Monday, August 31, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Back to training
Well, I am back to doing a bit of training and I am so excited about it. I can comfortably ride 2 hours a bit harder over a hilly route (done twice this week so far with another one planned for the weekend). I will continue to build the time gradually but I think I can hit 3 hrs or so in the next week or two. I have also been running a little bit....two 30 min runs after rides so far this week. I think the running will take some time but progress is being made.
I started back at masters swimming on Wednesday and I will go back tomorrow. I have been able to swim all along but I sort of lost the motivation once I was told how long I would be out. So, I am starting from scratch and it will be a long road but a long road is better then no road. To be honest, I am just loving being outside sweating my face off in this S.D. heat. It feels great to be tired and exhausted again from rides, run, swims. I obviously still need some time before being 100% but things are going well and I am fired up about it.
I got my new orthotics and I have been so sore for the last 3 days. I do feel that they are helping out a ton though and I am glad Rehab United has been there for me the past few weeks.
It is amazing how much you lose in terms of fitness. I know it will come back quickly but it sure is humbling to be working so hard on terrain I used to just fly up. I am struggling both aerobically and muscularly since I have been out for so long but the suffering feels so good =)
So, things are good here. Busy but good. Thanks for following my road to recovery! Hopefully I am healed up enough to start doing some of the club events again. Have fun out there!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Busy days....
Life has been pretty hectic for me this week. I am feeling pretty tired today, which is proof I have been going like crazy trying to balance everything.
I did get in the most cycling I have done in a while. I almost hit 10 hrs this week, which is good but my knee is a bit sore today so it is time to give it some rest. I want so much to be 100% but I just need to take it easy and let it heal up. No reason to rush it since I have missed every important race this season and there is no way I can be in shape for nationals and worlds. Next week I will get back to swimming some and try to the keep the cycling at the current level. Plus, more PT and ART work. Things are improving and that is making me happy. It just takes time.
So, that is about it from here. Pretty boring for you guys to read but anything but boring for me. I am sure I will have more to report next week as I continue on the road to recovery.
Enjoy the day and have fun!
I did get in the most cycling I have done in a while. I almost hit 10 hrs this week, which is good but my knee is a bit sore today so it is time to give it some rest. I want so much to be 100% but I just need to take it easy and let it heal up. No reason to rush it since I have missed every important race this season and there is no way I can be in shape for nationals and worlds. Next week I will get back to swimming some and try to the keep the cycling at the current level. Plus, more PT and ART work. Things are improving and that is making me happy. It just takes time.
So, that is about it from here. Pretty boring for you guys to read but anything but boring for me. I am sure I will have more to report next week as I continue on the road to recovery.
Enjoy the day and have fun!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Progress...
I am making some major progress and I love it!
I have been on several road rides outside now and I am so fired up to be back out on the open road sweating, breathing hard, and taking in the fresh air! The past two weeks have been filled with PT and we have finally diagnosed the problems and have fixes for them all. Stoked!
I am a little bit off from running regularly but I am fine with it as long as I can ride and swim. I can run a little but I am holding off a bit to let it all heal up.
I have been crazy busy with everything, which I am fine with at this point. It is all good stuff and I will take the craziness b/c I am headed in the right direction on all fronts.
I had a week of travel for Skinfit and coaching and now I am back in S.D. I made it up to Santa Cruz and Los Gatos for a couple events and then up to Tahoe to work with one of my athletes...a great trip for sure!
I think I will be local for a while now and I am excited to get back to 100% so I can take part in some of the local events that take place this fall. Speaking of events, we caught the Pads game last night, which was pretty uneventful until the last 3 minutes...it was worth staying for the whole game =)
Well, that's it from here. I will continue my long road to recovery and, yes, I will love every minute of hauling my overweight, out of shape body over the local mountains =) Take care and have fun!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
In Tahoe coaching and "exercising" a bit
I am in Tahoe right now working with one of my athletes, Eric Ronning. I love Tahoe so to be able to combine some one-on-one coaching(which I love)with some time in the high mountains is ideal.
I got up here last night, took down some local mexican food and watched last years Xterra World Championships. It certainly sparked the fire for both of us. I will obviously miss the race this year b/c of my injury but it got me fired up to get back at it. This morning we went to the pool and did a ton of stroke work and underwater video. It was good for both of us to see ourselves so that we can both work on our technique. The lack of fitness and the altitude makes it hard for me to hold good form but, really, I have some areas that need improvement and I am looking forward to some work in the water to correct my flaws. It is really amazing how good the technology is getting...we used a tiny camara and it produced some great underwater video. It will be cool to track progress as fitness and form improve.
We are off for a ride along the Truckee River. My ride yesterday was pain free and it felt great to be back on the bike sweating a bit. So, we will see how it holds up today with some riding and then some flexibility/strength work in the gym.
That's it from here. I will post some pictures and video of us swimming soon.
Take care and have fun out there!
I got up here last night, took down some local mexican food and watched last years Xterra World Championships. It certainly sparked the fire for both of us. I will obviously miss the race this year b/c of my injury but it got me fired up to get back at it. This morning we went to the pool and did a ton of stroke work and underwater video. It was good for both of us to see ourselves so that we can both work on our technique. The lack of fitness and the altitude makes it hard for me to hold good form but, really, I have some areas that need improvement and I am looking forward to some work in the water to correct my flaws. It is really amazing how good the technology is getting...we used a tiny camara and it produced some great underwater video. It will be cool to track progress as fitness and form improve.
We are off for a ride along the Truckee River. My ride yesterday was pain free and it felt great to be back on the bike sweating a bit. So, we will see how it holds up today with some riding and then some flexibility/strength work in the gym.
That's it from here. I will post some pictures and video of us swimming soon.
Take care and have fun out there!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Revealed at PT...
At PT today I was fit for orthotics. I ran this morning and managed 20 minutes but certainly not free of pain. So, Mike at Rehab United has a theory and I think he is really onto something.
Basically, I have had biomechanical issues for a while now (technically my whole life I guess). Hence, my achilles tendon issues (in the past and even right now whenever I run, which is really strange) and the pain I once had on the top of my foot that I thought was a stress fracture but it really originated from my feet, which have little arch and overpronate. So, according to Mike I was always on the verge of injury and some injurys did actually present themselves (achilles injuries many times throughout my racing career).
My crash obviously led to a knee injury and my biomechanical flaws are not letting it heal. An MRI and physical tests prove that nothing is torn and a soft tissue injury should have healed by now. Mike is thinking that my flat feet are tweeking the bones in my legs, which is putting abnormal stress and strain on my injured knee. The stress on the knee is preventing the ligaments from totally healing. In my mind, this totally makes sense.
So, I will have custom orthotics in 2 weeks and in the mean time I bought a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline (Recommended and I have had a good experience in the past)and some inserts for added stability in both my running and cycling shoes. Let's hope we are on the right track and things improve.
Basically, I have had biomechanical issues for a while now (technically my whole life I guess). Hence, my achilles tendon issues (in the past and even right now whenever I run, which is really strange) and the pain I once had on the top of my foot that I thought was a stress fracture but it really originated from my feet, which have little arch and overpronate. So, according to Mike I was always on the verge of injury and some injurys did actually present themselves (achilles injuries many times throughout my racing career).
My crash obviously led to a knee injury and my biomechanical flaws are not letting it heal. An MRI and physical tests prove that nothing is torn and a soft tissue injury should have healed by now. Mike is thinking that my flat feet are tweeking the bones in my legs, which is putting abnormal stress and strain on my injured knee. The stress on the knee is preventing the ligaments from totally healing. In my mind, this totally makes sense.
So, I will have custom orthotics in 2 weeks and in the mean time I bought a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline (Recommended and I have had a good experience in the past)and some inserts for added stability in both my running and cycling shoes. Let's hope we are on the right track and things improve.
My life right now...
Things have been pretty good the past couple of weeks with regards to physical therapy. I feel like I am making some progress but, truthfully, it is still day to day and I am far from 100%. I just can't quite get my head around this whole thing...how it takes this long if I supposedly didn't tear anything. Regardless, I am doing some really great stuff at Rehab United and I think it is laying a good foundation for my future in Xterra. I am also doing a bit of openwater swimming...trying to take advantage of the warm water. I haven't really been in the pool lately. I figure I will be in the pool more then I could ever imagine in a few months so I typically choose the ocean when it is time for some swimming.
I am hitting the road again tomorrow...up to SLO and then to Santa Cruz for a Skinfit event. After the event I am heading up to Tahoe to work with one of my athletes. I am really stoked to get into the high mountains...it is such a relaxing place for me. Plus, I hope to do some lighter riding/running (depending on the knee) and a lot of swimming in Lake Tahoe. Then it is back to San Jose for a splash and dash event before I return home. A week long trip filled with work, good times, good people, and beautiful scenery.
So, that is it from here. Pretty regular routine with tons of physical therapy and Skinfit work. I will have reports form my week long trip so stay tuned. Have a good one out there!
I am hitting the road again tomorrow...up to SLO and then to Santa Cruz for a Skinfit event. After the event I am heading up to Tahoe to work with one of my athletes. I am really stoked to get into the high mountains...it is such a relaxing place for me. Plus, I hope to do some lighter riding/running (depending on the knee) and a lot of swimming in Lake Tahoe. Then it is back to San Jose for a splash and dash event before I return home. A week long trip filled with work, good times, good people, and beautiful scenery.
So, that is it from here. Pretty regular routine with tons of physical therapy and Skinfit work. I will have reports form my week long trip so stay tuned. Have a good one out there!
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