MSers in Training 2016

[Veronica]

Hello All,

I am looking for some assistance.

I am wondering if someone can provide me with some advice? I have ridden a road bike for the last number of years. (former runner but changed due to my MS). I was starting to have some difficulty with my road bike and someone suggested a trike.

I picked up a used Terra Trike and it is very cool but I find the I have difficulty with getting my left leg fully around the "crank" after I have been out for a while.

I have a short boom and my seat is all the way forward. Does anyone have any other suggestions for a complete NewBee? Any assistance would be appreciated

Hi jjmagpin.... I know this issue well... "walking out" of the trike is at minimum a very awkward event for me... I end up just waddling out, with the boom between my knees until I clear it. I am able to carry my collapsible cane on the trike, so when I am alone, I use it to steady myself for this. When with friends, I sometimes get someone to give me a steady hand, but I cannot raise one leg up and over the crank to be able to walk away from the trike in a more graceful manner. Don't know if someone else here riding a trike has a better way....If so, I'd love to hear it too!

And I welcome you to the land of triking!!!

[jjmagpin]

Veronica,

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate it.
Quick question...I find that my left leg gets weak while I am ridding. When it does I have a tough time doing a full revolution. Any suggestions? I am looking at positioning of the seat to see if moving it would make a difference

[Veronica]

After I posted the above, I wondered if I was understanding your dilemma....so now I see I did not! But I understand it now....I really am not very knowledgable about this, but you should try what you are thinking...adjusting the seat... to see if it may help. Also I would suggest finding some exercises to isolate the weaker leg as it seems to be that you need to work on building some strength and endurance. I have found that I can improve strength on my weak leg only when I am not doing bi-lateral movements, (where my strong leg tends to take over...) Hope this helps!

[Marinadca]

Hi jjmagpin and welcome, glad you're here

I was wondering if you were using any kind of clip in shoe? That seems to drag whatever is not feeling like contributing into a full revolution.

[ActiveMSers]

jjmagpin, my right leg was doing the same stubborn thing. When it got tired, I would push it down and pull it up with my right arm--not terribly efficient. Eventually I switched to a hand cycle (Craigslist), which has made all the difference in the world. I can fly again, and go on long multi-hour rides. I exercise my legs in other ways. Frustrating, but adapting is key with this darn disease.

[jjmagpin]

Thanks Veronica.

I appreciate it

[jjmagpin]

Dave,

Thanks for the info. You are not going to believe this but I have done the exact same thing!

Thanks for the tip on the hand cycle. I might have to check that out.

[jjmagpin]

Marinadca,

Thanks for the post.

I use the "clipless" pedals and shoes that I use to have on my road bike. I thought that they would work the best. I am wondering if it takes some time to adjust to the trike.

[AMFADVENTURES]

jjmagpin, welcome to "Trike Central", no doubt this is the place to seek trike insight for msers. Giving yourself some time to adjust to the trike sounds like a really good place to start.

Although I'm not a trikester yet, I can think of a couple of other things you might just sort of keep in mind. One is orthotics. If you happen to run across a physical therapist or a kinesiologist you might just bounce your problem off of them. If it's the all too familiar ms related knee lifting problem, I wonder if something similar to the spring pole device skiers use could be adapted to a trike? Veronica might know more about what I'm trying to describe here.

The other thing is electrolytes. I also experience a weakening leg problem on longer more arduous rides but I've discovered that the combination of steady, relatively heavy dosing of electrolytes and easing up (actively resting) the weak leg for a few minutes, frequently does a pretty good job of restoring it. I've become somewhat of an electrolyte fanatic lately but it is a cheap easy thing to try and there might even be some basis for people with ms leaking electrolytes at a higher than normal rate. (Ps: if it works for you, don't tell big pharma or we may soon find ourselves paying $100k/yr for electrolytes.)

Veronica, congrats on getting out on your trike! Hope you're able to do it often while you're strengthening, what is bound to be, one of the strongest, best working female shoulders in history.

All is well here. I've been getting out 4 to 5 times a week this month, climbing a mile or more almost every week. I've graduated to a slightly steeper hill. It's 2 miles long, almost 700 ft. of ascent and takes me a little over 20 minutes. I'm working up to 3 ascents, plus the longer but shallower climb to get to it. Training is still going well.

Take care all,

[jjmagpin]

AMF VENTURES. ....thanks for the information. I really appreciate it....stupid question....what r u doing for your electrolytes? As a former runner and marathoner...you think I would know this but that is something that I have never thought about

[AMFADVENTURES]

Hey jjmagpin, Skratch is the electrolyte hydration mix I like because it's low on carbs (sugars), I can drink it all day and it doesn't bother my stomach. It works for me but there's a lot of them out there. If you try something let us know if you think it helps your problem.

[jjmagpin]

Cool.
Thanks AMFadventures. I appreciate it. I will check it out and let you know how it works out.

[ActiveMSers]

A quick training update. I managed a distance PR the other weekend: 19.25 miles. If my tracker hadn't conked out at the end, I would have done circles in my driveway to hit an even 20! (Okay, maybe not literally, my trike has an EPIC turning radius.) I definitely still had gas in the tank to go longer.

Now, I'm not close to a century, and probably never will be. That's okay by me. That's not my goal, and since my arms are my fitness outlet, I don't want to put them through that stress. But I hope to get into the 20s down the road, especially in cooler weather.

The other day in serious heat I put in 11 quick miles. It was going to be shorter, but when I got home I realized that the clattering I heard earlier on the trail was the top portion of my flag falling off. Dangnangit. So back out I went! Fortunately I knew about where it was.

Still hitting the gym regularly, riding 2-3 times a week. We'll see if that continues with the heat.

[Marinadca]

Hi All!

Just a quick update, I can add video later once Steve goes through it all.

My bike MS ride was this weekend. And it was awesome. I rode 130 miles (didnt go the 50 route on day 2 as we were under a tropical storm warning!) and raised 2500 I even rode with other people. Some guys preferred my pace and kept with us for 20 miles! All in all a positive experience. My goal was to ride faster then I did last year and both days I did

Day 1 - https://www.strava.com/activities/598695419

Day 2 - https://www.strava.com/activities/599579950

Up next for me, tomorrow night I am doing my first group ride. That was my goal for the year, do one group ride and I picked this one. Its a novice ride and I have told the leader about the trike situation. Now to get over my mortification on being so slow on the hills. For Larry this wont seem hilly but for me this scares me! 800 ft in 14 miles. Steve is coming with and can be my safety person in case I need to bail!

[Suebee]

Way to go! so impressed. Thanks for sharing photo.