MSers in Training 2015

[Steph]

Where in VA are you? I am in Northern VA

Marina, I live near Winchester. Which Bike MS ride are you signed up for? I'm doing the one out of Purcellville, Va. Last year I did the one near Waynesboro, VA, and it was very hilly. I'm hoping this one is a little less hilly!!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Hey all, finally the snow is melting and the temps are above freezing. I feel like I just woke up from a long winters nap. Time to start moving.

Suebee, welcome. A 5k is an admirable goal. Running exercises more muscles in the body than cycling, it's harder and if you can do it then that's definitely what you should do intervals and all. Use the stationary bike if you can't get outside or if you begin to develop joint or tendon problems, otherwise run. You will come to love it.

Steph, congrats on graduating to clipless pedals, you'll come to like them, hopefully without too many bruises. You might consider a little riding on grass until you figure out which side you prefer to dismount on or if you want to try to get both feet out of the clips when stopping. It's a bit of trial and error until you figure out what you're comfortable with.

Got out on the bike twice this week already, started on the short hills. It felt good but there's no doubt the strength and endurance need quite a bit of work. So, I signed up for the Training Peaks 150 mile experienced rider program, it starts next Monday with a day off then progresses to five and six days per week. Great, I'll already be ahead for the first time this year!

TM, glad to hear your personal trainer is working out so well, mine is too. In the last session we did a boxing workout. It went better than I would have expected which is to say I moved my feet while throwing a few punches and didn't fall down. The goal is to try to recover some of the fast twitch muscle that seems to be the first to go with MS. I have hope. Also keeping up with the weights, core, yoga and a little walking although with the cycling picking up, I'm going to drop to two days a week alternating the weights and core.

Keep on moving,

[Marinadca]

The weather is finally starting to look better for getting out and training on my bike for Bike MS, at least here in Virginia! I just upgraded to real cycling shoes and clipless pedals... I haven't been out on them yet. I've been practicing clipping in and out in a narrow hallway in my basement. I am so going to fall over on the road somewhere!

Only a short time to train until June! But we all can do it if we stay positive!

Where in VA are you? I am in Northern VA

[teena marie]

Hi all,

A little pressed for time so this will be quick.

Welcome Subee. Interval training on the stationary bike can be a combination of speed and resistance at let's say 1-5 min intervals. For example, 5 mins easy pedaling, 1 minute break, 1 minute hard resistance, 1 min break,etc. Breaks are essential. You can mix it up however you see works for you.

Go, Marina, go! Setbacks are frustrating but part of the game.

Dave, nice to see Laura's picture on the home page.

Larry and new cycler, so happy you can start some outdoor training.

My physio is really taking off. He has good experience and is adapting to my needs. The biggest help is our sit to stand exercise. Not only is it increasing my strength, but it's helping on a functional level so that I don't need to hold on to as much when standing up. Also some intense core resistance which is making me straighter. Swimming almost daily. Walking in and out at work is smoother.

Take care all and sorry if I forgot anyone,

Teena Marie

[Suebee]

Hi! I'm new. You all got me excited about a fitness goal. I want to do a 5k but no where neAr being able to accomplish that yet. I need to increase my endurance. What is best way to start interval training on a stationary bike? Or on jogging track? Based on your posts, I think I'm not stretching enough either. Is there a thread by Herb to list ways to stretch? A pt told me my hip flexor is tight on stronger side because of compensation strategies I use. Thanks for all your enthusiasm, it is infectious !

[Steph]

The weather is finally starting to look better for getting out and training on my bike for Bike MS, at least here in Virginia! I just upgraded to real cycling shoes and clipless pedals... I haven't been out on them yet. I've been practicing clipping in and out in a narrow hallway in my basement. I am so going to fall over on the road somewhere!

Only a short time to train until June! But we all can do it if we stay positive!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Marina, you are right, time is getting short but, for us as MSers, it's really all about the training. The rides are a great incentive but in the greater scheme of things, they are not the critical factor. Hope things settle down there.

Ellie, welcome and good luck on your half, hope to hear how it goes for you. Also hope you'll join us for the bike MS training. When's your ride anyway?

I haven't been on the bike lately either but it looks like we've got a break in the weather so as soon as the snow melts off of the streets and trails I plan to get out there. Meanwhile I'm staying with the core and weight workouts, going to yoga twice a week and keeping up with my PT. We did a version of hopscotch in my last PT session. Jump up with both feet, land 12 inches ahead feet together, immediately jump up again and land ahead feet apart, repeat. It helps to do that in a narrow hallway so I can bounce off the walls if I need to. Also doing squats, jump squats, forward lunges and side lunges or an MSers version thereof. All in all, making good progress.

Take care and hang in there gang,

[Marinadca]

You are awesome. Veronica I can do it - I just need to stop the wallowing and do something small.

[Veronica]

One thing after another seems to knocking me back (sickness, work, a surprise move, horrid weather) and I am concerned that bike MS is only about 3 months away and I haven't been in the trainer in over 2 weeks. usually when I am inactive (does packing, assembling and unpacking count?) I have to start small and build back up. But this will be the third time *THIS YEAR* for that. I am feeling immensely frustrated and pretty depressed about that. But coming here always makes me feel motivated. I tell myself that it looks warmer (by that I mean 40 and not snowing/sleeting) and I can get outside and begin walking again. I hope work calms down - month close used to be 3 days of nightmare work, but thanks to some stupid decisions on corporate's part now I am forced to work 8 days 11 hour + days to get every done and the weekend as well, so please hope for me that this month is better.

Sorry for the ramble!!

Oh Marina....Glad you vented here. While of course I haven't had the same scenario as you, I can appreciate the frustrations of starting over again. Yeah, it is small steps and progress seems minimal to zilch at times, and having to re-start does really stink. But I'll be your cheerleader here....you KNOW you can get back to the routine....less than before, but you are back building it up... Just start it up, whatever, and keep to ONE part of your routine just to get yourself enough of a kick in the butt to feel good about the exercise again. This winter has been so rough on us all for getting out to walk....snow can be pretty to look at , but not very motivating to get out in it if not doing snow sports.... If it is any consolation, aren't you glad the Sickness, Move, Work didn't come in the beautiful Spring? ( Sorry, I am the Mother of Optimism...) You probably have more reserve in you than it appears at first..... Just gotta wake it up. I'm cheering for you!

[Ellie]

Hello

Hello, I am new here. I am a runner and am training RockNRoll Marathon which is in 2 weeks. My training has been going well. I signed up for Bike MS 100 mile challenge. I have not been on my bike in since last May.

[Marinadca]

One thing after another seems to knocking me back (sickness, work, a surprise move, horrid weather) and I am concerned that bike MS is only about 3 months away and I haven't been in the trainer in over 2 weeks. usually when I am inactive (does packing, assembling and unpacking count?) I have to start small and build back up. But this will be the third time *THIS YEAR* for that. I am feeling immensely frustrated and pretty depressed about that. But coming here always makes me feel motivated. I tell myself that it looks warmer (by that I mean 40 and not snowing/sleeting) and I can get outside and begin walking again. I hope work calms down - month close used to be 3 days of nightmare work, but thanks to some stupid decisions on corporate's part now I am forced to work 8 days 11 hour + days to get every done and the weekend as well, so please hope for me that this month is better.

Sorry for the ramble!!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Keeping with the same schedule of yoga twice a week, pt twice a week, alternating weights and core three times a week and spinning or walking as I'm able - and doing a lot of snow removal too. I'm finding that it is usually possible to do more than one thing per day if each activity involves different muscle groups, either upper body, core or trunk and legs. It seems to be working well although there are times I'm pretty wiped out by late afternoon.

Went for a walk before yoga the other day, wanted to see if my pt was paying off yet. The first 20 minutes went very well, good heel toe coordination, knee lift, not much foot drop and decent balance using a single pole. It all fell apart over the next 10 minutes but I wasn't particularly fresh when I started either and it was still enough to see quite positive results from the pt.

Didn't even come close to making my February goal of 8 hours per week on the bike, just too much snow. I'm a little worried now that the shortened training season is going to make this a particularly tough year for the bike.

Hope everyone is hanging in there,
Larry

[ActiveMSers]

Steph, welcome! So great to meet you. For those wondering, I'm now up to two stretching sessions per day, and shooting for three. Trying to keep spasticity at bay!

And AMF is right, at this point the evidence that exercise helps is overwhelming. But like losing weight, the trick now may be in motivation. People know exercise helps, but don't make it a focus. All of these posts, though, serve as motivation. Can't thank you all enough!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Hey Steph, welcome aboard, I'd love to train for the century option on the MS 150 with you this year, I think it'll be a ton of fun. Here are a bunch of free training plans courtesy of Joe Friel, one of the premier training groups around. Check out the website and select the program you're interested in. They're free to MS 150 participants. I've used these before and I've got to say, there's something about getting an e-mail telling you what to do and just blindly doing it, no thinking involved. It's pretty close to having a personal trainer. Here's the link, let me know what you think. Also, if you message me with an e-mail address, I can send you a bunch of spreadsheets to work off of.
http://home.trainingpeaks.com/produc...training-plans
Steph, I also think you're really smart to run.

I think we're all a little under the weather right now (ha ha, that was supposed to be a joke) but things should be changing soon so to get ready I'm doing intervals on a spin bike or outside if I can, twice a week only an hour or so. Also trying to get in an easy spin session but not always successful. The intervals are the most important thing anyway. I'm keeping up with my weight training and core exercises (between snow storms) and yoga and physical therapy, twice a week each. It's the busiest exercise schedule I've had in years and I'm not complaining.

TM, I am so happy I finally found a trainer. Just finished my third week and some of those weak muscles are beginning to respond. It's making me even more uncoordinated than usual but I think it's kind of a neuro-musclular learning process. Glad you're happy with yours TM. I don't have great expectations here but if I can get back a little of what I've lost I'll be ecstatic.

V and Dave, I also stretch when I can throughout the day, Dave's right, it takes too much time to do all at once and it might even be better to stretch it out. I'm also doing a lot of ankle and hip flexor exercises throughout the day as opportunity presents, don't know if it's helping anything but pretty sure it's not hurting.

I'm as convinced as ever that we're doing the right thing. I've been seeing quite a few articles on the benefits of exercise, especially interval work, for people with autoimmune diseases. Keep up those intervals!

Larry

[Steph]

Training for century

I know there are quite a few cyclists on this site. Does anyone have a good training plan for building up to a century? My normal ride is about 20 miles. The most I've done is 56. I have until mid June to train once the weather clears I do much better with a plan and structure, and haven't been able to find what I'm looking for so far.

Thanks in advance,

Steph