MSers in Training 2016

[AMFADVENTURES]

Getting High

Gotta agree with Suebee, very impressive guys and girls. Dave gets to scratch off another PR and Marina scratches off another century, not too shabby. How was the hilly ride Marina?

I'm starting to get high now, yup, getting into the real mountain climbs. We've been starting around 7,500 ft., and climbing to 11,000. The goal is to do that up one side of the mountain, down the other side and then back.

At the moment, there's some major air sucking going on above 9,000 ft., apparently I'm still a red blood cell or two short of a full load. However, I am very happy with my leg strength. Although it's probably not enough for Pikes Peak yet, the hills that were really tough last year don't seem quite as bad this year. I don't think I'm climbing any faster but I'm happy to settle for climbing the steep stuff a little easier.

Going to get a chance to test my heat sensitivity this coming weekend. We've got a long ride planned in temperatures forecast to reach the uper 90's. That could get interesting. Fortunately, there are a number of places to pull in for AC and water along the route, and fortunately also, my buddy loves the heat. If worse comes to worse, I could slip in somewhere to sip ice tea while she goes to get the car. Ha, of course I'd never hear the end of it.

Keep the good work up guys, and the rubber side down,

Larry

[Veronica]

Dave, I get so happy to read about your new PRs!! A far cry from the foot pedaled trike....

Marina, you continue to be my triker heroine! So glad to hear that your ride was such a stellar success, and FUN! We can't forget the fun of this, can we??

And Larry, I read about your climbing, and feel the need to reach for an oxygen tank...9,000 feet?? Holy moly.....

Now, you have so helped me realize that I haven't been "training" as I should be if I really want to up my overall speed to a respectable number. So, now that I am able to get out to ride, I am committed to taking care of this. I'm not asking for anything big here.... And I know that trikers talk about " It's the Journey, not the speed..." , but I can't stand going so slow on such a magnificent machine as the Catrike 700.... SO, I am right now getting out twice a week to just do sprints.....on the weekend I go to my preferred trail 50 miles north where I do a 13 mile round trip, all in short intense sprints....lots of stops to re hydrate and obsess over the computer numbers. During the week, I have been able to carve out on day on a local trail where I do a 7 mile loop, again in short intense sprints..... I am thinking of it as getting to my Outdoor Gym... And, it is beginning to work! My average speed has crept up a few 10ths of a mile.... and my cadence has definitely gotten stronger and faster, which really thrills me.

Marina, you taught me that "we" can go fast on trikes, Larry you taught me that us Older Folks (i.e. Old Farts...) can still train and improve, and Dave you taught me to remember the " If at first you don't succeed.." mantra. Oh yeah, and since you all have this lovely disease, you reminded me that it isn't time for me to plateau with my physical abilities...

I will do the "slow rides" that I have heard so much about as being also benificial in training....and right now I am not getting nutz about distance.... I know the feeling I want to have with cadence and speed, and right now that is just what I am striving for. The Sufferfest video training I did in the winter where I focused spinning on my right, weaker leg, definitely is paying off. It is a little stronger, and now I am demanding more of that leg...and finding my cadence more even with the legs.

So, I am "back in the saddle" and happy again...

Happy trails to all!

[ActiveMSers]

Although the temps out here in the Southwest have been brutal, I've managed to get out on the trike a number of afternoons for an hour or two. A couple days ago I set a PR for average speed (8.9 mph), surprising considering it was in the mid 90s. Maybe I just wanted to get home quickly!

Actually, a cooling vest is the only way that could happen. Today I tried a cooling insert in my helmet and it seemed to work well.

Great to see everyone ripping it up!!!

[ActiveMSers]

Set two PRs for average speed this past week, both on hour-long+ rides. Monday I hit 9.1 mph and Wednesday I averaged 9.2. I would have been in the low 10s, but I stopped a couple times to chat with neighbors. Damn friendly neighbors!

Hope everyone has been staying fit while the forum has been having fits. I logged 120 miles this past month and have a darn good cycling tan to show for it! Will post pics later.

[Marinadca]

Yay the board is back


Veronica - go you, being just on the trike again outside must feel so good!

As for me, here it is 98, Sunny, and 90% humidity, so I am inside.

Steve has been harassing me for months to give the Knights of Sufferlandria Challenge a try and so tomorrow I will do that. Basically, you do 10 sufferfest videos in a row (indoor HIIT training videos, the challenge excludes the "easier" ones). So I will be on my bike, in the trainer for about 11-12 hours tomorrow. I will let you all know if I survive (and whether my marriage makes it).

[AMFADVENTURES]

still climbing

Great progress Veronica and Dave! The sprints should help maintain brain volume over time too Veronica and Dave, apparently your shoulders are holding up well, that's outstanding!

Still climbing here, or rather I should say I've resumed the climbs. Had to take a week off for kids and grandkids and to add another year to the tally, got to say, I really felt that year this time, ouch.

Anyway, I took a shot at Guanella Pass, wow is that a steep sucker, definitely Pikes Peak training ground. I ran out of leg before I got all the way up but should be able to make it next time. Problem is I can be so slow, sometimes I run out of water before I summit these climbs.

Also did Loveland Pass, no doubt the air sucking at altitude has improved - a lot!

Keep it up guys and girls, very cool to see the progress everyone's making. And good luck with Sufferlandria Marina, my money is on you, your hitt training has been phenomenal. (Sorry about overposting you, didn'the notice you were on.)

Larry

[Marinadca]

Well I did it!

https://www.strava.com/activities/635755712

It wasn't pretty, everything hurts, and I hate the trainer right now but its done. We're the 10th couple and I am the first person on a trike. Also possibly the first MSer, as no one has identified themselves as such to the "authorities".

I hung up my Active MSers jersey (as I cannot wear it, in teeeeny) behind my bike. Here is a photo. Please note this was taken after the completion of the 10 rides so I look like a disaster.

[Veronica]

What an outstanding job you did, "Dame" Marina..... very nice slap-happy smile on your face!

I also wanted to share with the forum the tremendous response that Marina's post about this got on the Facebook recumbent group....many in the group also have physical issues, but many just love riding trikes. Usually there is a handful of "Likes" and comments on various posts, but Marina's post broke the count meter, I think! Glad you posted it there as it is worth announcing your accomplishment wherever you can.. You have taken triking to a new level and have taken triking with MS to mainstream riding!! Hope you bask in the glory of your Suffering for a long time! And thanks for putting it out there that we MSers aren't to be counted out of ANYTHING.....

Larry...you've got me humming "Ain't No Mountain High Enough".....

Dave, LOVE that average speed increase!! Really helps me Believe....

No major news to report right now on my riding, except that I am enjoying it more than ever, getting the speed up, little by little, and am just a very happy semi-retired MSers who is now checking out new trails..

[ActiveMSers]

Marina, dang you impress me. (So does everyone else, but dang Marina.) My friends keep asking me to join Strava, telling me that if it's not on Strava, it didn't happen. So I guess my 9.3 mph PR yesterday on a 75 minute ride (yeah me) was a mirage. Sigh.

Marina, I do have an L jersey, but I'm not sure that would fit you either. They are cozy small for a non-pro!

[AMFADVENTURES]

Simply amazing Marina! 11 hours on a trainer is perseverance above and beyond. I can't begin to imagine. Congratulations! And yes, those pro jerseys are skin tight by design. They give a cyclist a couple of percentage points less wind resistance, or so the wind tunnel studies say but one probably has to be a pro to appreciate it.

Still climbing here. Went out with"Legs" the hot blond yoga chick Tuesday. We went over Squaw Pass, she was feeling strong while I wasn't having a very good day and so we became separated. By the time we turned around, she had gone quite a bit further than me and, phone reception being none too good on a lot of these mountains, by the time we figured out where each other was, I was quite a bit ahead of her, headed back to the car. I got down first and decided to turn around and mosey back to meet her.

I had gone about a mile when a pickup going the other way started wildly honking. As it passed, Legs yelled out my name. The truck pulled over, I went to meet it, and Legs climbed out - a bloody mess.

Legs had been a timid descender, but this year she began to figure it out and was on her way to becoming a demon on the down hill. She knew she was behind me on the descent and apparently decided to test her new found skills and try to catch me, but one of the hairpin curves was a little more than the bike could hold and she went down. Her first comment when I saw her, was concern over the road rash on top of a couple of new tattoos. Arg, tough women, you gotta love'em.

Anyway, she's already been back on the bike and she's telling me I'd better be in good shape for the next monster climb we attempt because she's not taking any prisoners. So I've been put in my place and I'm not going to hit anything too hard this weekend in the hopes I can hang with the tough girls come next Tuesday.

Ha, ha, ha, I love this stuff,
Larry

Ps: her helmet was a wreck and she thanked me again for forcing her to wear one before I'd let her ride with me

[Marinadca]

Thank you all of your kind words

Veronica - you are too kind! I am constantly trying to compete and compare myself to my 2 wheeled husband and friends but I am starting to realize that a trike doesn't mean the end of speed and the end of challenging myself. I am reaching a better place of acceptance, so that is good. I want to make people on trikes and MSers realize they can still DO, even if not in the way they imagined it. Us trikers and MSers can and will do everything, the folks here are a testament to that!

And you enjoying it more then ever is big news, as is your speed creeping up. I think whatever you do, as long as you enjoy it, is awesome.

Dave - I have heard (and said!) that it doesn't count if its not on Strava. But that's a joke (at least for me!!). I think everything you do counts! If people only went by Strava I guess none of the other stuff I do counts either. Boy those hour long walks sure feel hard, too bad they don't count

Larry - Wow! I am amazed at your climbing and also how scary that fall was for your friend! I am glad she is back on the saddle and it hasn't deterred her. I will never bike or trike without a helmet after my fall 5 or 6 years ago. I was unhurt, save for some road rash, but my helmet was a wreck and cracked in like 3 places, all I could think, was that I am glad that wasn't my head!

And those pro jerseys ARE skin tight. Oh well, it makes a great inspirational memento for me. Luckily, the run top is much more forgiving!

As for me, up next is my "hilly" century during Labor day. Its only 4K of climbing, which is not much for those that like the hills, but I do not So I will be hoping for a slight speed increase over last year.

As for now, it's in the upper 90s and low 100s so I am staying indoors doing those Sufferfest videos on my indoor trainer until it cools off. This heat is predicted to stay for next two weeks as least, so I will be inside for awhile. Today I did 1 video like a normal person, it was fantastic!

[ActiveMSers]

Alas, cycling is on the backburner for me for the next few days, and hopefully not much longer. Somehow I torqued my right shoulder--have no idea how (I apparently pulled a Dave)--so I need to rest it for it to heal up. Might have strained the rotator cuff or deltoid muscle. Grrrr.

Anyway, living vicariously through all of your adventures, at least temporarily. Hope exercise is going well!

[teena marie]

Hello all,

Ican't believe it has been so long since posting. I do read all posts and remain continually impressed, inspired and motivated. So many amazing accomplishments from such an amazing group.

I continue to train and swim as much s possible. I am now in Cape Breton and have had some good ocean swims but have been contending with north winds and high surf so don't get there daily. I have also had an inordinate amount of work which I completed last night. As well, a dip in feeling good. A few issues psychologically and physically that impact on MS.

Cheers to you all and you all have helped me through a rough patch.

Take good care,

Teena Marie

[Veronica]

Thrilled to hear from you, Teena Marie. Your absence was felt. I am hoping that you continue to pull out of the "Blue Funk" that this disease can give us. Glad that ocean swims, even if reduced, continue. When you do get out there, it must be great solice for you...and making you remember that you are still strong...in body and spirit...

And Dave, I have to say I shuddered when I read "rotator cuff" and deltoids.....May it just be a strain! I am sure your PT sis has educated you completely on what to do... Yeah, great that you switched to handcycling....until the shoulder acts up, huh??

As for me, I am continuing to amp up my upper body strength training as part of the recovery from the Rotator cuff surgery. I plan on going to Ski Spec again this December, so I really need enough strength to lift the outriggers.... I am getting obsessive about this training, which isn't a bad thing to be obssessed about, right?

And cycling continues to be just so much fun...including the sprint work which is slowly adding to a better pace for me.


I also love reading all the posts. We are pretty amazing, aren't we??

[ActiveMSers]

Veronica, sorry about that! Was just a strain. And my sis did her magic--one second it hurt like the dickens, and then after her treatment it felt fine. Crazy. Was able to cycle the next day, and even set a PR for speed (9.4 mph) in 100-degree temps. As you can see I don't like to take it easy.