad still hurts and the knee will swell like a balloon if I am not careful and overdo it. The second reason was that I would be attending the NC State football game with my bestest cycling buddy, Miss Sandra. Sandra always keeps me in stitches and to see how far she has com as a cyclist in the last two cycling seasons is AMAZING!!!
On our ride today, we had pretty much dusted the rest of the riders on the 15 mile route by 2 miles in. Upon closer inspection, I checked our speed in that first 3 miles, (a good chunk of that downhill,) and realized that while I thought we were booking, I didn't realize just how fast we were going. The stats from MapMyRide on my phone showed a downhill speed of 37.6 mph. OMG!!!! Really??? My fastest dowhile speed was achieved this year on a NICE downhill in Harnett County. I believe that I topped out at just over 42 mph.
Today's ride with the weather (cool and kinda chilly) with little breeze and a great route, were highly beneficial. After finishing the ride, I had some ART (Active Release) and some Acupuncture. After that, we (Sandra and I) changed into football watching clothes. After parking and then speed walking from the van to the stadium, we made kickoff with time to spare. I am counting the walk from the van to the stadium as my training walk for today.
I got my 10 minute walk in yesterday and previously (Thursday) I had my PT session and he kicked my butt hard. I needed it though.
Tomorrow is a fun day, early wakeup, volunteer at a triathlon and then breakfast with one of the ASP staffers from his past summer. She is in town to visit family and a couple of other ASP Staffers. One lives here and attends NC State, while the other is volunteering with AmeriCorps and leaving NC tomorrow or Monday.
Tomorrow is technically a rest day, but Sandra and I have decided to ride out to our course spot if we end up marshaling the course. LATER!!! Just keep moving!!
I was able to get my 10 minute walk in yesterday afternoon, and then attended the le Tour de Femme Ladies Night at Cycling Spoken Here. If you aren't aware, Tour de Femme is a women's only bicycle ride in Cary, NC. The ride benefits the LIVESTRONG Foundation and The Angel Fund at Rex Hospital. This is my second year cycling in this event. Last year I rode 15 miles solo, (no teammates.) I had a race the next day and didn't want to burn my legs doing too many miles in too high of a gear to stay with my teammates on the 32 mile route. It was the right decision for me as I was able to hammer the bike leg at my tri, cutting six minutes off my bike split from the previous year and then gave nearly all of it back on the run, ( which I walk).
This year, I decided on the 15 mile route for several reasons. One of which being that I consulted with my PT regarding distance to ride. I am almost 4 weeks out from surgery and while yes, I am back on the bike, my quad still hurts and the knee will swell like a balloon if I am not careful and overdo it. The second reason was that I would be attending the NC State football game with my bestest cycling buddy, Miss Sandra. Sandra always keeps me in stitches and to see how far she has com as a cyclist in the last two cycling seasons is AMAZING!!!
On our ride today, we had pretty much dusted the rest of the riders on the 15 mile route by 2 miles in. Upon closer inspection, I checked our speed in that first 3 miles, (a good chunk of that downhill,) and realized that while I thought we were booking, I didn't realize just how fast we were going. The stats from MapMyRide on my phone showed a downhill speed of 37.6 mph. OMG!!!! Really??? My fastest dowhile speed was achieved this year on a NICE downhill in Harnett County. I believe that I topped out at just over 42 mph.
Today's ride with the weather (cool and kinda chilly) with little breeze and a great route, were highly beneficial. After finishing the ride, I had some ART (Active Release) and some Acupuncture. After that, we (Sandra and I) changed into football watching clothes. After parking and then speed walking from the van to the stadium, we made kickoff with time to spare. I am counting the walk from the van to the stadium as my training walk for today.
I got my 10 minute walk in yesterday and previously (Thursday) I had my PT session and he kicked my butt hard. I needed it though.
Tomorrow is a fun day, early wakeup, volunteer at a triathlon and then breakfast with one of the ASP staffers from his past summer. She is in town to visit family and a couple of other ASP Staffers. One lives here and attends NC State, while the other is volunteering with AmeriCorps and leaving NC tomorrow or Monday.
Tomorrow is technically a rest day, but Sandra and I have decided to ride out to our course spot if we end up marshaling the course. LATER!!! Just keep moving!!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Wednesday Double Up
Today was a busy day!! After getting squirt on the bus, I settled out for a bit of relaxation then went for my walk. Walk was planned for 15 minutes. I walked 13.5 minutes which is the same loop I did Sunday with a 4 minute improvement. After that I headed to the gym for a quick workout.
I spent 10 minutes on the bike at the gym, then did some upper body lifting. More reps, less weight. Gonna try to change things up a bit. Something else I'd like to do is some boxing intervals, see if I can talk the hubby into a set of mits and gloves. 5 minute round and then a 2 minute rest. I know I'm not a boxer or mms fighter, but boxing is a great cross-training workout.
Let's see what happens.
I spent 10 minutes on the bike at the gym, then did some upper body lifting. More reps, less weight. Gonna try to change things up a bit. Something else I'd like to do is some boxing intervals, see if I can talk the hubby into a set of mits and gloves. 5 minute round and then a 2 minute rest. I know I'm not a boxer or mms fighter, but boxing is a great cross-training workout.
Let's see what happens.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Monday and best laid plans
Well, today's plan was for a 10 minute walk. What's the saying about best laid plans??
My mom was in an accident a couple weeks ago and had to drop her van at the body shop and pick up the rental. I ended up watching my niece from 9:15-1:00 pm. After that, ran final donations for Bike MS to the MS Society before the 5pm deadline today. Then following that I came home, sat with hubby for about 30 minutes finding out about his day. I then headed to the arena for my CPR and AED class tonight.
After spending the night up and down, kneeling and doing CPR compressions, my knee is a tad swollen and painful. I had to move the 10 minute walk in the attempt to prevent additional swelling. Fortunately, I have the ability to move the walk schedule around to fit better.
So, tomorrow has already fluxed as well. I was asked to substitute at Mae-Lei's former preschool tomorrow, so, Mae-Lei will ride the bus tomorrow and after the bus leaves, I will do my walk, shower and then head to work. After work, to the gym for the stationary bike and a little lifting. Double it up and make up the walk. FLEXIBLE!!! Something I learned from my mission trips the last couple of years.
My mom was in an accident a couple weeks ago and had to drop her van at the body shop and pick up the rental. I ended up watching my niece from 9:15-1:00 pm. After that, ran final donations for Bike MS to the MS Society before the 5pm deadline today. Then following that I came home, sat with hubby for about 30 minutes finding out about his day. I then headed to the arena for my CPR and AED class tonight.
After spending the night up and down, kneeling and doing CPR compressions, my knee is a tad swollen and painful. I had to move the 10 minute walk in the attempt to prevent additional swelling. Fortunately, I have the ability to move the walk schedule around to fit better.
So, tomorrow has already fluxed as well. I was asked to substitute at Mae-Lei's former preschool tomorrow, so, Mae-Lei will ride the bus tomorrow and after the bus leaves, I will do my walk, shower and then head to work. After work, to the gym for the stationary bike and a little lifting. Double it up and make up the walk. FLEXIBLE!!! Something I learned from my mission trips the last couple of years.
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