MS'ers Training in 2013

[AMFADVENTURES]

Nice job Alain! Your training was superb and it obviously paid off. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have perfect weather and a little tail wind either. I fully agree, the “I Ride With MS” jerseys never fail to inspire, even awe, when they fly down the road. The whole experience is always so rewarding, personally meaningful. So, what’s up next? BTW, I couldn’t access the picture you posted, I get a site not found message, but I would really like to see it.

Pell, Dr. Volmer did mention Gilenya but not specifically restrictive lung issues that I can remember anyway. His talk, “Progressive MS: Time to Reassess? Time to Treat?” ended with 2 sets of conclusions, this is the second set, which deals primarily with exercise and activity:

• Protecting neurons and thus Brain Reserve is the most important goal in treating MS and the rate of Brain Atrophy the most important MRI Predictor of long term outcomes.
  
• Exercise and living an active life increase Brain Reserve and probably delay the onset of progressive MS.
  
• Activity (Cognitive and Physical) is the only proven reparative therapy in MS to date.
  
• We have to treat early and effectively to prevent loss of neurons in order to give the patient a chance to age normally- e.g. preserve neurons and thus Brain Reserve.

The first set of conclusions, which seemed to be being presented for scientific scrutiny and which are better understood in conjunction with the narrative, are:

• RRMS, SPMS and PPMS are the same disease.
  
• MS is a disease of neurons as much as it is a disease of meyelin.
  
• Loss of neurons is ultimately the major cause of disability.
  
• Loss of Brain Reserve explains the onset of progressive MS and explains why patients in the progressive phase have less capacity to recover function.
  
• Once patients have functionally exhausted their brain reserve, we cannot stop progression of disability because normal aging and deconditioning will cause further loss of function even if the inflammatory disease is halted.
  
• Inflammatory disease in MS is decreasing as a function of age for unknown reasons, therefore DMTs will have less effect in older patients.
  
• Selection of patients for DMTs should be based on evidence of ongoing CNS inflammation, not on phenotype.
  
• Allowing subclinical cerebral atrophy to proceed in young adults will most likely lead to earlier onset of age related disability.

The talk hasn’t come on line yet but I will post a link to it when it does. You can sign up to receive notice of it when it becomes available plus see some of their other presentations at:
http://www.youtube.com/themscenter

I really need to go get on the trainer for a little neural regeneration therapy now.

[pawpaw]

Great ride Alain!

Congratulations on a great ride Alain. It sounds like a lot of fun. A friend rode it last year, but the conditions were not as favorable. Glad you had fun.

Larry- Apparently Colorado is a hotbed of MSer who really exercise. My neurologist has no other patients who exercise like we do. I wonder of the Colorado neurologist has any patients with the restrictive lung issues with Gilenya.

Rode hard last night but did go 15.4 for 25 miles.


Pell

[penkalet]

Hello Larry and Pell
Thank you very much for your support!
Well, it was the perfect ride! Lot of sun, temperature from the 50 to 70+ and with 10 mph wind on the back both days and with so many riders you are most of the time behind someone pulling you. Actually the second day I follow a group for 1 hours going 17 to 20 mph I could not believe it!
The first day my AV speed was 14.8 and the second day 15.4 but hard to be precise because the last 10 miles were pretty slow because just too many riders and some accidents meaning lots of stop and go.
But really, the best of the ride is too meet all those Ms jersey “I have MS and this is why I ride” actually I join an association in Houston call “because we can” made of Mser who ride. I even meet some that leave not too far from me. Cool I may have a riding buddy.
There were 13000 riders with some MSer from California and many other states, Europe also.
Can’t wait to do it again.

https://picasaweb.google.com/alainvirlouvet/2013BPMS150

If you look closely my daughter is wearing the ActiveMSer T-shirt!!

Thanks again to y’all

Alain

[AMFADVENTURES]

Neuronal Regeneration Therapy

Hey Pell, recovery is going well. Got 9:45 in for 135 miles last week, half of it outside. Still only averaging a little over 14 mph with sustainable effort, but I think that should start to increase as soon as I can get back to interval work and a little hill climbing, hopefully this week. As usual, sounds like you're riding faster easier, as long as you don't have the brakes on anyway. Does it look like DH is sidelined for the HH this year? DW still hasn't been on her bike.

I went to our annual MS research update seminar Saturday. It was a frank discussion of current research, prognosis and treatments. Dr. Volmer, head of our local MS Center which conducts this event every year, stopped just short of calling exercise a PRIMARY therapy for MS, but he brought the subject of exercise as an important part of the therapy for MS up about half a dozen times. The Rocky Mountain MS Center is on board the exercise for MS band wagon in a big way now. In fact, I may start referring to exercise as Neuronal Regeneration Therapy occasionally. I'll post a link to this seminar as soon as it's available online.

I am also eager to hear about Alain's ride, as well as Beth's run!

Larry

[pawpaw]

Improving

It looks like the single bike is my training tool for the next several weeks. I have really struggled on the single lately. Just before my husband's surgery I told him it was like riding in quicksand to ride the single bike. He went over it and said that the brakes were slightly activating when I changed gears and probably all of the time. Yesterday was my first chance to try it out.
I rode 28 miles at a slow- 14.6mph- pace- but it was fine. In fact, it felt like the bike was self-propelled and I didn't notice most of the hills. I don't know what will happen at a faster pace, but I felt great at that pace. Of course, I hadn't ridden in a week and was fresh. I am very encouraged but will have to push myself to ride alone. Tonight's ride will tell the tale.
Larry- How is your recovery going? Definitely avoid the potholes. We don't have too many around here. Recently RJ Corman and Assoc. bought most the railroads in our area. Corman is a cyclist so all of the railroad crossings has been fixed so you barely have to slow down to cross them.
Alain- How did your ride go?

Pell

[penkalet]

Beth,

Very sorry for the victimes but very glad that you are fine. What about 2 crazy Boston Marathon on a raw. you deserve a medal.
Alain

[AMFADVENTURES]

Alain, if I don't get another chance, good luck in the MS 150! May the wind be always at your back and remember, keep the rubber side down. If not Pedal los Pueblos, have you looked at Tour de Tucson in November? It's also a great ride, a race actually. And, it's super for bringing a daughter or two along on. I usually bring two, no such thing as having too many young people around!

Pell, good to see you're getting out and enjoying it. I'm starting to see a little improvement even on the trainer, power is going up, speed is increasing and duration is coming easier. Can't wait to get back outside but I think I'll have to break my New Years resolution and start driving my bike to some better roads. Hopefully I'll see a decent ride or two this coming weekend, if it ever quits snowing. Good luck to DH, hope he sails through the knee issue successfully.

Later,

[pawpaw]

Glad Beth is safe!

I was worried about her when I heard the new. I am so glad she is safe.

Pell

Rode again today- 55 miles in past 2 days- good fun

[AMFADVENTURES]

Bombs in Boston

AMF and Pell, thank you for the well wishes. In just a few days I will be running the streets of Boston for the first time ever. AMF, taper week has been a nice drop in mileage and effort, I have only run 3 times with shorter distances. My dog has appreciated getting to go on each of the runs with me! I am also trying to get some extra sleep, although that is sometimes challenging to do with MS .



Alain, come ride Pedal los Pueblos with AMF and me in August, I'd love to meet you.

Looking forward to sharing a review of the Boston Marathon with you all next week.

Beth

FYI, Beth was way too close but she is safe. She has posted at both computer accessible links below.

http://www.milesandtrials.com/boston.../#comment-1572

https://twitter.com/MilesAndTrials

[penkalet]

Hello AMF, great to see you training outside again because it is just more fun than those intervals on the trainer. Thanks to you and Beth for the invitation to ride the “pedal los Pueblos”. I will love to but still be in France! I will be back the first week of September.
Actually next year it is a very possibility for me to do it on my way to California where I am supposed to ride from Portland to San Francisco with my daughter and her friends.
Beth, too late to wish you good luck for the marathon so I hope everything was great.
Pell, this is great you just start to train and you are already at 14+ mph!
On my end, last week I did 150 miles again in 3 rides with a good day Saturday event of 73 miles at 14.6 mph. I finally passed the 14 mph mark! Thanks for the flat ride and moderate wind.
This week I am to go easy with maybe couple little rides before the big week end.
Larry pease don’t slow down that cold front you have now in the Rocky because it should be in Houston Thursday and calm down by Saturday.
Good luck to everyone.

Alain

[pawpaw]

Elevation

Yes, Larry, the elevation totals are difficult to reconcile with the riding experience. Yesterday we did what seemed like a pretty hilly ride but we only did about 2000' of elevation change according to the Garmin in 37 miles. I assure you that the Horsey isn't awful in terms of hills. Tons of tandems do it. The last 25 of the century has more hills as you go down near the Kentucky river. You will notice if the road has the words mill or ferry in it, you may be climbing.
I may be able to ride with you. I am about 14.5 mph when working pretty hard. I can do 15.5 for a while, but not 75 miles. With Mike's surgery coming up, my ability to train more is limited.
Yesterday a group of tandems showed up at the ride so we got to ride with them- good fun. They are enrolled in a century challenge, so they are coming to the Horsey. We may go to the Midwest Tandem rally with them over Labor Day.
It sounds like everyone is getting out. Go slowly Larry, give yourself a chance to heal.

Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

Pell, I see what you mean about the elevation totals. The 7,200 ft of ascent on the HH century worried me so I loaded last years Tour de Tucson to the "Ride with GPS" site. I get a total of 5,000 ft of ascent on "Ride with GPS" but 3,300 ft. on "Garmin Connect" and "Strava". Interestingly, "Map My Ride" shows it around 2,300 ft. All of those totals computed from the same set of input data. Apparently, reality is whatever you want it to be. Reminds me of the Government for some reason.

Went out yesterday for 35 miles at an aerobic heart rate, only averaged 14.1 MPH. You won't have to kill yourself if you ride with me in the HH that's for sure. Stay aerobic, the pounds will melt away and I bet we won't even be DFL.

I got 4.5 hours, 65 miles for the week. Hit a giant pot hole yesterday and woke up stiff this morning so no ride today. The weather forecast is for rain and snow most of the week so could be back inside on the trainer again.

A Couple of Notes;
It's spring time in the Rockies, that usually means more than just pot holes. My buddy called me up to tell me he got blown off the road twice by wind gusts in the 60 MPH range.

Also, protein is in the air, no need to carry protein in your energy drink. Those prickly clouds of densely packed tiny little insects are already out.

Stay safe,

[milesandtrials]

AMF and Pell, thank you for the well wishes. In just a few days I will be running the streets of Boston for the first time ever. AMF, taper week has been a nice drop in mileage and effort, I have only run 3 times with shorter distances. My dog has appreciated getting to go on each of the runs with me! I am also trying to get some extra sleep, although that is sometimes challenging to do with MS .

Alain, come ride Pedal los Pueblos with AMF and me in August, I'd love to meet you.

Looking forward to sharing a review of the Boston Marathon with you all next week.

Beth

[pawpaw]

Ready, sort of...

Beth-
Good luck in the Boston Marathon.
Alain- You have managed some good rides. The 62 miler near Austin sounds like fun. I have been to the Lake Austin Spa a couple of times.
Larry- I hope you are continuing to heal. Four weeks inside seems reasonable.
Mike's surgery is a week from today. IF the surgeon just removes the goober (his term) from the knee and doesn't work on articular surfaces, Mike can walk within a few days. We can hope. We both have colds now so we aren't doing much.

I did ride for about 45 minutes yesterday alone. I pushed as hard as I could and managed only 15.5 mph. I certainly couldn't hold that for any major distance. If I can motivate myself, I want to ride alone on the single bike several times a week. I seem to work harder on the single.

Since I am not doing much training, I am trying to lose some weight. Less weight on me should result in faster times.

Pell

[AMFADVENTURES]

Transition

Beth, for those who might not be aware, Beth qualified for the Boston Marathon last year and, in less than one week, she will be running it in Boston. She also trained for and went to New York for the New York Marathon. Hurricane Sandy caused the city to cancel the official NY Marathon but Beth ran her own there anyway. Talk about making the best out of the unexpected! Although the training has been a little up and down, it looks like you ended up where you need to be so hoping with all my heart you do well. DW also wishes you luck. BTW, if you get a chance, what does your taper week look like?

Alain, talk about near perfect training! Somehow, I don’t think you’re going to have much trouble with this one, assuming the other 12,000 riders cooperate. I think we’ll have to get you up here for a little more challenge, OR, meet Beth and me at the Pedal los Pueblos in New Mexico! Good luck with the last training week. That taper worked well for me, hope it holds for you. Also, the training schedule I just got from my Colorado MS team has exactly that same taper.

Pell, we’re registered. DW hasn't been on her bike yet but I hope you’re getting ready!

I got 6:30 on the trainer last week, all fairly easy spinning. It took a couple of days to begin feeling decent but started coming easier by the end of the week. If I had any visions of getting back outside a little early though, they got squelched by the arrival of the latest spring storm last night. Hopefully, the ice and snow will be gone by the weekend.

Stay healthy every body,