Back on the Road Bike

No pictures from my group ride this Sunday morning, mes amis.  But just want to make note of a great day here for me in KS--I went out with the bike club and put in 30 miles at Perry Lake.  It was a cool, clear, and fantastic morning.  I drove out to the lake and met a few people there, as well as a few that rode in from Lawrence.  All total there were ten riders in our group!

I am happy to report that I was able to clip in, and out--without any pain or difficulty with the knee.  Muscles have appeared again, ever so slowly in the injured leg, and my limp is pretty much gone.  Things still feel stiff, and maybe I think I look like I'm limping along but I'm not.

I've had physical therapy for about three weeks now.  The one thing I will say about it is that both my therapists, Sandy and Michelle (Michelle from Tempe, AZ and doing an Internship) is that what they were having me do I thought pretty conservative--however the last session I got worn out trying to go through all the things.  It showed that I have a ways to go, Gentle Readers of This Blog!

Both of them thought that I should only up my bike miles by a little bit--I've been riding 3 miles a day, a few more when I was riding to work-out with Will at the Gym.  The Jim (Jim Thorpe Fitness Center at Haskell) was closed all of July but is now open.  Anyway, going for 3 miles to 30 miles they said would be too much to try so soon.

Saturday night I committed to meeting up with the club and packed up my gear and laid out my clothes, etc.  I brought up the Mighty Trek from the basement, put air in the tires, and packed her in the car.  I went to bed early--and actually still got to sleep in as the ride didn't start until 9 o'clock!

Sunday was cool and the air perfect.  The weeks of 100 degrees or more has let up here and there for a few days.  It was only about 85 or so when we all started out and I clipped in for the first time in months!  Gwen, one of the bike club ladies said that the last time I had ridden with everyone was April--wow!

All I have to say is that after a few seconds of spin, I was just fine.  I felt safe riding in the group (just in case I needed help or had a problem) and everyone was happy to see me.  My left leg got a great work-out and even this evening as I write this post, the knee is not swollen and does not feel stiff.  I believe what will speed my recovery is to ride more!

However, I've lost, my cardio power I felt I had gained from the spin class this winter--and from the fast rides I did with the club, riding up front with the faster members.  I would ride great with the group but on the hills out at the lake, my heart heart a few time quickly climbed to almost the Max (172 BPM) and I got dropped.  So we start up a modest hill, my HR would climb to like 165 to 167--and I would slow way down--it was work to get up the hill mes amis!  And then, luckily, it would fall quickly when things leveled out and I'd recover--but I would have to work hard to speed back up and catch the group.

All in all it was a good day!  I know that I'll only get stronger as the days go by and I get out and ride!

Cheers!  Bruce