Asphalt Junkies Spring 2013 - Closed (Page 81)

Nice job on the race! Sounds like you have been working yourself pretty hard. The nap was probably just what you needed.

Just when I got used to the daylight earlier in the morning......

Now here I am  at 7:00, it is still dark and the pup has to be walked. Oh well, at least I know the days are only getting longer! And my kids will have time to burn off some energy outside after school again.

I'm very impressed with the training that most of you have just described.  Not only a 3 hour trainer session (Tony!) but those workouts with the fatigue from the last one still there...If you are in a weight loss mode, that's the way it is.  But if you AREN'T, then make sure you are getting enough calories to allow recovery.  I can't remember the last time I woke up with fatigue from the day before...but I've been known to eat a 3000 calorie dinner too....

Samantha, 3 runs in 1 day?  Wow!  I think you pass the litmus test for leg durability...most of us would have been way too tender after that 2nd one to consider a third one.

Mrs. Shamrock...I mean Jen, glad you got out there and pushed your kiddos around.  Seems like a great way to enjoy health and life!

Dirk, keep us updated on your Dad between now and Tuesday post-op.  I will keep him in my prayers like the others.

Jonathan, speaking of running with dogs...I was mtn biking Saturday and a guy I know showed up to ride with his Jack Russell Terrier.  We rode together (a group of 4 of us) with him and his dog.  That little thing kept up for 9 miles.  Even at times when we were cruising across flat sections at 18mph and at downhills over 20mph.  The thing didn't even seem to be tired!  Never left the trail.  never left his rear wheel--except when it slowed down and was getting close to my wheel, heard my brakes, got spooked and passed her owner and took the lead for a while. 

So speaking of mtn biking...it was my first ride on a non-stationary bike since my shoulder surgery.  I have a race in 2 weeks so thought I should dust off my rust.  Only had time for 2 laps which used to be out of the question for me just about 2 years ago.  Now it's not enough to feel like I've had a workout.  My riding buddy Duane was breathing like a freight train just trying to keep up with me while I was trying to go slow and wait for him...and he's been training all winter.  I appear to be in great shape. 

On my 2nd lap I took a new section of trail that cuts out about 50 feet of loop that drops down through a ravine.   Duane had made this over the winter as an interesting alternative route through the ravine.  I was just cooking along about 15 mph and took the alternate (never seen it before) and low and behold there is a 6' drop that's nearly vertical.  There was nothing I could do except straighten my arms and push the handlebars...but my speed was way too fast.  I flew off the edge and nose dived into the ground.  Extremely hard, face first. 

So...somehow I fell like this:

1) front tire lands

2) shock compresses completely

3) hands remain on handlebars

4) upper body heading straight to the ground

5) right arm bends and right elbow hits

6) tuck my head so as not to break my neck

7) continue a rolling posture so as to protect shoulders

8) back of head hits the ground (hard)

9) this continues the rolling

10) land flat on my upper back

Hooray!  Protected my shoulders and my neck (a guy I know died this way last year)

I layed there for a few seconds kicking myself for being dumb.  Then I asked Duane what he was thinking!!!  then I got up and rode off my adrenaline making everyone suffer to try to keep up with me until I calmed down a few miles later.

The aftermath, that I didn't assess until I was home, was a bruised kneecap with underlying inflammation, a HUGE golfball sized 'goose egg' on the inside of my other knee, strained tendon in the back of my head.  Bloody elbow (through 2 layers).  But it's all good.  That's mtn biking.

Yesterday I went out with Jordan and Evan and ran the trail while they rode.  I almost caught Jordan by the end of the trail.  Then we ran another 5 miles together.  That run beat my legs up bad.  The terrain is so up and down that the pounding adds up.  My achilles take a beating there and so did my knees and I even pissed a little blood that night from the kidneys taking a pounding! 

But this morning's swim followed by an easy 6 on the treadmill have rehabbed my legs nicely. 

Dirk - praying for your dad!

Jeffy - crazy story... and that sort of wipe out didnt keep you from workouts?  Are you sure your name isnt Jack Bauer?

Wow, there's some impressive stuff going on in here.  And Jeff, that's just a crazy fall.  Glad it worked out and you can give it the "that's mountain biking" ending, but be careful.  As you pointed out, those things can end in a very different way.  Not to be a dad, but I'm a dad!

Dirk, your dad is in our prayers, keep us updated.

Holy crap, Jeff!!!!  This is the reason why I take the munchkin to gymnastics!  I want him to learn how to protect himself when he falls.  I know he's going to do crazy stuff like his dad (and Jeff).  Why fight the inevitable.  Give him the tools to keep himself safe when he bites it good!

I'm glad you are ok.

Dirk: Thoughts and prayers with your Dad, hope he is doing ok!

Jeff: The crash sounds scary, I could almost see the entire thing in slow motion as you described it!  You are lucky you didnt crack that egg on top of your shoulders.

Jen: Great job on the race and all while pushing both kids thats just awesome!

For Me: I did something silly today, I combined one of Jorge's 6x4 workouts with a 4 mile run!  Ran 2 miles then did the bike session and finished it off with another 2 mile run. It was kind of like my own little duathlon in the sweat box I call a workout room!  Surprsingly my legs felt pretty good on both runs, and only slightly weak on the 2nd run!  Total distance 2-15-2.  I guess this will help teach my legs to keep going when they are tired!

Yes, I agree. I read that yesterday but could not post without giving a lecture so I spared you . You are welcome. I can't believe you were running again so soon after that!

Add me to the list of those messing with ITBS. It is not terrible but I can feel the tightness starting up in my hip and a slight pain in my knee after running. I stretched and rolled on the foam roller last night but I'm not going to mess around with it. I made an ART appointment for tomorrow. I had to put biofreeze on my leg so I could roll it and I still got the sweats when I got to the tender area!

If you have any other tips or great stretches for this let me know.

Matt nice job on the workout. That is pretty impressive as the 6x4's were killer for me. I could not imagine running before or after doing that workout much less running before AND after that workout. I do agree though it will help you. I have been doing the day-2 Jorge workouts and running for an hour or so after those the last two weeks for my weekly bike/run brick. Those are the ones where the main set is about 40 minutes and you increase your power every 5 minutes starting at 70% and working up to 85% and repeating it. Those workouts aren't anywhere as bad as the 6x4's, 3x10's and 2x20's.

This confirms what I've suspected all along.  I don't care how many calories you eat for dinner - you're spiderman.

Dina, sorry abouat the IT band...be careful continue to roll.  1 stretch that helped me more than anything.

Get a table or sofa arm that is about waist high.  Put your leg on the sofa/bed or whatever so that your left leg is crossed like you are sitting in a chair,(leg for a 90 degree angle) foot close to your hip and lean into the chair. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times for each leg.

GREAT going to the ART.

If that doesn't make sense let me know and I'll try again.  I learned it at youtube.

The next thing is stand 4 inches from a wall with your feet about 6 inches apart.  Lean back again wall and squat down keeping your feet flat on the floor. Your knees will go to the side about a 45 degree angle. You can only go down about 6 inches.  Do 50 reps 3 times, 3 times per day.  In 2 - 3 weeks you'll be increasing to 100 reps and that will really help.

Dirk - Praying for your dad.

Dina- Welcome to the club. MY IT band issue flared up in early December and feel like it is finally going away, thanks to lost of short runs on top of lots of stretching.

Jeff- Where was the GoPro for that ride/tumble? I love moutain biking, a sport I took up since there is no snowboarding here, but the fact that you could recall the entire fall play by play is amazing. I second Samantha's comment... OMG

Matt- Awesome job keeping your dates with Jorge!

AS for me - I am glad I got in lots of training last week as my kids have passed on a nasty stomach bug to me. Hit me Sunday, I thought I was just struggling with the time change. Then, I came to work Monday morning and at 9:00 a.m. I pretty much fell apart. Nausea, body aches, chills, and the worst headache EVER... I left the office at 10:00 a.m. and was in bed all day/night. Got up this morning and almost passed out while standing in the bathroom. Got the kids off to daycare and rested some more. I am now at work, to work a half day, from lunch - 5:00 and feel sore and weak. I will overcome this sooner rather than later!!!!

Hoping to ease back into light training on Thursday.

Jen sorry to hear you are not feeling well. Get rest, take care of yourself and feel better soon.

Dina also sorry to hear about the ITB flare up. I hope you can get some relief with the ART session and you're feeling better too. It seems like ITBS has gone around hit this group pretty good.

Hey Jen and Karl!  This popped up on my Facebook feed.  It's from Felt Bicycles.

"Hey, North Florida! If you're in or around the Tallahassee area tomorrow, be sure to swing by Higher Ground Bikes! Our East Coast demo rig will be on site all day- so cruise out, grab a bike, and Ride & Believe!"

I wish I could make it to one of their demo's!

Just filling everyone in on my dad.

He's back home and doing fine.  His test didn't provide anything particularly conclusive other than he's almost 70 years old with a previous triple bypass.  The bypass grafts are still in place and doing fine and they placed no new stints during this procedure.  The lack of action appears to indicate that he has no apparent life threatening conditions that required particular attention today.

His history has been long as it relates to his heart condition.  He has had a leaking left ventricle for several years that the doc didn't seem to believe was any different today than in the past.  His ejection fraction is about 40% which is about 50% or less than normal.  (No one has 100% for an ejection fraction.)  The ejection fraction, simply put, is your hearts efficiency.  It is generally the amount of blood pumping from the left ventricle.  Consider that your heart does not pump every drop of blood from the chamber each time it pumps.  Rather it pumps a higher percentage out and then refills.  (This is not a medical definition for certain but it might give you an idea.)  Apparently a normal ejection fraction is around 80% +/-

__________

Jeff, I want to see some pics of that fall.  That sounds awesome!  It makes me want to grab a mountain bike and see if I can survive a few crashes.  Of course we'll not say anything to my beloved wife about any of my desires or she'll want to increase my life insurance.

I have been keeping up with all of the other posts but I don't have time to comment now.

Tracy, thanks for the bike info.  yes I live in Tallahassee and that is the bike shop I use and I knew nothing about it.  Is it today? (Wednesday).  I'll call and ask.  Thanks for the heads up!  You know it will just cost me $$$$  lol  I want a new bike anyway...

Dirk, glad to hear about your dad but have a few questions.  What problems did he have to cause him to go to the dr?  Was it just a check up or problems.  You said that he had about 50% blockage???  What are they going to do about that.

I have a duathlon this weekend.  Wife is doing it too along w/ Jen if she is feeling OK.  It will be scary since I have not ridden my tri bike since Oct.

Spring is almost here, I got the 1st frog of the year out of my pool yesterday.

Son's baseball team beat the best team in town yesterday.  We got LUCKY... as out team isn't very good.  We have a few good players, then it drops of after that.  Othe teams have better depth.

Dirk thanks for the update on your Dad and glad to hear that things are alright with him and he is doing well.

Karl congrats to your son's team on their win and good luck to you, Pam and Jen this weekend at the duathlon. Is the weather getting any warmer down there yet? We are supposed to be in the 50's up here today which means if I can sneak out for a lunch time run I will be doing that and it will be in shorts! Yay!

No real worries with the ITBS - I just don't want to let it flare up into something nasty. Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I ran a short 2 mile run after my swim yesterday and everything was fine. I could really feel the tightness in my hip during my swim though so I know I need to get it taken care of. Yesterday I woke up with a pain in the top of my foot too so Doc will be busy working on me today!

I've really lost my motivation to get on the trainer these last couple of weeks. Going to the basement is starting to feel like I'm going to a dungeon. Come on Spring and bring me a nice day!

quick ?? for the bike experts.

What does it mean for the different chain links  like 54- 32 or what ever it is.  Some say 50 and something.  Which is faster or better?

Pedal stem/arm length's  Is a short or long pedal arm better?  Which is faster and why. 

Please put it in everyday southern terms I can understand...ie simple.  I've done a search and gosh is it complicated.

Dina, glad your IT is under control

Tony, enjoy your run.   Yea it is supposed to warm up in the 70's but it is still cold in the mornings.  I can hardly wait until it is in the 60's at night.