Stats 2011

Distance - 200km
Surgery - Right ankle fusion
             - Left heel& sub-talar fusion

In 2012 I plan to make up for lack of cycling in '11.
January 22nd, 2011 was the last ride, but the year will be remembered for sorting out my ankle and heel. With a plaster to be taken off this Friday, I am expecting really good news and perhaps can start riding before Jan 22 this year.

The right ankle took longer but has fused correctly and with strength. I waited more than 20 years for new technology to provide something better than fusion. It didn't and in future, I will just go with what is available when I need it. The other thing I learned from this experience is it is better to fix and recover small problems than put things off until they get really bad. Quality of life and living pain free is worth gold.

The left heel was fused to the sub-talar on November 7th and am hoping to start weight bearing on it end of this week.

Bring on 2012 and best wishes to everyone for a fantastic year.

On The Trainer

Last week I bought a cheap trainer and hitched the Raptor up to it.
It felt so good to push the pedals around.
I have been doing about half an hour a day and not one ounce
of trouble with my right ankle. No noticeable restriction due to it being fused.
It feels easier to pedal than before the op.
With this little bit of fitness I will venture out onto
the bikepaths over the weekend.

Progress

Well the severe leg pain is subsiding to intermittent dull aches and I am
walking more without the crutches.
Walking without he crutches felt really weird until I worked it out.
Talk about the brain anticipating from years of feeling one experience.
The weird feeling was the sensation of no pain in my right ankle.
I can almost balance on one leg, have done a few delicate lunges
and no pain at all.
I am now saying the operation was a huge success.
I wanted to jump on the bike and ride but though I better weigh myself first.
Yikes! 5kg over the maximum bike load. Now I am hitting the trainer and
putting a lock on the biscuit barrel.

Another Setback

Well I suffered severe bone pain last weekend and the start of this week and went back to the surgeon worried.
The pain would start anytime and be very severe and deep right in the middle of the tibia.
Had an xray and it did not show anything wrong. There is not stress fracture at the top of the internal nail and no nerves are compressed. The Doc reckons the pain is associated with
new bone creation going on in and old fracture site as the pain is right at an old segmented fracture.
So I need to take it easier on the weight bearing. He has put me back to visit him in another four weeks.
I am ready to cycle and get busy but will take it easy for a week or two. So my goal is to be able to walk in without crutches in four weeks.

5 More Weeks

Last week the surgeon says "Slow bone growth. 6 more weeks."
One week has gone so that is 5 more to go. At least I can still do simple maths.
I really miss riding and it is difficult to do anything while hobbling around on crutches.
I enjoyed watching Cadel finally get the better of the GC in the TdFr.
Now back to magazines, forums etc and counting down.
I bought a copy of STeve Nurse's Cycling Zoo and it is a good read. especially as he
is in the middle of building a 'Big at the front'. Great book STeve.
I also got a TT book "Like Flying" and it has some good info on setting up a competitive season.

Good Progress

So far so good.
The Hind Foot Nail Right Ankle Fusion op three weeks ago has worked.
No infection, no vascular or neurological issues.
I have 5 weeks of partial weight bearing of 50%. No cycling allowed. :(
Then hopefully back on the bike. :)

Surgery in May

My surgery is booked for the end of May, what with getting a second and third opinion and waiting for a spot.
I changed to a different surgeon with modern techniques.
The right ankle fusion will be an inside the bone fixation.
A titanium rod is positioned inside the  tibia down into the ankle and heel.
All three parts get lined up and it is screwed in place by drilling through the bone
and into the rod.
The advantage is that it gives a very strong join and I can start partial weight bearing in two to three weeks instead of eight weeks. The alignment of leg and joints ( and ankle with knee) is more precise.

I am going to lose another 10mm of leg length with this fusion. That will make a total of about 35mm shorter than the other leg. I am glad I still have my crank shorteners.

To get fit and lose weight I am swimming everyday. Last week I started on the exercise bike but very gently for about 5 minutes. It all felt okay and will aim for 10 minutes each day next week.

Have a great Easter everyone  - chocolate makes you ride faster. :)

Time to go under the knife

It is looking like surgery around the end of March. I had a meeting with
the surgeon who looked after me when first injured myself 29 odd years ago.
He is still practicing and knows some of the best guys in the orthopaedic field here.
So I am going to get them to fix me up.
It looks like the left ankle subtalar joint will get done first. That is a 2 month process of surgery and recovery.
Then I will have a rest and do the right ankle which is pretty complex surgery.

So I have about a month to get really fit swimming. If I can get on the bike I will.

Busted Again

Sad news. My ankles are too painful to ride even 5km.
So I am having an extended rest of pedalling and doing
a ton of swimming (doctor's orders).

Good news. I have a swimming pool in the backyard and have
been swimming everyday.
I do sneak a 10 minute ride on the trainer which is great.
So all you able ankled riders out there spin a  few for me.
Will keep the blog updated with ankle progress.

South Perth - Claremont Loop

Yippee! A great ride this morning as it was my first with rolling hills alongside the Swan River.
Steve's Hill is about 10km out and even though I needed granny and three, I climbed it without too much effort. Jutland Parade was pleasant and got over the little rollers without too much trouble (although in a lower gear ).
There were plenty of big groups around as well as small groups of three and four. From one big group I hear the shout of "Get a real bike!". I laughed as I hadn't heard that one in a while. Sometimes its feels good to be noticed, no matter what.

No sore knees or busting lungs which gives me confidence that my training is going well. My back specialist strongly recommended swimming for my back, so I will do alternate days swimming and cycling. But if it looks a better option to ride than swim I will always go the bike.

South Perth - Matilda Bay Loop

A lovely cool cloudy morning at about 7am.
Fences and the start of marques are all around the river in preparation for Australia Day Celebrations.
Plenty of walkers, joggers, commuters etc but all went smoothly.
Plenty of people fishing too.
A short 18km ride but I only had an hour and it fitted really well.

South Perth to Shelley Bridge and Return

I started at 5:30 hoping to miss a large number of commuters.
Conditions were cool with cloud cover and park sprinklers were washing over the cyclepath
at the start in South Perth. So I felt quite chilled until I dried out near the Narrows.
I met the famous Susie from ATTA fame at Canning Bridge and stopped for a chat.
She is one of the chief organisers of the very successful time trialling events here in WA.
If you want to try something different try a time trial or two.
Anyone in any condition can enter these organised events.
The Chittering 40 is on at Bullsbrook on Sunday.
Check their website at ATTA.

I felt pretty good but very thirsty going through two bottles on a cool day.
I was a little more comfortable with the commuters for two reasons. The early start and going in the same direction for more of the ride. Between Canning Bridge and Mt Henry Bridge I used the road on the Mt Pleasant side and did not ride the path on the freeway side or cross over Mt Henry.
Total time 2 hours which was 10 minutes slower than Wednesday but did a lot of spinning and
intervals along the way.

First 40km

SP_SB_Return



http://www.bikely.com/

 
I finished my first non-stop 40km ride this morning. The scenery was beautiful as usual. The ride
takes in the Swan River and Canning Rivers upto Shelley Bridge. There were many others out enjoying it before the heat sets in.
Cyclists (mostly commuters with back packs on their backs and small groups) were quite daunting with overtaking in both directions. I got very anxious when they would dangerously overtake others and duck in just in time or cut me off. I had to take evasive action a couple of times and thank goodness for my revision mirrors. I think I will avoid the Freeway PSP between 7:30 and 8:30am.

First Rides 2011

After New Year's day I couldn't wait any longer, so I set the bike up and went for a short ride.
It was early morning along the river cycle paths, cool air and glistening water and one very happy rider.
I stopped at Matilda Bay (half way) rested with a coffee and beautiful view. Total distance for the return ride is about 16km.
I have done that ride three times now and also ridden to Mount Henry Bridge and back (25km) with and without stops. I stop if I feel any stiffness or soreness in my knees or back. So far so good as the rides are pain free :) YAY!
These rides are on the flat and a great way to ease my self back. The hills and Kings Park will have to wait a while longer. The pleasant surprise is cycling without any pain. I will mix the cycling with swimming and see how fit and thin I can get.

Perth-albany-Perth (PAP)

A buddy of mine was the only trike in the event.
He finished at 8:30pm Friday.
An awesome ride considering the constant strong  headwinds.
There were many other recumbent riders but he was the only recumbent to finish and qualify.
Fantstic Glen! Well done mate!

This is Glen at the start.

Here is Glen at the first checkpoint (about 80km) at Mandurah.

I was able to get a few shots of other riders as well.

Recovery update - PAP 2010

Physio has taken longer than expected to improve my condition.
I started getting acupuncture and it is really speeding things up.

I am on the exercise bike and have got upto 5km at a time and want to push it higher soon.

Good luck to all the men and women in the 2010 PAP (Perth Albany Perth - 1200km). I had been training for this ride and am missing due to injury. I hope you all have an absolute blast and I can hear read about your great rides soon. I will be at the start to cheer you on.

Arthritis

The physio is treating my knees for arthritis.
After another painful riding session of 10km, I went to the physio.
After examining xrays, she is looking at managing and not curing.
I am guttered and can't believe it has happened and happened so suddenly.

I am following her treatment to the letter (stretching, strapping, treatment) and hope
the condition improves.

If anyone has any remedies let me know.
I do not want my riding days to end.

Almost Ready to Ride

I tried the knee out on the exercise bike last night and it still gets very sore after about 2km, So more rest and treatment. Four weeks off the bike so far. :(
I think I will be fine this time next week.

Knee Trouble

I can't take a trick at the moment.
I did the 200km, pulled up without any  soreness or pain.
Two days later I have pain when walking - right knee, over the knee cap.
More time off the bike - Just when I need to build my fitness.

Audax Perth 25th Anniversary Ride

I want to sincerely thank Perry and all his volunteers who organised a fabulous ride to celebrate 25 years of Audax in Perth.


It was my first ride that included support at each check point. What a great way to get through the 200km. The volunteers were friendly and cheerful when Glen and I rolled in. This gave me extra incentive to get to the next checkpoint. At Chidlow, food was saved for us, the kettle had just boiled and there was still plenty of pumpkin soup and fruit cake.

The ride itself was brilliant. The Gazelles bolted and Glen and I settled into a comfortable pace. A couple of buddies cruising along on recumbents catching up on the latest, sun shining and the scenery picture perfect. In some sections it felt like I owned the road as there was no traffic at all. Glen is very strong up the hills as I struggled to maintain the same speed. Brilliant when you realise how effortlessly he floats the 17kg trike uphill as if was a sub 9kg roadbike.

The challenges of the day were of course completing within the time limit, the long climb out of Bindoon and Toodyay. I had never done the Bindoon hill before and it wasn’t until I was half way up it that I realised… this is it…and with a nice high cadence got over it and into Dewar’s Pool Road.

The last time I crawled out of Toodyay it was 35+ degrees, on my own and I only just made it with a mechanical issue on the rear wheel. This time riding with Glen, we paced ourselves up the steep inclines and they seemed to flatten under my pedals with no hint of distress.

There is no shoulder on the Great Eastern Highway section and I was very happy to get off it into Coates Rd. Into Werribin Rd, the Checkpoint crew waved as they drove past and I mistakenly thought Wooroloo was the Chidlow checkpoint. How my heart sank and mind played games with me. I really struggled on the last section into Chidlow.

Refreshed after the compulsory checkpoint stop, my Ayups lit up the road and it was very reassuring to see so far ahead. Out on the country road without any street lighting, those lights showed their brilliance.

The shoulder on Great Northern Highway is very wide and smooth with little debris along the way. Trucks and cars could be seen in the rear view mirror long before they could be heard. And finally the last checkpoint with all those wonderful people congratulating us and feeding us. It had been a super long day for them and without their cheery support the ride would have been very tough indeed. So once again, many, many thanks to Perry and all the volunteers for such a memorable ride.