MSers in Training 2015

[Marinadca]

Larry - that sounds like an amazing trip! Thank you for sharing those pictures. I love that you got to experience Holland on a bike

Thank you so very much for mentioning the paralympics as I had not thought of taking a look at the people riding trikes there!! I took a look and woman named Carole Cooke, who has MS, won the 2012 London T2 Cycling....on a 3 wheeled bike. This of course led to realize that if/when I max out the speed ability and need more there are places making upright road trikes. Most important though taking a look at the average speed of her rides on Strava made me feel so much better about my speed. I get so frustrated that I am not going as fast as I could on a road bike, but when comparing myself to others riding the three wheeled version I am not lagging *as* far behind. So thank you, I am feeling better about things, as it makes tons of sense for Athletes like her to be going as fast as they are because they are working for it and deserve it. I need to compare apples to apples and not to oranges. I try to keep up with the road bikes and get frustrated.

Veronica - thanks for understanding My trike does go that fast, and on flats I can do it fine. On a downhill I love the thing, 27 was the fastest I was able to get it. But give me an incline and I slow down. I need to work on my patience...and wattage!

[Suebee]

Hi my knees and hip jts finally recovered, mostly. All Your posts keep me going. Thanks! I m going to find another way to excercise. I guess I felt that I would give it my all , my everything , that I didn't reslize how much pain I was in to be physically active. It just felt so good to be outside and moving and having the 5k goal. I felt a little like my pre ms self. I felt young too. I look good on outside and fell prey to comments that I just needed motivation. Or the silent nod of heads when I say I get tired. So I will work on gaining physical strength and restart walking program soon. Suebee

[Veronica]

Hi my buddies: SO.....adult training wheels.... I've attached some photos from trying them out on Saturday. We went for a very short ride down the west side of Manhattan on a bike/walk trail....Lots of cyclists zipping in and out, walkers, joggers, kids, tourists....the works. And it felt SO GOOD to be saying " On your left" again! I said it more on that 5 mile ride than I have in over a year.... The training wheels do add weight, but I felt that my speed, when the coast was clear of obstacles, was around where it was when I last trained on the two wheeler.( About what you are doing on that trike, Marina!) I know I need to really train now as those muscles haven't had this type of workout in too long a time, that little ride really woke up my quads.... I brought my old Terry bike inside and am swapping out the trike on the trainer for it, and sending the dear trike to the garage for now. The ride was just a joy for me....so happy to have a bike between my legs again

Now there are serious issues with these that I have to address and correct. I was warned about it being a different ride, and difficult to turn. You can't lean into a turn as the trainers are stabilizing the rear of the bike...they are on the ground..... So when I am riding on a slight slope such as for rain water to run off, I find I have to not only lean way to the uphill side, but turn the handlebars almost as one does a steering wheel. Very scarey and unnatural feeling...and the bike ends up feeling like it is fighting against the turn. On straight flats it is really great, as is getting on and off independently and without fear of falling. But this is an issue that could hold me back if I don't get it figured out, or learn how to compensate for it. I went to a park today that isn't yet open for the season and just rode around, trying out other ways to get used to turning, and turning when traversing a slope( such as crossing a road and turning left...) Suebee, I appreciated your mentioning Carol Cooke as I googled her, and watched a video of her riding. She has a trike upright , and mine in an unofficial "quad", but I wonder if she had the same problem, if so, how she dealt with it, and if not, why...
Still I am very happy...it was really such a freeing feeling to be back on the bike, and standing to pump a bit...I'll keep you all posted as to the progress, for sure...

Larry: Keep those stories and pictures coming! I'm happy that your rests didn't get in the way of having a great time. And thanks for sharing your reunion with "Old Paint"... I can so relate..

Teena Marie: I am sending a message to the God of Warmer Weather so you can hit the outside pool soon....

Suebee: Glad you are "regrouping", bouncing back and ready to go at it again from a different approach...You'll get there.... ..yeah, just small increments..same ultimate goal....It is too easy for us to set ourselves up...

Marina: Finally you are aware of how awesome you really are doing on that trike!

and Dave, our Fearless Leader: Love your photos of you on the trail.... rollin'!!!

[teena marie]

Hi all,

Love all the bike stuff!

Larry, I know what you mean about getting back on your bike. My bike was more important to me than my car.

Veronica, the bike looks fabulous (and so do you!). I looked in to doing the same with my last bike. I believe in being upright. Your muscles will remember.

Marina, I'm glad you're acknowledging your amazing abilities.

Suebee, sounds like you're paying attention to your body and making appropriate adaptations.

Swim training is great. I have found increasing the intensity of kicking at the ladder is helping to balance the strength at my hips.

Take care all, hope everyone else is moving and shaking.

Teena Marie

[Steph]

I love seeing how everyone is doing!! Thanks to those who have wished me luck on my 10k this Saturday!! I bought a cooling towel in case it us too sunny, and I've found it to help a lot with my overheating!

Marina, you and I should ride together sometime, because your trike pace is my road bike pace!!

[Marinadca]

Steph - we totally should! That would be so much fun! I think I would love to meet all the people here I have this dream of one day riding the Bike MS in NYC with Veronica actually.

Veronica - I have that same thought about riding an upright 3 (or 4) wheeler. It seems it would be strange to go down hill or to turn the thing. I am wonder what the nuances are. She gave me lots of warm and fuzzies though.

[teena marie]

Go, Steph, go!

I have dreamt of us meeting up!

Teena Marie

[Veronica]

Hi all: Steph! Go get'em girl! Have a great run and enjoy the glory of it all...Woohoo...

Marina.....I would LOVE you to ride with me....and now that I am back upright, I could keep up with you and that trike of yours....

Been working out the kinks with the training wheels. Been out three more times since those photos, very small rides, but needed to focus on how to get the wheels on more efficiently, since I did not have a need for a bike rack before, and just put my bike inside my Saturn ION. Now to do so, means I have to take the trainers off...quick release lever helps, but still a bit cumbersome to also make sure they are level and don't have me listing to one side or another from the start, or, as I learned today, don't sit lower than my rear bike wheel! Took me 20 minutes to get everything in order, I stood up, stretched, packed my folder seat away, locked the car, and stepped thru the bike, put one foot on a pedal, and the rear bike wheel just spun! Truly a GRRRR moment. Words were said out loud which I will not repeat here..... Finally got it all together and went around the circumference of a park a few times...nice rolling hills, but also saw again the difficulty in turning. Was at a T intersection, and I wanted to turn left...uphill.... Hard as I tried, I just kept going across the road. Of course I could stop without worry and didn't need to put a foot down, but I felt as if I was really not in control, and then I laughed as a car went by, and the driver looked at me three times as I must have really looked weird...just sitting on the bike, listing downhill and facing the ditch at the side of the road. I was able to Have Faith, and steer it downhill, and then life was normal again. Really need to rethink where I will ride.

It is, however, "All Good" as they say, as I know that at this point, whatever I do to stay riding will be some type of compromise...and wanting to be back upright may just mean that I will have to really judge my routes ahead of time, and remember to be very respectful of the limitations of the trainers.... And I realize that the answer to the problem of setting up of the wheels before each ride is to get a bike rack...Then I can just leave the wheels on....I ordered it as soon as I got home this evening... Gotta laugh it out....it's another adventure, for sure.....

[Steph]

I finished the 10K today without walking, but I didn't quite meet my goal of finishing in under an hour. My official chip time was 1:00:49, so I will have to train harder next year! I attached a photo of me and my husband after we finished...we didn't even end up needing that ambulance!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Congratulations Steph, the 49 seconds doesn't count anyway because I'm sure somebody got in your way or something happened that accounts for it BUT, training harder for the next one is a great idea!

[npavlato]

I am so ecstatic I can even join this thread- I wasn't sure I'd be doing much of anything for a long time. Everyone here is so impressive! You guys give me so much hope.
I just started working with a trainer; who knew exercising in a chair would be rigorous? Before this happened I was dancing in a Latin Dance company. I never thought I'd be dancing again, but I was able to do some really light ballroom tonight. Victory! It's such a weird thing- I can't walk well without crutches, but as long as I'm in partnership I can dance. No more salsa, unfortunately, but my partner and I are hoping to do some bachata/tango fusion. If I attempt the body movement of salsa (shoulders/ torso/ hips) my legs just quit, but the other stuff is more structured and supported.
Red Bull may give you wings, but corticosteroids give you legs. God bless that stuff.

Nicole

[Mouse]

I love this thread!

I love seeing the pics, I love watching people's progress & the encouragement from others.

Veronica, Marina, Larry - More bike pics, please!

Suebee - keep at it!

Steph - that's a very respectable time. 10 minute miling is an ideal pace to increase you distance a little, too!

Nicole - dance your heart out, in whatever way you can! I am jealous, I have never had any rhythm (or coordination), but it doesn't stop me from 'throwing shapes' occasionally. Do you have excellent outfits to dance in, too?

This morning the ballot opened for entry to the London Marathon 2016. I have entered & registered my interest with the MS Society to run for them (need to raise at least £2000 in sponsorship). We have to wait a few months to find out whether I have a place or not. Exciting & scary in equal measure!

Keep up the good work, people.

Juliet

[Veronica]

Just jumping on here quickly...(hmm, wish I COULD jump!!) I love that there are so many now posting on here !

Steph: congrats! I know nothing about running and times, but sounds like you should be very happy with your time....we always need to strive for better anyway, right?

Nicole: I have never been a ballroom dancer, but know what you mean about when you dance with a partner....feels so good when I have a partner to hold on to me and I feel the rhythm between us... Must be a very freeing feeling for you.

Juliet: Wow, London marathon.....very exciting indeed!

[Marinadca]

Love all the people here too

Mouse - What an amazing accomplishment to run/walk/jog/whatever a marathon! Raising funds for MS is just icing on the cake. How cool!

Nicole - I am so happy that you are back out there and moving, in whatever way that works. I love Zumba, but my coordination was never great so I just move in the right direction (I hope) and jump in place.

And Steph - wowowow! Congrads

And a picture, just cause

[AMFADVENTURES]

A Perfect Day

Great to have so many new folks and such diversity! Welcome, I am so looking forward to hearing about practices and training.

Thanks for the pics Veronica, I wondered what a bike friday looked like. I can see the complexities of riding with the training wheels but it looks like you've got a neat place to do it! And Marina, you and that trike look like one!

Got my first 60 mile ride in last weekend and I did it the day after climbing Highgrade, the meanest hill I have near me. I've been climbing some of the other hills and so far have been pleased with how well I've done. But Highgrade was every bit as bad as I remembered it. I would have been disappointed except that my bike buddies, "The Bullet" and my bike fanatic neighbor were cursing me the whole way up. Hopefully two or three more ascents on that and I'll be ready to move on to longer and steeper, or at least longer.

The third day of my trip, from Delft to Rotterdam was the best day. The MacGyvered toe clip seemed to be working so when everyone else decided to stay on the barge I grabbed the bike guide and we split.

We did 50 km meandering through the Dutch countryside only encountering one Dutch Village and an idyllic little coffee shop at a marina on a pond. It was surrounded by canals and countryside and operated by a lovely Dutch lady who served her own version of coffee and Dutch apple pie. Very special. Pic.

I meant to get a picture of the swans nesting right next to the bike path but I wrongly thought I'd have more opportunities. I saw several pair, interesting that they felt secure enough to do that.

Exploring the countryside on a bike like that is my idea of a perfect day.