randomduck

Activity: road cycling
Location: Washington, DC > Potomac, MD
Distance: 33.6 miles
Duration: 1:58
Weather: sunny, 54 degrees
Avg HR: 147 (est.)
Type: aerobic

Did this ride solo becuase the PPTC ride from Glen Echo was too damn early. Another factor taken into consideration: it was in the upper 50s by mid-afternoon, rather than the upper 30s, as it was at 9:00 am. Yet another factor: I didn’t want to miss the Dupont Freshfarm Market.

But the ride was good. I essentially traced the PPTC ride route from the Tuesday nigth rides that take place in the summer months. My energy level was better than last week: the hills were easier, my cadence was a little faster, there were fewer aches from over-compensating for my shoulder. All told, it was the best ride in terms of overall quality since the accident. The roads were full of cyclists, taking advantage of a nice day.

Popularity: 37% [?]

Activity: road cycling
Location: Glen Echo, MD > Seneca, MD
Distance: 46.5 miles
Duration: 2:45
Weather: sunny, 54 degrees
Avg HR: 142 (est.)
Type: aerobic

My first Potomac Pedalers ride since the accident. Felt good, but I didn’t go the whole way to Poolesville because I didn’t want to go too far over 44 miles. I can tell that I’ve lost a little on the hills, and I cramped hard at mile 33 (some water and a quick massage fixed things). But it was a good ride, all told. The shoulder held up fine - it was the least of my worries, amazingly enough. The only thing is that I had to watch that my technique didn’t get too funky. I think I’m involuntarily compensating for the shoulder, even though the shoulder is fine. When I felt my back get out-of-whack, I’d slow down, concentrate on a good, even pedal stroke and handlebar pull. So my average speed for the ride was 16.6 mph, which isn’t too bad - though it’s well behind what I was doing back in August.

I had some gripes about rider behavior on this ride. Basically, some of the faster, hotshot riders kept ignoring the “car back” calls that signal “ride single file, a car wants to pass.” It didn’t matter how loudly you yelled “car back,” these riders just wouldn’t listen. So those of use who are good do-bees get pissed, the drivers of the cars got pissed, and the folks who just had to carry on their lief-altering conversation or their out-of-the-saddle climbing record gave cyclists a very bad name. If only these folks would keep in mind that folks in MoCo vote, and their votes carry a lot of weight when it comes to funding for road improvements and mass-transit projects.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Activity: road cycling (on mountain bike)
Location: Washington, DC > Bethesda, MD (Capital Crescent Trail)
Distance: 15.9 miles
Duration: 0:52
Weather: sunny, 63 degrees
Avg HR: 151 (est.)
Type: aerobic

Been a while, hasn’t it?

Well, this is my first official ride since the accident, and it couldn’t have come soon enough! The weather was perfect - it rained yesterday and will rain tomorrow, so timing is everything.

It felt awesome to be back on the bike! Granted, it was my mountain bike - partly on advice of my therapist, partly because the front wheel on my road bike is still in need of repair. So I mounted my commuter slicks on the Marin’s wheels, and voila!

Right now I’m icing the shoulder, as my trapezius is sore. There is still some weakness there, though it’s getting better every day with the litany of exercises I’m doing. Ice and ibuprofen are proven fixes for the pain, though.

But it’s official: I’m back on the bike! Yeah!

Popularity: 17% [?]

It’s gonna be a busy week:

• finish paper for U.S. Diplomatic History class (Monday)
• see North Country with sprite (Monday)
• DCDSC Issues Committee meeting (Tuesday)
• PT for the shoulder (Wednesday and Friday)
• U2 concert (Wednesday)
• DC for Democracy Oktoberfest (Friday)
• see Blazing Saddles with Kathy (Friday)
• cook dishes with eggplant, leek, brocolli, purple bell peppers and sweet potatoes (not all at once)
• more cleaning in The Burrow (ongoing)
• assess and (hopefully) repair the floor leak problems in The Burrow

So…. where to grow the time?

Popularity: 22% [?]

Yay!

Huzzah!

Yes!

My ortho says that I can start riding my bike again - in limited doses.

I’m to start with my mountain bike, which has a slightly higher riding position than my LeMond road bike. After a couple weeks of that, I can get back on my roadie - which is good, because I have yet to have the front wheel rebuilt from the crash. Hee. That’s me: can’t ride it, won’t fix it.

But I can ride again.

Therapy is going well. I’ve transitioned from light strength and flexibility work to full-on range-of-motion work. There’s still a lot of ground to cover, but I’m getting there.

Yay!

Popularity: 14% [?]

Good morning from Andover!

The wedding was superb, though we drove like rally champions to get there on time - an accident on the M5 motorway made it difficult, so we made it to Coombe Lodge (with sprite’s navigation skills - wonderful, though I was quite stressed) just in time. Granted, we only heard the first half of the ceremony, but it was most wonderful.

We saw Stonehenge this morning, which was fairly cool. Today we get a guided tour of Andover with sprite’s grandmother, who hails from the town. Then it’s on to the south coast, then London.

By the way, the shoulder is holding up well - even through some rather athletic dancing, as well as some swinging of young children (”swing me higher, Rudi, higher!”).

Cheers!

Popularity: 16% [?]